| |
 |
DISTRICT OFFICERS |
|
|
|
| |
|
| District 2 Commander |
| District 2 Commander and life member Ernest
"Ray” Harrell: US Army SGT. E-5, Vietnam 1970 – 1971. Post positions: Jr. Vice
CDMR., Sr. Vice CDMR., Post CDMR. 2011-Present. District positions: Trustee,
Sr. Vice CDMR., District CDMR. 2015 – present. Current member of Dept. long
range planning committee. Married to Dist. 2 President Alice Harrell. 1 (step)
Daughter and 1 granddaughter. Enjoys scuba diving, antique-hunting, and helping
Veterans. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 4 Commander |
| Thomas E.
"Tom" Toler. Retired US Army Chief Warrant Officer Two,
Automated Logistical Systems. Served two tours in Vietnam and served in
Desert Storm. BS Degree in Management of Human Resources. Civil
Service Jobs: University ROTC Program, Postal Service, FEMA (during 9-11),
and retiring as a Federal Customs Materials Officer. Worked five years as
a County Veterans Service Officer. Now dedicated 100% to assisting
veterans of the VFW. Post positions: Service Officer, 2010-pres;
Adjutant, 2011-2012; Commander 2012-pres. District positions: Dist.
Service Officer, 2010-pres, Dist. JR-Vice, 2011-2012, Dist. Cdr, 2012-pres. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 5 Commander |
Bill joined the Navy in 1964 and in 1965 was stationed on USS Guadalcanal LPH7, which was the recovery ship for Gemni 10. After 6 years service he separated as a 2nd Class Machinest Mate and retired with 25 years as a police detective with the Pennsauken Police Department in NJ. He has been a VFW life member since 1967. Moved to NC in 2004, transferred to Calabash Post 7288 and served as Jr. Vice, Sr. Vice and Commander. He was elected to the office of House Committee Chairman which he still holds and has been appointed to the State Color Guard of which he is currently Captain. Bill was appointed Chief of Staff 2014-15 and has held all offices in District 5 and currently serves as District Commander. He has been married for 49 years with 2 children and 4 grand children.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 6 Commander |
| Joe Caradonna served in the U.S. Navy as a
radioman 3rd class from 1968-1970 and served on the USS Midway from
1970-1972 with two tours of duty in Vietnam. Joe’s been a member of the VFW
since 1984 and has also served as the Post Commander of Burlington Post 10607
from 2014-2016 and they were All-American/All-State both years. Joe is also the
owner of J&K Screen-print Company and enjoys Golf and Classic/Muscle cars. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 7 Commander |
Gary Szafarski joined the Army in 1984 as an Intelligence Specialist and served over 20 years of active duty service, retiring as A Chief Warrant Officer in 2004. A Veteran of Operation Joint Guard (Bosnia), Republic of Korea, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Gary continues to serve his country as a Civilian Intelligence Officer. In his current position as Chief, Counterintelligence (CI)/Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Integration Team, Gary ensures that US Army Forces Command supports the training and readiness of all CI and HUMINT Soldiers throughout the command. Additionally, he oversees Intelligence support to Force Protection. In November 2016, Gary received the 2015 DOD HUMINT Operations Support Award. Gary holds a Bachelor's Degree "with Honors" in Marketing from American Military University (AMU) and a Master's Degree in Strategic Intelligence (MSSI) from AMU. Gary is a life time member of Ernest Simmons Post 6722 in Lillington, NC and has also been the Post Commander from 2015 to present. He serves as the District 7 Commander and is married to the Auxiliary District 7 President, Tina Szafarski.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 8 Commander |
Edward Beard served in the US Army from 1980 to 2003 and was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia where he deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Edward joined VFW Post 6018 in 2007 and held numerous positions and was Post Commander from 2013 to 2015. He received All State and All American Honors in 2014/2015. During his time as commander he also received numerous community awards and citations. Edward was honored to serve as the Grand Marshall for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Fayetteville in 2015. He was also National Aid-De-Camp in 2016 and currently serves on the PAO Leader Team representing the Central Conference. Edward is currently employed with the US Government as a Quality Surveillance Technician at Fort Bragg, NC. He is a member of several other Veterans' organizations and is the drummer for his church choir. Edward has been married to his lovely wife Barbara for 36 years and has one son Rashad his wife Shanita and two beautiful granddaughters Aylssa and Alaina.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 9 Commader |
|
Doc Ski retired in 1985 as a US Army Special Forces Team Sergeant after serving in various Southeast Asian and Central American nations with MACV, and the 5th, 1st and 7th Special Forces Groups. During his "stateside" assignments he served as a Drill Sergeant at Fort Bragg, a Patrolling Instructor at Camp McCall, and as a Military Freefall instructor with the US Army Institute at Fort Bragg. He has been a Life Member of the VFW since 1998 and has served as the Post Service Officer for Stanley McLeod VFW Post 5631, Post Commander for Joe Wagner VFW Post 7313 and the Commander of NC VFW District 9.
