Any person who is both an American Citizen and a Veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States as herein defined is eligible for membership in the Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America Inc. An applicant shall be a member of the Catholic Church, enlisted, drafted, inducted or commissioned into any branch of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and/or including the National Guard or Reserve components, and who has served at least 90 days on active duty and who now has a discharge under honorable conditions - and shall include those who have served less than 90 days and are honorably discharged because of a disability incurred in the line of duty or any person currently on active duty or currently serving in the National Guard or Reserves. Also eligible are the U. S. Merchant Marine, provided that such applicant who has served in the Merchant Marine, served at least 90 days between 7 December 1941 to 31 December 1946, including service in the U. S. Army Transport Service of the Naval Transport Service.
What you need to know before applying
Q. Why join CWV?
A. As individuals, we are virtually hopeless. Bonded together, we are a viable voice established to promote zeal and devotion for God, for Country, and for Home. Why all Catholic Veterans should become associated and join the Catholic War Veterans can best be summed up by stating the objectives...
FOR GOD: To promote service to God and to fellow man without regard to race, creed, color or national origin through understanding and application of Christian values, recognizing the wisdom and authority of the Catholic Church in matters of faith and morals.
FOR COUNTRY: To preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States; to commemorate those who served in the armed forces in order to reflect respect, honor and tribute to the veterans; and to inculcate a deep and abiding sense of patriotism and a profound commitment to Americanism; and to combat aggressively those forces which seek to destroy or weaken our constitutional guaranteed freedoms.
FOR HOME: To promote the family as the basic unit of our American society; to aid in the development of an enlightened patriotic American youth; and to assist veterans, widows and dependents of deceased veterans.
Q. What will be expected of me as a member?
A. As a veteran - you have a special awareness of the obligation and need to defend your country. As a Catholic - you must realize that the most serious threat to its existence is the rising tide of complacency that engulfs it from within and without; for complacency is an element that disables the Christian spirit and ideals that have been the basic foundation of America.
As a Catholic and as a Veteran, this is your opportunity to promote an awareness that YOU, as a veteran and a Catholic, more than others, must work and expend your energies to keep your community and country - "One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Q. How will being a member make any difference in government?
A. To be heard in our local, state and national governing bodies, we need strength that comes from numbers. At stake is the future of our country. During this critical period in our everyday life, it is essential for Catholic veterans to be united with their wide personal experience in the wars of the 20th century. We must have a Catholic and a veteran viewpoint brought forward in the Halls of Congress, to your statehouse, to your city and local town halls.
Q. Where can I join the Catholic War Veterans?
A. If a Post does not exist in your immediate area, we will enroll new members in our National Headquarters, Alfred E. Smith Post No. 4, in Alexandria, Virginia. Post No. 4 is a supportive and symbolic unit because the members are spread throughout the country.
Q. What about veteran's benefits?
A. Catholic War Veterans have legislative representatives tuned to Capitol Hill to foster proposal, to improve and protect veterans entitlements - disability, dependency and indemnity compensation: disability and death pensions; insurance; burial allowances; vocational rehabilitation; education and training; loans for homes, farms and business properties; and advice and counsel to VA claimants.
Upon request of Posts, Chapters and Departments to our National Headquarters Service Officer, CWV will represent individual veterans and dependents who need help with their claims and/or correction of military records.
Q. How is a post formed?
A. It takes a minimum of 15 qualified Catholic veterans to organize a new post. If you are interested, kindly write or fax for a charter kit to:
Department of New York
Catholic War Veterans
Attn: Membership Chairman
346 Broadway, Room 812
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (212) 962-0988
Fax: (212) 894-0517
Email: NYSCWV@aol.com
Application for Membership 