The Veterans of Foreign Wars is honoring the soldiers of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team at the post’s annual open house Saturday.

The event is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Capt. Danny D. Entrican Post 2618 at 728 Industrial Park in Brookhaven. It is free and open to the public.

The Mississippi Army National Guard’s 155th returned in April after a deployment in Kuwait and other parts of the Middle East to deter and react to threats as part of Operation Spartan Shield. Because troops arrived home at various times and individually, there was not a planned group homecoming by the city or county.

“So we decided to honor these folks,” said Post Commander Greg Marlow.

All veterans, their families and the general public are invited to attend the fifth annual open house. The Walmart Cooking Team will be frying fish for the event and there is no charge for lunch. Donations will be accepted though, Marlow said.

The post uses the open house to raise money for programs and building maintenance. Raffle tickets will be sold for prizes that include a rifle, $400 in fuel and a $200 gift card.

Besides food, the open house will include activities for children and door prize giveaways. The Brookhaven Animal Rescue League and Mississippi Blood Services will be on site, Marlow said.

Soldiers from the 155th who attend will receive gift bags put together by the VFW.

Marlow encourages the public to attend the open house and see the post’s renovations completed in June by a team of 50 Home Depot employees from nine stores in two states. They put in a new floor, painted the interior walls and added some landscaping through a $13,788 Community Impact Grant awarded by the Home Depot Foundation.

“Come out and see the post, see the facility. Find out what the VFW actually does,” he said. “A lot of folks have got this idea that the VFW is a bunch of old guys that sit around drinking beer, smoking cigars and telling war stories. That’s not what we’re about. We’re about taking care of veterans. Just like it says on the flyer: ‘Veterans of Foreign Wars. Nobody does more for veterans that we do.’ We strive hard to take care of our veterans, whether they’re combat veterans or not. We try to take care of everybody.”

Veterans who are non-members are encouraged to visit the post for a meeting. They’re held each second Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The VFW is open to any veteran who honorably served overseas in an area of foreign conflict. Those who are not eligible to join, but are the parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, child or grandchild of a qualifying veteran, are encouraged to join the VFW Auxiliary.

For more information, call 601-730-8281.