A Century of Service

A Post in the Hoosier State on Sept. 17 observed its centennial anniversary. The date marked 100 years of service to veterans and the community.

At a celebration ceremony in Valparaiso, Indiana, members of VFW Post 988 hosted residents of their community to commemorate the Post’s milestone. Members of the Post took the opportunity to collect food for a local food pantry, recruit members and bring free music to the town of more than 34,000 residents.

Joe Garrison, commander of VFW Post 988, said the Post was founded in 1922 by veterans of World War I. He explained that the Post was given a temporary charter since it did not have a brick-and-mortar location. 

Garrison, a former soldier with the 82nd Airborne Division, said that without the support of the community, the Post wouldn’t be here today.

“Support from the community goes back to the beginning,” said Garrison, who left the Army in 1996 as a staff sergeant. “For years, we didn’t have a property, so members would meet in schools and libraries in town. This support went on for years.”

As World War II and the Korean War veterans came home and joined Post 988, Garrison added, they raised enough funding to purchase land at 705 Roosevelt Rd. By 1967, the Post was given a permanent charter.

VFW Post 988, Garrison said, is mostly made up of Vietnam and Persian Gulf war veterans. Garrison, a veteran of operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Just Cause, said that he and the Posts members are proud of VFW’s rich history in Valparaiso.

Garrison also credits the Post’s Auxiliary for its success.

“I think our Post and Auxiliary functions like a well-oiled machine,” Garrison said. “We help each other, and by working together we get a lot more done.”