Commanders, Comrades, and Patriots of the VFW and Auxiliary,

While the VFW is in Washington D.C., we plan on fulfilling our commitment to advocacy for veterans by visiting with our elected representatives in Congress, from every state and territory, about the sacrifices veterans make and the reasons why our Country needs to Honor the Contract with those who have served in the Armed Forces of our country.

We will also have the opportunity to remember those who came before us who and advocated for veterans under different circumstances but facing the same challenges with our own government all the way back to 1932.

Please join the VFW Commander-in-Chief Carol Whitmore and other National and Department Officers in the first ever VFW Bonus Army Memorial March starting at the Lincoln Memorial with a kickoff at 5 pm on March 2 as we walk to the various War Memorials located on the Mall in Washington D.C. Please dress accordingly for the weather. The route will take us to the Korean War memorial, the D.C. World War I memorial, the World War II memorial, the Vietnam Nurses memorial, the Vietnam Wall, and the Desert Storm memorial, which is still under construction. Attached is a flyer for the first ever Bonus Army Memorial March to Honor the Contract. Route is approximately one mile and on cement walking paths. Please arrange you own transportation to and from using ride apps, or you can take the Metro to Arlington Cemetery, walk across the Potomac bridge to the Lincoln memorial. Transportation to and from is not provided.

In 1932, during the depths of the Great Depression, thousands of World War I veterans traveled to Washington, D.C., forming what became known as the Bonus Army. Officially called the “Bonus Expeditionary Force,” these veterans were seeking early payment of a service bonus that had been promised to them under the World War Adjusted Compensation Act. The law authorized compensation for wartime service, but payment was not scheduled until 1945—at a time when many veterans were struggling to survive financially.

Approximately 20,000 veterans, along with their families, established encampments in and around the nation’s capital. They came not in protest of their country, but in appeal to it—asking that the government honor its commitment during a moment of national economic crisis. When Congress declined to authorize early payment, tensions escalated. In July 1932, President Herbert Hoover ordered the removal of the encampments. U.S. Army troops, under the command of Douglas MacArthur, forcibly dispersed the veterans, an event that shocked the nation and left a lasting scar on America’s conscience.

Though the immediate request was denied, the nation ultimately responded. In 1936, Congress overrode a presidential veto to authorize early payment of the bonuses—an acknowledgment that the service and sacrifice of veterans must be honored not only in word, but in deed.

Why Remembering Matters

The story of the Bonus Army is not merely a historical episode; it is a reminder of the sacred contract between a nation and those who serve in its defense. When individuals raise their right hand and take the oath, they commit themselves to the Constitution and to the defense of freedom—often at great personal cost. In return, the nation assumes a solemn obligation to care for them when their service ends.

Remembering the Bonus Army reinforces several enduring principles:

• Promises to veterans must be kept. Delayed justice or neglected commitments erode trust.
• Advocacy is essential. Many of the veterans’ benefits and protections we know today exist because earlier generations stood firm in demanding accountability.
• Honor requires action. Ceremonies and words are meaningful, but they must be matched with policy and support.

Honoring veterans is not simply about commemorating past service—it is about sustaining a legacy of integrity. Each generation inherits the responsibility to uphold the covenant made with those who serve. The experience of the Bonus Army reminds us that when a nation honors that contract faithfully, it strengthens not only its veterans, but its moral foundation as well.

In remembering them, we reaffirm that service to country will always be met with gratitude, respect, and steadfast commitment by Honoring the Contract.

If you are unable to join us in D.C. work within your own Department to schedule a Bonus Army March at your State Capitol to show our commitment to our nation and that Honoring the Contract is not just a thing for Congress, it’s for all Americans.

Please share this far and wide.

Dan West
Adjutant General
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
406 W. 34th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64111
816.968.1110
www.vfw.org