Membership - How to Join Us

There are four types of membership, Regular, Legacy, Associate, and Honorary. If you meet the criteria for one of the membership types listed below, the Board of Directors of the Korean War Veterans Association invites you to join the KWVA.

Joining is easy.

Online (Recommended)

Click the button to fill out our online application. The required membership dues, if applicable, will be paid by PayPal, Venmo, credit card, or debit card.

Online Application

By Mail

Alternatively, download, print and fill out the mail application. Mail the application and a check made out to "The Korean War Veterans Association" with the correct dues for your membership type (listed below) to:

KWVA Headquarters
3 Black Skimmer Ct.
Beaufort, SC 29907

Mail Application

Membership Dues

Annual Membership

• Regular Member: $35
• Legacy Member: $35
• Associate Member: $35

Lifetime Membership

In October 2025, the board voted to discontinue offering lifetime memberships for the above member types. However, free, lifetime memberships remain available to:

• Medal of Honor Recipients
• Past Prisoners of War
• Gold Star Parents and Spouses
• Honorary Members Voted in by the Board

Membership Criteria

No one will be excluded from membership because of race, color, creed, sex, national or ethnic origin, or physical or mental disability, as long as the individual meets the following requirements.

Regular Members

• Service in the United States Armed Forces
  • Any person who has seen honorable service in any of the Armed Forces of the United States, defined as Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard, is eligible for membership if any one of the following three points is true:
    • Said service was within Korea including territorial waters and airspace at any time, September 3, 1945 to Present.
    • Said service was outside of Korea, June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955.
    • Said service was as a member of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) any time September 3, 1945 to Present, or said service was outside of Korea, June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955, who has become a citizen of the United States of America.
• Medal of Honor: Any person qualifying to be a Regular Member, who is a Medal of Honor recipient, is eligible for free life membership. A signed statement of their eligibility for membership must be provided for approval.
• Prisoner of War: Any person qualifying to be a Regular Member and was held as a prisoner of war by the North Koreans, Chinese, or Russian forces during and after the period of hostilities from June 25, 1950 forward, is eligible for free life membership. A signed statement of their eligibility for membership must be provided for approval.

Legacy Members

• Must not be eligible for Regular membership.
• Any person that is a direct descendant (child, grand-child etc.) of a Veteran that has served in Korea September 3, 1945 to present, or said service was outside of Korea, June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955, with a legitimate interest in the affairs of this Association and who wishes to support its aims, and not being eligible for Regular Membership; and who agrees to accept the terms and conditions set forth in the KWVA Charter and its Bylaws and Standard Procedure Manual, shall be eligible for Legacy Membership in the Association. A signed statement of their eligibility for membership must be provided for approval.

Associate Members

• Must not be eligible for Regular membership.
• Any person with a legitimate interest in the affairs of this Association and who wishes to support its aims, and not being eligible for Regular Membership; and who agrees to accept the terms and conditions set forth in the KWVA Charter and its Bylaws and Standard Procedure Manual (hereinafter referred to as SPM), shall be eligible for Associate Membership in the Association. A signed statement of their eligibility for membership must be provided for approval.

Honorary Members (Free, Lifetime Membership)

Gold Star Parents: Any person whose son/daughter was killed in action, or was missing in action, or died as a prisoner of war while serving within Korea including territorial waters around and airspace above during the Korean War (June 25, 1950 to the present) is eligible for free life membership. A signed statement of their eligibility for membership must be provided for approval.

Gold Star Spouses: Any person whose spouse was killed in action, or was missing in action, or died as a prisoner of war while serving within Korea including territorial waters around and airspace above during the Korean War (June 25, 1950 to the present) is eligible for free life membership. A signed statement of their eligibility for membership must be provided for approval.

Other Honorary Members: Any person of good character may be elected as Honorary Member by vote by the KWVA National Board of Directors.

Ineligible

Any person who has been separated from the service of the Armed Forces of the United States under conditions other than honorable shall be ineligible for membership in this Association.

Gift Membership

Give a deserving Korea Veteran the gift of membership in the largest organization dedicated to Korean War Veterans.

If you have a friend or family member that served in Korea and is eligible to be a KWVA member (see criteria above), you can easily give him/her a "Gift Membership." Simply fill out the Membership Application below with all the required information for them, then sign it yourself in the designated area as the "gift giver". The new member will receive a membership card, a "Welcome Packet" from the Membership Office, and begin receiving the Graybeards magazine!