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Doreen Brown named new VFW Commander

Doreen Brown named new VFW Commander

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First female leader takes the reins of Post 5225

news@theeveningtimes.com

A glass ceiling shattered as a new commander assumed duties at the West Memphis and Marion VFW Post 5225. Doreen Brown became the first woman commander to lead the local post. Brown also became the first person to succeed a relative as a commander. Brown is cousin to former Post Commander Elvin Tate.

Tate moved up to District Four Commander covering northeast Arkansas.

Comrades also tapped West Memphis City Councilman James Pulliaum to serve as the district chaplain.

Tate said he handed over a financially sound post to Brown and talked about recent developments at the position on South Avalon St. Brown won her vote unanimously and cast a vision for the future for the local VFW. The new post commander is the youngest active member.

Brown served in the Tennessee National Guard in the early '80's and served in active duty during Desert Storm fro 1987 -1999.

'On active duty I was on Chaplaincy Corps, and in the guard I was a financial specialist,' said Brown.

Brown has volunteered with Disabled American Veterans and with Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (ESGR).

Brown outlined her goals starting with improving active membership numbers, and continued post participation in community events.

'We are open and supportive of veterans here in West Memphis and Marion as well as the rest of the county and surrounding areas,' said brown. 'Those in Earle, Crawfordsville and Trumann are assigned to our post. We need to get out and meet the ones that haven't been coming and send newsletters to let them know whats going on.We'll continue with the food baskets we do at Thanksgiving and Christmas..There are 385 on the roll, but we need five more active members to be 100 percent.

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Photo by John Rech VFW (cont.)

We need to make contact, get them back involved, and we can do more in the community.'

Tate said he left the post in good standing. The finances were stronger than recent years due to the sale of an adjacent lot for an apartment complex according to Tate. The post had a remedy in mind for its old pool on Avalon St.

'We pushed the pool down and covered it up,' said Tate. 'I'm going to try to make a community garden out of that and give the produce to the community.'

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