The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is a nonprofit veterans' service organization composed of combat veterans as well as active-duty, Guard and Reservists who continue to serve in harm's way. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is the nation's largest organization of war veterans and its oldest major veterans' organization. With 2 million members located in almost 7,600 VFW Posts worldwide, the VFW and its Auxiliaries are dedicated to "honor the dead by helping the living" through veterans service, community service, legislative advocacy and national military service programs.