News

VFW post wins national honor

VFW Post 5206 members showing All-American certificate in front of Wall on Honor at the Hedrick-Rhodes Veterans Center are, from left, Jim Gough, Post quartermaster; Bob Johnson, Post commander, and John Goheen, Post junior vice commander. [CONTRIBUTED]

By Lightning Reports, Published: August 31, 2026

Hedrick-Rhodes VFW Post 5206 has been selected as an All-American Post for 2025-2026.

Only 5 percent of the more than 5,500 VFW posts achieve the honor each year.  Criteria for this award include an increase in membership, participation in VFW’s high school writing programs, service and support to the community locally, statewide, and nationally  and other programs that support veterans. VFW Post 5206 is unique in its Wall of Honor shadowbox program, which recognizes veterans with a Henderson County connection, and its MIA search efforts, which has helped to find and recover one World War II combat Marine and is actively searching for others.

“It’s a great honor and one I don’t think has been earned by the Post in decades.” says VFW commander Bob Johnson, a retired U.A. Army major.

Members of VFW Post 5206 meet every third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Hedrick-Rhodes Veterans Center at 900 N. Main St. The Post can be reached at cmd@vfw5206.org.