Army Veteran Terrence Hayes is the director of communications and public affairs for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He has worked in public affairs for over 20 years, as a soldier and civilian alike.

Hayes never saw an Army recruiter until the day he decided to call one and ask about the jobs that were available in the military. He ended up joining and reported for basic training only a few months after graduating high school. With his excellence in English, he decided to work in public affairs for the Army.

At the beginning of his service Hayes intended to serve only five years and then enter the workforce. He ended up serving for two decades. He credits the Army with teaching him the importance of putting others before oneself and how selflessness in a leader encourages dedication in the entire team.

After spending some time teaching at the Noncommissioned Officer’s Academy at Fort Meade, Maryland, and working as a media relations specialist at VA, Hayes became the director of communications and public affairs for VFW. He oversees everything that the VFW does that involves communicating with the public.

In this episode, listeners will learn of little known benefits, VFW’s importance as a voice for the Veteran community, how the VFW serves the interests of Veterans when it comes to legislation, why the VFW is important for Veterans of all backgrounds and how the VFW supports those who support it.


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Rob Laucius is a podcast intern with VA’s Digital Media Engagement team. He is an undergraduate student at Hillsdale College studying History.

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