I Came Home. The VFW Helped Me Keep Serving.

Steve Mondragon is a resident of Berkeley Heights NJ

I first enlisted in 1996 where I enlisted as an 11H Heavy anti-armor weapons crewman in the infantry, having completed Basic attaining at Fort Benning, GA in the NJ National Guard. While at Rutgers I discovered ROTC and what that program offered in terms of leadership opportunities and responsibilities. I graduated from Rutgers and commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Military Police Corps in May of 2000, and was on active duty a month later.

I graduated from the MP Officer Basic Course in Ft Leonard Wood in November of 2000, and I served in several staff positions before assuming my first leadership role on September 10, 2001 as platoon leader of 1st Platoon, 511th MP Company. Day two was 9/11, 4 months later I was deployed to Afghanistan. I spent 7 months in country running detainee operations out of Bagram Airfield, as well base security in Bagram and Combined Joint Forces in Kabul. I later redeployed and served as the Company Executive Officer/Rear Deployment Commnader during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I was Honorably Discharged in November 2003.

I feel the military shaped and even steered my life in many ways, some lessons of which I still use daily. I am very fortunate that due to limited combat exposure, I don’t carry many of the heavy burdens and struggles my veteran brethren do. However considering we come from a world where we’re not supposed to admit weakness or need for help, I aim to support and defend any and all who need it.

I currently serve as VFW Post 6259 Commander since June 2024. Prior to that I was the Post Adjutant starting in 2022.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) supports veterans locally through a variety of programs and initiatives, often tailored to the needs of specific communities:

1. Community Service and Events: We engage in community outreach, such as placing flags for Memorial Day to honor veterans to foster camaraderie and provide support services year-round.

2. VA Claims Assistance: Local VFW Service Officers, part of the National Veterans Service, help veterans navigate the VA system to secure benefits, such as disability compensation and pensions, recovering over $10 billion annually for veterans nationwide.

3. Scholarships and Educational Support: Through programs like the “Voice of Democracy” and “Patriots Pen”we provide small grants to local middle and high school students.

4. Community Donations and Volunteerism: We donate to local causes, including police departments, fire companies, food pantries, and homeless shelters, while volunteering to improve community welfare and support veterans in need.

5. Adopt-A-Unit Program: We adopted a Special Forces units, providing support during their current deployment in the Middle East.

-Steve Mondragon

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