Well, it's Wednesday evening and I was elected to be the Junior Vice Commander in Chief today! So how did this all come to pass? I certainly didn't wake up yesterday and decide to do this!
I joined the VFW in 1991 when I returned from the Gulf War, where I served as an Air Force Security Policeman. As a Citizen-Soldier I was returned to the Air National Guard, medically discharged a few years later, and went back to work as a Judge in Missouri. Years passed before I became truly active in the VFW.
In 1999 I was elected as my Department's Judge Advocate and apparently did well enough to continue in that role until 2011 when I was elected as the Department Junior Vice Commander. I worked through those Chairs and in 2013-2014 became an All-American Department Commander. But in the time between 1999 and 2014 I was also fortunate to serve on the National level as the Judge Advocate General and Parliamentarian multiple times. It was in those positions that I realized I could do more for the VFW, and that launched the idea to run for the office of Commander-in-Chief.
There are many ways to get things done and I took a unique way. Opting to not do things as they always had been done, I traveled throughout the Big Ten with a simple message: Protect the Past, Promote the Present, and Prepare for the Future. No promises, no deals. Just a message and a vision. It resonated with the troops and before I knew it VFW members wanted to get on board and move that vision forward.
So, here I am. The congratulatory parties are over and the real work begins tomorrow. I'm fortunate to have Hal as the Senior Vice and Doc as the Commander-in-Chief to be my mentors. We will make a great team, each bringing different strengths to the table but all with the same goal: Taking care of veterans!
Here's a pic of us after the elections and installation of officers. Three happy comrades pledging to do our best! I'm the short one!
