The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) is an organization in decline, but Vietnam veteran Ed Harmon is on a mission to bring a branch back to Boothbay. The region’s previous VFW dissolved around the 1990s; it was one of the many Maine posts that have closed in the past few decades, according to Harmon. Currently, the closest VFWs are Bath Post 7738 and Harmon’s own Topsham Post 2197.

 “People that want to join the VFW in this area don’t want to travel (that far), so let’s bring the VFW to you,” said Harmon.

American Legion Post #36 in Boothbay has been secured as a location; Harmon just needs a minimum of 15 members. The VFW meets once a month, but regular attendance is not required. Harmon doesn't want anyone with a tight schedule, especially those raising kids, to be discouraged from joining.  

The organization offers support for local veterans, community volunteer opportunities, and chances for leadership roles through post positions (Commander, Quartermaster, Surgeon, etc.). Training for these roles is provided. Spouses, family members, or interested community members can also get involved by volunteering for the VFW’s auxiliary. If interested, call Harmon at (207) 242-9310.

Joining the VFW also gives the organization greater political power when petitioning the state or federal government on behalf of veterans or holding government accountable for shortfalls in providing veteran benefits, Harmon explained.

“We need you for the vote. We need you for the brotherhood (and sisterhood). We need you for camaraderie.”

Fostering a sense of community is an essential tenet of the organization. It can be hard for combat veterans to share their experiences with friends or family members, so having others who went through similar events can be lifesaving; Harmon recalled one local veteran who said he wished he joined earlier, as talking with fellow service members helped relieve the pressure from issues he had kept bottled up. Harmon has found that veterans often gain a sense of purpose from the VFW’s volunteer work, whether it's helping veterans in need or local communities.  

“We get people to be motivated because they feel real good afterwards, you know? And that's what it's about, feeling good inside like that keeps you alive.” 

Topsham Post 2197 regularly hosts dinners, donates to food banks, sponsors youth sports, and puts on fundraisers for veteran causes. Harmon is also the founder of Boothbay V.E.TS, a nonprofit that provides emergency shelters to house veterans experiencing homelessness. His post does 37,000 hours of community service a year, which Harmon said is more than all the other posts in the state combined. He hopes to bring this same energy to the new Boothbay branch.

“That's why we're there, to help our community, because we're a group of people that fought for this country, and you, the people of this country, are important, but to keep it important, we need brotherhood and sisterhood to be part of what we do.”