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National Commander Message

National Commander Message

Joe Parsetich, Commander

The moments that matter

Serving as your national commander has been such a privilege and one of the greatest honors of my life. Thank you for trusting me to be the voice for DAV’s more than 1 million members who have donned the uniform and have been forever changed by our military service.

 
It’s been a whirlwind since August 2022 when I walked off the convention floor in Orlando, Florida, and onto a flight to Washington, D.C., to witness the president signing the PACT Act into law. DAV’s fingerprints—our role in uncovering the issue of burn pit exposures and then our tireless advocacy and work over many years—are in that law, and I was proud to represent our organization in that moment.
 
The most profound moments, though, are the interactions I was able to have with so many of you. They influenced me. They  educated me. They made me laugh. And some even moved me to tears. Every single one of them was an opportunity for me to connect, learn and grow to become a better advocate for all of us.
 
Those conversations, and being able to see the breadth of our organization, remind me of when Moses asked God to “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
 
We don’t know how long we have left on this earth. All we know is that it’s limited, so it’s important to use that time wisely. Because of you and all you do, every moment I’ve experienced over this past year has been well spent.
 
It was your collective support and prayers that gave me the strength and inspiration to share my personal testimony before the joint session of the Veterans Affairs’ Committees on Capitol Hill this past February.
 
My prayer is that by learning about my journey, those of you dealing with severe depression, trauma or moral wounds will discover that your true value and purpose in life don’t come from material things but from how you can influence others.
 
Servanthood through DAV is a great place to start. Sharing your story and encouraging and supporting each other is important, too.

As we prepare for our next national commander, my heartfelt appreciation goes to my chief of staff, Danny Oliver, for his friendship and counsel over the years.
 
Thank you also to past National Adjutant Marc Burgess, who served in that role for most of my term. I know his successor, Barry Jesinoski, will continue the tradition of excellence. And, of course, my gratitude to the national legislative team and all the support staff at the national level.
 
A special thank-you to my wife, Meg, whose love and support have been such a blessing. I can’t imagine a better person to share my journey through life with.
 
And, of course, I thank God for his providence.
 
We’re as strong of an organization as we are because of you. But we’re more, too.  We’re a family and will be until the day we are called home.
 
May God bless each and every one of you and, of course, DAV.
 

If you want to find out more about the National Commander, you can find his biography here.