The VFW recently contracted with a leaderin the data hygiene industry to review a portion of our Life Member file;specifically, 343,121 members over the age of 75.  This review covered multiple data sources,which include the Social Security Administration Death Master File (SSA DFM),15 statedirect sources, and credit header data. As a result, we have identified andupdated over 88,000 Life Member records to reflect deceased.

Members affected by this change areidentified in your Post Member Report (Post Query) with a deceased date of9/10/2019. A complete list can also be found in the Deceased Life Member Report.

It is very important that you review thislist carefully for members who arestill alive and mistakenly matched with another person’s information.  If you are able to identify a member that hasbeen mistakenly matched, please provide the members name, membership number, currentaddress and phone number utilizing the email address MSC@vfw.org and using the subject line"Life Member Reinstatement Request” or by phone to 1.833.VFW.VETS no later thanNovember 1, 2019.  

These members are not reflected in yourcurrent Memstats, will not count against the Posts/Districts/Departmentspursuing All-American Honors, and will not be paid out in the September life memberspayouts. If they are determined to be alive, they will be added back to yourpost, and the payout will occur in January.