VFW Post 285 Surprise AZ

09/06/2026

Come on down and have some good food and sing some Karaoke!!🎤 🍔🌭

08/07/2026

Gov. Hobbs Orders Flags to Half-Staff for the Hon. Harry Mitchell
Flags should be lowered from sunrise to sunset on Aug. 15
Governor Katie Hobbs ordered flags at all state buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Aug. 15 in honor of the memorial service of the Hon. Harry Mitchell, who passed away on July 29 at age 86. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, as mayor of Tempe and as a state senator.
A longtime teacher at Tempe High School and a co-founder of the foreign exchange program Tempe Sister Cities, he left an indelible impact on his hometown of Tempe and beyond.
Governor Hobbs released the following statement:
"Harry Mitchell devoted his life to serving the people of Arizona as a teacher, a mayor of Tempe, state senator and congressman. Arizona is grieving a genuine public servant. My condolences are with his family and loved ones."
Individuals, businesses and other organizations are encouraged to join in this tribute.

08/07/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY

On August 7, 1782, in Newburgh, New York, General George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, creates the “Badge for Military Merit,” a decoration consisting of a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk, edged with a narrow binding of silver, with the word Merit stitched across the face in silver. It would come to be widely known as the Purple Heart.

The badge was to be presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action” and permitted its wearer to pass guards and sentinels without challenge. The honoree’s name and regiment were also to be inscribed in a “Book of Merit.”

Washington’s “Purple Heart" was awarded to only three known soldiers during the Revolutionary War: Elijah Churchill, William Brown and Daniel Bissell, Jr. The “Book of Merit” was lost, and the decoration was largely forgotten until 1927, when General Charles P. Summerall, the U.S. Army chief of staff, sent an unsuccessful draft bill to Congress to “revive the Badge of Military Merit."

In 1931, Summerall’s successor, General Douglas MacArthur, took up the cause, hoping to reinstate the medal in time for the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. On February 22, 1932, Washington’s 200th birthday, the U.S. War Department announced the creation of the “Order of the Purple Heart.”

In addition to aspects of Washington’s original design, the new Purple Heart also displays a bust of Washington and his coat of arms. The Order of the Purple Heart, the oldest American military decoration for military merit, is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been killed or wounded in action against an enemy. It is also awarded to soldiers who have suffered maltreatment as prisoners of war.

08/07/2026

08/07/2026

Eastern Washington is still hurting.

Homes have been lost. Families have been displaced. Communities are working every day to recover.

When disaster struck, VFW Posts across the affected areas did what they have always done—they stepped up.

Our Posts have opened their doors to provide:

• Emergency shelter, including overnight accommodations
• Free meals for evacuees and first responders
• Community donation drop-off locations
• Direct support for veterans, their families, and neighbors

The need is far from over.

Your donation to the VFW Department of Washington Disaster Relief Fund will help our Posts continue providing critical assistance where it is needed most.

No One Does More for Veterans.

And when our communities need us, VFW members answer the call.

Please consider making a donation today and help us continue serving Eastern Washington.

Donate securely here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-department-programs

Please share this post so we can reach more people who want to help.

08/07/2026

OMG, I can not imagine that Mothers worry! AMAZING🇺🇸❤️👏🏻

08/07/2026

Happening tonight! Come on down for some fabulous wings in a variety of flavors, homemade Ranch and some veggies.

05/30/2026

‼️ Action Alert: Congress has already shown strong bipartisan support for the Major Richard Star Act.

Now support must lead to action.

If your Representative supports the bill, ask them to sign the discharge petition and help move this legislation forward.
https://votervoice.net/VFW/Campaigns/137604/Respond

04/20/2026

JOB OPENING: 🚔Police Assistant; Closes: 4/29/2026

💙El Mirage offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees: compressed workweek/alternate work options, paid time off-holidays, paid leave, health and wellness, life insurance, ASRS retirement, and supplemental benefits.

https://www.elmirageaz.gov/220/Human-Resources