Doc Ski used his GI Bill benefits to earn a Masters and a PhD and became a Research Scientist and Director of "Project Agent Orange", a program to support and assist children and families of Vietnam Veterans; while also serving as a Professor of Special Education in the School of Education at UNCCH and NC Central University. He currently lives in the woods of North Chatham County with his charming wife Katie where he teaches Spanish for Central Carolina Community College and tutors English as A foreign language. His need for adventure is currently satisfied by his frequent travel around the Old North State on his motorcycle, and with the many challenges of leadership offered by the VFW.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 11 Commander |
|
Russell L (Russ) Chambers served from 1972 to 1995 in the
Indiana and Oklahoma Army National Guard, the United States Army Reserve and
the United States Army. He is a veteran
of operation Desert Storm, having served with Task Force Viper, 3rd Armored
Division. He has been a Platoon
Sergeant, Platoon Leader, Troop Executive Officer, Troop Commander, Battalion
Logistics Officer, Air Assault School Executive Officer and Battalion
Operations and Training Officer. Russ
graduated from Officer Candidate School, Class XXIIII-78, the Armor Basic and
Advanced Courses, Air Assault School and Pathfinder School. Russ holds a Bachelors Degree in Industrial
Technology with minors in Business Administration and Accounting from
Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In the VFW he has served for three years as
Post 9010 Commander, currently serves as Public Affairs Officer for both The
VFW Leader magazine and the Department of North Carolina and was elected
District 11 Commander in 2016. Russ and
his wife Mony live outside of Winston Salem and have four adult daughters and
eight grandchildren. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 12 Commander |
|
A native Hoosier from Indiana with family ties from North
Carolina first joined the Army Reserve's 972nd Engineer Battalion in Anderson,
In. as a generator on Dec 7, 1976. Due
to a down economy joined the US Army in Dec of 1979 being sent to Quartermaster
School at Ft Lee,Va then Jump School at Ft
Benning. With permanent duty at
Ft Bragg with the 27th Engineer Battalion (C)(A). In 1984 reenlisted for duty
at Ft Wainwright, AK. After 4 years in Alaska returned to Ft. Bragg being
assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82 Airborne as
Headquarters Company Supply Sergeant. We
were the first combat unit to leave Ft. Bragg for duty in Operation Desert
Shield / Storm. Returning to the States on Easter Sunday in 1991. Left the active army in 1992 with the draw
down at that time. Joined the Army
Reserves and retired in 2002. I have been married to my wife Teresa for 37 years, with
3 wonderful daughters, and 3 grandsons. Recently employed by Daimler Trucks North America
(Freightliner) for several years as a painter and paint team leader. A member of Hudson, Miller, Tatum VFW Post 3006
in Salisbury, serving as Quartermaster, Trustee, Judge Advocate, and now
Commander. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 13 Commander |
|
Legacy Life Member, Jack Campbell was drafted into the Army in January 1966 at 19 years old and sent to Vietnam in August of that year with the 27th Engineers Battalion (CA) While serving in Vietnam his sign-up and dues were paid by Mint Hill VFW Post 4059. After moving to Indian Trail He joined Post 2423. Jack was All-American Post Commander 4 times, All-State 5 times and State Membership Chairman 2 times. He also served as Golf Committee Chairman 2 times, Chaplain American Legion Post 458 and V.V.A. President Chapter 1103. After Jack was discharged from the Army in 1968, He immediately went to work at Southern Bell as a Digital Technician and retired in 2008. Jack has been married to Dee for 48 years has 3 Daughters,
3 Grandsons and 1 Granddaughter.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 14 Commander |
|
Roger Williams (MSgt USAF Ret.) served in the US Air Force from August 1981 to November 2006. He was a Jet Engine Mechanic on F15, F16, A10 and VC137 aircraft before becoming a First Sergeant. Roger was deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. After his retirement he returned to Hickory, NC and started his own business. Roger has been a VFW member since 2007 and has held the offices of Jr. Vice, Sr. Vice and Post Commander for his home VFW Post 1957.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 15 Commander |
Lonnie served in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1968. He is a Viet-Nam Veteran and served with the Combat Engineers. He worked for the Department of Defense Special Police, the Alleghany County Sheriff's Office and Sparta Police for a total of 39.5 years. A member of Post 7034 in Sparta, NC, Lonnie served on the Post Honor Guard 9 years, Color Guard Commander 6 years, Jr. Vice Commander 2 years, Sr. Vice Commander 2 years, Commander 2 years, District 15 Judge Advocate 2 years and Sr. Vice Commander District 15 for 2 years.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| District 16 Commander |
| I live in Columbus,
NC and retired from Michelin North America, US3 Spartanburg Plant. I am a life
member of Post 10349 in Mill Spring, NC. US Army Vietnam Veteran with the 1st
Infantry Division 1969-1970. Post Quartermaster from 2003 to present. All American
Post QM 2008. District 16 QM 2007-2009. District 16 All American QM 2008.
District 16 Commander 2010-2014. Volunteer at the Charles George VAMC in
Asheville, NC. VAVS Representative for VFW. VAVS Board VFW. VAVS Executive
Board VFW. National Aid-De-Camp 2011-2012. Long Range Planning Committee.
Chairman of the Past Commanders Club 2015 to present. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
