For more than 125 years, the VFW has fought so that no veteran has to navigate the system alone. The VFW Department of Wisconsin carries that mission forward every day, connecting veterans, service members, and their families to the benefits, resources, and support they’ve earned.
Whether you’re filing a VA disability claim, facing an emergency you didn’t see coming, or simply don’t know where to turn next, Wisconsin VFW is ready to help — free of charge, and with no obligation to be a member. Explore the programs below to find the assistance that fits your situation.
Filing a claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs can be overwhelming, and doing it alone raises the risk of costly mistakes, denials, and delays. That’s why the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) trains and accredits Service Officers across the country, including here in Wisconsin, to guide veterans, service members, survivors, and families through the entire claims process at no cost.
VFW Accredited Service Officers help with disability compensation, pension and death benefits, education and rehabilitation programs, and appeals before the VA and the Board of Veterans Appeals. Nationally, veterans represented by the VFW recovered $16.2 billion in compensation and pension in fiscal year 2025 alone. Service members within 180 days of separation can also work with a VFW Service Officer through the Pre-Discharge program to get a head start on their VA claim before they even leave active duty.
Skip the “claim sharks” that charge veterans thousands of dollars for help that should be free. Learn more and start your claim through the VFW’s national claims assistance program.
Every Wisconsin county and several tribal nations employ a professional County or Tribal Veterans Service Officer (CVSO/TVSO), often a veteran’s very first point of contact for local, state, and federal benefits. These accredited advocates work hand-in-hand with organizations like the VFW to connect veterans, dependents, and survivors with the services they’ve earned.
The County & Tribal Veterans Service Officer Association of Wisconsin (CTVSOAWI) represents this statewide network, which supports nearly 488,000 veterans across Wisconsin. Find the CVSO/TVSO serving your county to get help with benefits applications, discharge upgrades, state veteran programs, and more.
Sometimes what a veteran needs isn’t a benefits claim; it’s help keeping the lights on, the rent paid, or a car repaired so they can get to work. The Unmet Needs Program was built for exactly that: a hand-up, not a handout, for Wisconsin veterans and their families facing an unexpected financial hardship.
Applications are reviewed quickly by an all-volunteer Unmet Needs Committee. When a grant is approved, funds are paid directly to the applicant’s creditor to cover basic life needs. Every dollar donated to the program goes straight to veterans in need; 100% of it.
Apply for assistance or support the fund that makes it possible: Learn more about the Unmet Needs Program
When a fire, flood, storm, or other disaster damages a veteran’s home, waiting weeks for outside aid isn’t an option. Wisconsin VFW’s Emergency/Disaster Fund provides fast, direct cash assistance to VFW and Auxiliary members in good standing whose primary residence has suffered significant property loss or damage, whether or not the event was ever declared a state or national disaster.
The fund isn’t meant to cover every expense, but to get emergency cash into a member’s hands quickly for their most immediate needs, with applications processed through the member’s Post and Department Headquarters.
See eligibility details and how to apply for Disaster Relief
Filing a claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs can be overwhelming, and doing it alone raises the risk of costly mistakes, denials, and delays. That’s why the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) trains and accredits Service Officers across the country, including here in Wisconsin, to guide veterans, service members, survivors, and families through the entire claims process at no cost.
VFW Accredited Service Officers help with disability compensation, pension and death benefits, education and rehabilitation programs, and appeals before the VA and the Board of Veterans Appeals. Nationally, veterans represented by the VFW recovered $16.2 billion in compensation and pension in fiscal year 2025 alone. Service members within 180 days of separation can also work with a VFW Service Officer through the Pre-Discharge program to get a head start on their VA claim before they even leave active duty.
Skip the “claim sharks” that charge veterans thousands of dollars for help that should be free. Learn more and start your claim through the VFW’s national claims assistance program.