THE VFW HEALTHY VETERAN INITIATIVE

NOW HIRING

VFW Ole Beck Post 209 is undertaking the most significant transformation in its 105-year history, evolving from a traditional VFW bar and gaming operation into a Veteran Gym and Resource Center. The VFW Healthy Veteran Initiative (VFW-HVI) is the program at the heart of that transformation, built around a simple belief. Veterans thrive when connected to something larger than themselves, through purpose, belonging, and community.

VFW-HVI is funded by a $688,608 award from the Department of Veterans Affairs through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The award, granted at the full amount requested, supports dedicated full-time staff and expanded programming in Veteran health, peer support, benefits navigation, and suicide prevention outreach.

What We’re Building

  • Strength and Conditioning: CrossFit, functional training, longevity-focused movement, and all-abilities classes.

  • Inner Strength Program: yoga, qigong, mindfulness, and meditation, delivered through community partners like Red Willow Learning Center.

  • Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching practical nutrition guidance and coaching that helps Veterans build healthy habits that last

  • Veteran-led Outdoor Adventures: backcountry hiking, camping, and rafting expeditions, delivered through community partners like the Montana Vet Program.

The Resource Center

Alongside the gym, VFW-HVI integrates directly with the services Post 209 has delivered for over a century, so every Veteran who walks through the door is supported.

  • Benefits navigation and claims support

  • Peer support and suicide prevention outreach

  • Emergency financial assistance

  • Referrals for housing, legal, education, and employment

Why This Matters

Missoula County is home to nearly 10,000 Veterans, yet too few low-barrier, Veteran-centered spaces exist where connection happens naturally, outside a bar or a clinical setting. VFW-HVI reflects Post 209 taking ownership of that gap, building a model of Veteran community grounded in health, purpose, and family. This approach is especially important for Veterans experiencing isolation, transition challenges, or limited connection to care. Nearly 20,000 Montana Veterans enrolled in VA health care currently have no assigned primary care provider, underscoring the need for accessible, community-based entry points that complement the traditional care system.

Get Involved

VFW-HVI is being built with the Missoula community, not just for it. If your organization works with Veterans, families, or the broader community, we welcome the conversation about referral partnerships, co-programming, volunteer support, and fundraising.

A badge with a mountain landscape, a person hiking, a person meditating, and gym equipment, representing the Healthy Veteran Initiative led by VFW in Missoula, Montana.