This is the news page for VFW Post 1819. Here you will find details of events and projects that the post has been involved with.
2023
John Baptisto Fiore, a Vietnam veteran and Port Washington leader who dedicated much of his life to honoring fellow vets, died on New Year’s Eve at 73 after complications from surgery.
Born Mar. 5, 1949, Fiore grew up in Bayside, Queens, and went to Aviation High School. He was a light weapons infantryman while serving in Vietnam in 1969.
Fiore took part in 45 helicopter combat assaults during his service. This earned him the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Combat Medal and National Defense Medal.
Fiore worked in the automotive industry after returning home. Known as “Padre” by his peers, he was a frequent attendee at Sons of Italy events and served as a chaplain with various VFW and American Legion groups.
Fiore was the commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1819 in Port Washington and Nassau County VFW Council head. He had overseen the ongoing renovation of his post funded with grants from the Dejana Family Foundation. He also sold poppies and solicited donations for the post’s relief fund.
Fiore was a member of the American Legion’s William A. Leonard Post 422. He previously served as Queens County vice commander and chaplain, as well as 10th district chaplain and county commander for 2021-22. He also served as senior vice commander of VFW District 10, which encompassed Nassau and Suffolk County.
A son, John Fiore; two sisters, Ann and Grace; and several nieces and nephews survive Fiore. One can make donations in his memory to Henderson-Marino VFW Post 1819.
2019
VA offers an urgent care benefit that provides eligible Veterans with greater choice and access to timely, high-quality care.
Urgent care providers treat injuries and illnesses that require immediate attention but are not life-threatening. The benefit supplements care Veterans may also have access to at a VA medical facility.
When using the urgent care benefit, Veterans must go to an urgent care provider in VA’s network. Upon arriving, Veterans must state they are using their VA urgent care benefit.
67 Shore Rd, Port Washington, NY 11050 (Next to Stop & Shop)
Junior Vice Commander Maria Salazar has been recognized with a Senate Proclamation from Senator Anna Kaplan and a certificate of appreciation from Nassau county executive Laura Curan, for her service to this country as a Latina Veteran.
Maria was honorably discharged in 2011 with the rank of Sgt, E-5, having served nine years with the United States Marine Corps
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is celebrating its 120th year as our nation’s largest and most accomplished combat veterans service organization.
In 1899, in a small tailor shop in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, 13 Spanish-American War veterans allied together with a determined resolve to fight for the justly earned care and benefits our nation’s warriors deserved. With no way of knowing if their mission would survive beyond their lifetimes, their perseverance ultimately paved the way for the multifaceted organization the VFW has become today.
For the past 120 years, the VFW has remained the voice for veterans on Capitol Hill where it has played a key role in nearly every piece of veterans’ legislation passed since the start of the 20th century. It was the driving force behind the restoration of benefits to 100,000 Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange through the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. It worked to expand college education benefits through the Forever GI Bill, the most significant upgrade to veterans’ education benefits in nearly a decade, and it helped hold VA accountable to ensure the VA MISSION Act delivered on its promise to ensure our service members and veterans receive the care they deserve whenever and wherever they need it.
Almost as well-known as the VFW’s legislative influence are its programs and services, which offer the assistance military and veteran families have come to rely on. From providing $11.4 million in financial grants to military families during times of hardship and nearly $6.5 million in college scholarships to student veterans, to offering free benefit claims assistance which helped recoup more than $8.3 billion in VA disability compensation and benefits in 2018 alone, as the needs of our military and veteran families evolve, so does the vital support the VFW provides.
The VFW’s founding members united in their refusal to accept anything less than our nation’s unwavering commitment to appropriately care for those willing to stand and defend our way of life – and it’s an ethos that today’s energized and growing VFW will continue to exemplify well into the future.
Ship Packages to your Loved Ones Serving with the Military Overseas
The holidays will be here before you know it. You should get your packages ready to send and give the packages plenty of time to get to your loved ones overseas. Shipping around the world can take some time, and the closer we get to the holidays, the longer it will take.
The first thing you should take note of is how to address your label. Make sure you include name, rank, the unit and box numbers, for APO/FPO/DPO shipping addresses (if assigned). To prevent mail from entering foreign mail networks, do not include city or country names in APO/FPO/DPO shipping addresses.
For example:
Army/Air Post Office (APO)
PFC JOHN DOE
PSC 3 BOX 4120
APO AE 09021
Fleet (Navy) Post Office (FPO)
SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH
UNIT 100100 BOX 4120
FPO AP 96691
Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)
JOHN ADAMS
UNIT 8400 BOX 0000
DPO AE 09498-0048
While APO/FPO/DPO is used in place of the city, the state is replaced with AA, AE, or AP.
