COMMANDER'S CORNER
Michael Hert, DAV Wisconsin Commander
Comradeship Is Our Glue
In the last two months, all of us have experienced new territory in our lives due to COVID-19. The last time the world had a pandemic was in 1918. Our lives changed as we feverishly put sanitizer on our hands, anxiously walked into a grocery store with our face masks on, while properly maintaining our social distance. Also who would of thought toilet paper would be the hot item of the day!
What I discovered as a DAV member and Veteran, I seriously missed the daily contact with my fellow Veterans. As a community, we did an outstanding job of reaching out to each other through text messages, social media, phone calls, etc. We made sure that our fellow Veterans had support and were not alone.
On a personal level I discovered, I missed the friendly handshake and warm greeting that we give one another whether that be at a Chapter meeting or on the Street. The banter and discussion that occurs among us truly maintains our sanity. As an organization, we take pride in our ability to host careers fairs, deliver disaster relief, advocate for our Veterans and provide a dynamic transportation network. I came to realize through this experience, our comradery is the glue that holds all of it together. It is the fellowship, caring, and compassionate bearing which is the key to our organization’s success. It’s a powerful mix and I’m so happy to be a part of it. In the meantime, I truly miss everybody and hope we can see each other soon!
Lastly, I compose this article with mixed emotions as this will be my last writing as your Department Commander. As the Good Book says, “To everything there is a season”. For the last two years, I’ve had the honor and pleasure to serve as your Commander. Due to the COVID-19 situation, our 2020 DAV Department Convention was cancelled. As you are aware, during the Convention, elections would have been held and Department leadership positions would have changed. However due to COVID-19, it was indicated if a State Convention is cancelled, the current leadership team would be maintained until the 2021 State Convention. I’ve have decided to step down as of 15 JUN 2020. This would have been the same timeline as if our Convention had been held. I cannot in good conscience be the Commander for a third year as there is an incredible group of highly competent leaders behind me that are ready to go.
The past two years have been just a phenomenal experience for me but it’s time for our new Leaders to take the organization to the next level. Again, thank you so much for your trust and faith. God Bless and remember “Together Forward”.
