KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This week, on the eighth anniversary of the conclusion of the U.S. mission in Iraq, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) remembers the nearly 4,500 men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against terror.
More than 1.5 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines deployed to Iraq from March 20, 2003, to Dec. 18, 2011.
“While the Iraq War may have officially concluded eight years ago, we can never forget the service men and women who fought courageously and died in this continued global fight on terror,” said VFW National Commander William “Doc” Schmitz. “Those Americans gave their lives for the ethos that our nation was founded upon, and today our fight remains to protect those values and ideals as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.”
Several hundred U.S. troops remain in Iraq today in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. military’s intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
“We have the absolute-best military in the world,” said Schmitz. “As each day goes by, our men and women remain ready and committed to their mission in the region when called upon. It’s imperative that we continue to show our support for our troops who remain in harm’s way.”