VVA National President
Jack McManus Reelected
to Second Term; VVA Reaffirms Commitment to Seeking
Justice for All Veterans
(Washington, D.C.) – Jack McManus
was reelected to serve as National President of Vietnam Veterans of
America at the organization’s 21st National Convention, held in Orlando,
Florida. “In keeping with VVA’s founding principle, ‘Never again will
one generation abandon another,’ the delegates convening in Orlando have
resoundingly reaffirmed the strength and commitment of our membership,”
said McManus. “Vietnam Veterans of America remains at the forefront in
the ongoing battle to seek just and equitable services and benefits for
all of America’s veterans, now and into the future. We have a wealth of
experience amongst our elected leadership and look forward to a highly
productive and effective two-year term as we continue, in service to
America.”
Jack
McManus was first elected VVA national president in 2021. In 1995, he
was elected to serve as VVA treasurer and was reelected to the position
in 1997 and 2019. McManus joined the Air Force in 1965, where he served
until 1969. Between 1967 and 1968, he was assigned to Operation Ranch
Hand in Vietnam.
Thomas Burke
of New Philadelphia, Ohio, was reelected to serve his third term as VVA
National Vice President, following multiple tours on the VVA National
Board of Directors. Burke volunteered for the U.S. Navy in 1963. In his
final year, he served aboard the U.S.S. Hancock.
Bill Meeks, Jr.,
of The Woodlands, Texas, was reelected to his seventh two-year term as
VVA National Secretary. Meeks served with the U.S. Marine Corps for
almost three years. During his 1968 tour of duty in Vietnam, he served
as a squad/platoon radioman and received three Purple Heart medals for
battlefield injuries.
Wayne Reynolds,
of Athens, Alabama, was reelected to serve his sixth two-year term
as VVA’s National Treasurer. A U.S. Army veteran, Reynolds served in
Vietnam in 1968-1969 with the 95th Evacuation Hospital and the
22nd Surgical Hospital.
In addition,
19 National Board of Directors were elected: Ten At-Large and nine
Regional. The At-Large directors are Dottie Barickman (IA); Charlie
Hobbs (TN); Ken Holybee (CA); Gumersindo Gomez (MA); Dennis
Howland (UT); Richard Lindbeck (WI); Charlie Montgomery (VA);
Dan Stenvold (ND); Steve Williams (VA); and Sandie Wilson (MI).
The nine regional directors elected to serve a 2023-2025
term are: Region 1, Justin Lantini (MA); Region 2, Ted Wilkinson (NY);
Region 3, Rossie Nance (NC); Region 4, Spence Davis (GA); Region 5,
John Riling (MI); Region 6, John Margowski (WI); Region 7, Terry
Courville (LA); Region 8, Francisco Ivarra (WA); and Region 9, Dick
Southern (CA).