AE is used for armed forces in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Canada;
AP is for the Pacific; and
AA is the Americas excluding Canada.
Other tips to follow when shipping to a military base include:
Tuck an Address Inside
It's a good idea to include a second piece of paper with the address inside the box, just in case something happens to damage the label on the outside. Be sure to include both the destination address and your return address on the spare copy.
Address Carefully
Each shipment to an APO/FPO/DPO needs the recipient's name and rank, their unit, and the APO/FPO/DPO address with 9-digit ZIP Code. And always make sure to include a return address. Mail and shipments must be addressed to someone specific as addressing to "Any Service Member" is no longer permitted.
Keep Temperature in Mind
Remember that outdoor conditions can affect the contents of your package. Desert temperatures typically exceed 100 degrees, which can damage delicate goods like electronics.
Check Restrictions
To get more specific shipping restrictions for a Military Post Office ZIP Code, visit the Military Postal Service Agency's website
Port Washington Cancer Care - Red Stocking Review
VFW Post 1819 selected Maria L. Salazar to be the 2019 Grand Marshal
Maria L. Salazar was born in Peru in 1980. In 1992, her family relocated to the United States. Her father Jose Salazar, mother Maria Vasquez and sister Sandy and Andrea settled in Bridgewater, NJ, where she attended and graduated high school in 1998. Salazar earned an associate degree for Paralegal Studies from Raritan Valley Community College in 2000.
Following the heinous acts of 9/11, Salazar enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. She completed boot camp in Parris Island, SC from May to August 2002. She graduated from Marine Combat Training in Camp Geiger, NC and was awarded the Honor Grad from Maintenance Management School at Camp Johnson, NC earning the meritorious rank of Lance Corporal Veteran. In November of 2002, Salazar reported to her first unit, 6th Motor Transport Battalion, H&S Co, in Redbank, NJ. Her military occupation was logistics specialist.
Salazar’s unit was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2003, an eight-month deployment, she turned 23 years old while being deployed. Salazar was honorably discharged in 2011 with the rank of Sgt, E-5, having served nine years.
Upon entering the civilian sector, Salazar became a fitness and dance instructor, based mostly in central New Jersey. Salazar relocated to Maspeth, Queens in 2012, with her spouse Nathan Jefferson and daughter Alyssa. The following year, 2013, the family welcomed the arrival of twins Izabella and Nathanyel. Salazar and her family moved to Port Washington in 2015, and have been making it their home ever since.
In 2016 Salazar attended Long Island University in Brookville where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in art therapy with a focus in ceramics and art history. She graduated on May 10 with honors and also was inducted into SALUTE, a Veterans National Honor Society for outstanding academic achievement.
Salazar plans to pursue her master’s in art therapy and counseling from LIU Post in the fall. Her goal is to provide much needed support to the veteran population battling mental health wounds. Salazar is currently the Junior Vice Commander for VFW Post 1819 in Port Washington, as well as the Madam Commandant for the Father Vincent Capodanno Marine Corps League Detachment in Manhasset.
Salazar was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Sea Service Deployment Medal and The Marine Corps Overseas Service Medal as well as a Presidential Unit Citation. Salazar volunteers with many community veteran organizations such as Team RWB, VFW, Marine Corps League, Veteran Artist Program, Women Veteran Artist Project.
Check out our instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/vfwpost1819
The VA Medical Center offers services in Nassau County through two Mobile Medical Units and a clinic. The Mobile Units are located at:
Clint G. Martin Park, New Hyde Park
Glen Cove VFW Post 347, 15 Hill Street
The New Hyde Park unit operates Monday (Physical Therapy), Wednesday (Podiatry) and Thursday (Primary Care). The Glen Cove unit provides Primary Care and Physical Therapy on Tuesdays.
Call 631 261-4400 ext 7978 to schedule an appointment
The VA also has a Nassau location at the East Meadow Clinic, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, Building Q. Call 631 754-7978 to schedule an appointment.
We had such a great response, we’ve decided to make this a permanent drop off location. Please feel free to circulate. Thank you all very much!
VFW Post 1819 are "Recycling for Veterans". Our mission is to help provide temporary and permanent residence for US Military Veterans and to provide emergency transitional and permanent residence for families (including Men, Women and Children) and single Men and Women.
All donations will be sent to United Veterans, Beacon House to be used at their thrift store.
We are very proud of the efforts of our Post Commander John Fiore to provide military honors for all the veterans that pass away without family members.
You can find out more about it by following this link: Forgotten Comrades on YouTube
2018
This is a special year for veterans. We commemorate the following events:
100 years since the end of World War I, 50 years since American involvement in Viet Nam and 85 years since the founding of Port Washington Post 1819.
Breakfast is held for the Port Washington VFW Post 1819 members every Veterans Day.