Orem veteran Neil Hargrave Honored by VFW for #StillServing

Orem veteran Neil Hargrave and his service dog ‘Opua are being honored for dedication to country and community in the VFW #StillServing campaign. The national Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing (vfw.org/stillserving) campaign recognizes veterans who continue to serve in their community after the military, including those who give back with the assistance of a canine companion.

Hargrave says ‘Opua (which means fluffy cloud in Hawaiian) enables him to successfully interact with others in spite of his PTSD so that he can represent veterans to the public. He is #StillServing assisting former service members in receiving their earned benefits and says that without 'Opua, he would not have the confidence to do that work.

Hargrave says he is #StillServing because it gives him the purpose he misses from being in the military.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) launched #StillServing, a campaign to highlight how America’s combat veterans continue to serve in their local communities after transitioning from the military, in March 2020. What started as a campaign became a movement as veterans across the country stepped up to share stories of how they are still serving.

"Veterans are the pillars of our communities,” said Duane Sarmiento, VFW national commander. “Their unwavering dedication to service echoes beyond their time in the military. The VFW #StillServing campaign was launched in 2020 to acknowledge and highlight the service leadership veterans bring to our society. Now, in its third year, the stories of veterans who’re still serving in meaningful and impactful ways continue to pour in from around the world.”

According to the 2021 Veterans Civic Health Index1, veterans average nearly 30 percent more volunteer hours per year and outpace civilians by 15 percent in charitable donations. Additionally, nearly 40 percent more veterans belong to a group working on community issues and veterans are more likely to be registered to vote (7 percent) and have recently voted (6 percent).

Since its launch, 4.8 million people have engaged with the campaign through the website, videos and social channels. Additionally, 2,000 veterans have shared their personal stories of sacrifice and service, and the stories have been covered by more than 700 media outlets worldwide.

Building on a legacy of service that spans more than a century, #StillServing represents the heart of the VFW and its members and conveys what today’s VFW embodies. The VFW encourages all veterans to share stories on social media using #StillServing to show how they continue to answer the call to serve in ways big and small. In addition, family or friends are asked to use #StillServing in social media posts to honor a veteran in their lives who believes the spirit of service transcends military life.

The VFW urges Americans to visit vfw.org/stillserving to learn more about the campaign, make a shareable image honoring veterans in their lives, watch videos of VFW members making a difference and see a collection of user-generated content.