VFW Post 8678 Port Barre

06/14/2026

🇺🇸 It's Flag Day!

Old Glory. 50 stars. 13 stripes. And every single one of them means something.

Today we honor the American flag — the symbol our veterans carried into battle, draped over caskets, and brought home with pride.

To Louisiana's more than 250,000 veterans: thank you for defending everything that flag represents. 🙏

Drop a 🇺🇸 in the comments and tell us what the flag means to you!

📌 The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs is proud to serve those who served under it.

06/14/2026

🎂 251 years old and STILL the most powerful Army on the face of the earth! 🎂🇺🇸

On June 14, 1775 — before the United States of America even existed — the Continental Army was established. Think about that. The Army came FIRST. It literally fought for this nation to be born.

251 years of standing watch. 251 years of answering the call. 251 years of sending the bravest among us into the most dangerous places on earth — so the rest of us never have to.

Louisiana is home to thousands of proud Army veterans and soldiers serving right now. We see you. We honor you. We are so incredibly proud of you. 💪🎖️

Happy Birthday, U.S. Army. Here's to 251 more. 🥂

👇 Army veterans — sound off in the comments! What year did you serve? 🎂

06/11/2026

🇺🇸 June 15

06/06/2026

⚓ June 6, 1944. 6:30 a.m. The ramps dropped. ⚓

And 156,000 young men ran toward the guns.

They were terrified. Many of them were teenagers. Many of them didn't make it off the beach. But they ran anyway — because the world needed them to.

Operation Overlord. The beaches of Normandy. The turning point of World War II.

82 years later, we owe them everything. Our freedom. Our peace. Our very way of life.

Today the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs bows its head in honor of every soldier, sailor, airman, and Allied fighter who gave all they had on those shores.

🕊️ We remember. We are grateful. We will never let their sacrifice be forgotten.

05/25/2026

Huge Thank You to the Port Barre community for today’s VFW Buddy Poppy Drive. It is always great to get out and engage with you all.

We hold a drive for Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day. These drives serve multiple purposes. #1 is to celebrate our veterans and to remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of our nation. #2 is to engage with the community and to hopefully welcome more veterans into our post. #3 is to collect donations to purchase the flags and buddy poppies from the VFW who employ disabled veterans to produce them. Donations are also used to help with our post operating costs, veteran outreach/support, and community projects.

We would love to see our post grow as it is the smallest in the district and one of the smallest in the state. We meet the second Monday of the month at 1800. Please reach out if you are a qualified veteran and would like more details. Also, please keep our aging and ill warriors in your prayers.

05/25/2026

Never forget! 🇺🇸

04/16/2026

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

Acadiana Veteran Alliance (AVA) is proud to announce the launch of Mission: Launch, a new six-week entrepreneurship program designed to help veterans turn business ideas into reality—or scale existing companies to the next level.

Beginning February 18 and running for six weeks, Mission: Launch will blend in-person sessions and online Zoom meetings, offering participants both hands-on collaboration and flexible virtual learning. In-person sessions will be hosted at Opportunity Machine in Downtown Lafayette, providing veterans access to one of the region’s most dynamic startup and innovation spaces.

Mission: Launch will be led by AVA Founder & CEO Andrew Ward and AVA Advisory Board Member and entrepreneur Chris Wickman, both of whom bring extensive experience across multiple startup industries. Together, they have guided companies through ideation, market entry, capital raising, growth, and successful exits.

“This program is about demystifying entrepreneurship for veterans,” said Ward. “Many veterans have the discipline, leadership, and resilience to succeed in business—but they need the right tools, frameworks, and connections. Mission: Launch is built to provide exactly that.”

The completely free program is open to:

🚀 Veteran business owners looking to grow and scale their existing companies

💡 Veterans with a strong business idea who need guidance to launch from the ground up

Participants will gain practical insight into validating ideas, building scalable systems, understanding capital options, and navigating go-to-market strategies. Qualified participants may also be connected to capital sources, mentors, and regional and statewide resources to support long-term success.

“Veterans are natural entrepreneurs,” added Wickman. “Mission: Launch helps translate military experience into startup execution—and gives veterans a clear path from idea to impact.”

Program Details:

✅ Program Name: Mission: Launch

✅ Start Date: February 18

✅ Duration: 6 weeks

✅ Format: Hybrid (in-person + Zoom)

✅ In-Person Location: Opportunity Machine, Downtown Lafayette

✅✅✅ Cost: Free for participating veterans

Veterans interested in participating are encouraged to apply early, as space is limited.

For more information or to apply, email [email protected] ⬅️⬅️⬅️

12/31/2025