The Cross of Malta

The Cross of Malta, the heart of the emblems adopted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and its Auxiliary, dates back to the 11th century. It originated with the Knights of St. John, a strict order of crusaders originally founded to maintain a hospital for pilgrims journeying to the Holy Land.

The Cross of Malta, which dates back to the 11th century, was adopted as the official emblem of the VFW. It originated with the Knights of St. John.
In addition to the Cross at the center, the Auxiliary emblem’s corners signify the four branches of the armed forces: Army (crossed rifles); Navy (crossed anchors); Marine Corps (crossed cannons); and Air Force (crossed swords).

The Cross of Malta is an eight-pointed cross, formed by four arrowheads meeting at the points. Each point represents one of the Beatitudes taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The arrowheads indicated that the Knights were willing to fight for the principals of justice and truth, even though their order was organized for peaceful purposes.

Today the objectives of the VFW and its Auxiliary remain similar: To ensure national security through maximum military strength; to spread the rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans; to assist the widows, orphans, and the defendants of disabled and needy veterans; and to promote Americanism through patriotism and constructive service to the communities in which we live.

VFW Post 10225: Garner, North Carolina

Unwavering Support for Uncommon Heroes

For nearly 50 years, our Post has been a fixture of the Garner community — striving to make our town a better place to live for veterans and their families.