Cleve Geer
National Commander Cleve Geer
Cleve Geer of Orlando, Fla., was elected to serve as AMVETS National Commander for 2012–2013 during the 68th annual AMVETS National Convention in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Geer served in the Army for three years and received an honorable discharge. He earned an Associates of Arts degree from Valencia College in Orlando, Fla., and furthered his education at the University of Alabama’s School of Business Administration. He previously served as AMVETS First Vice Commander where his responsibilities included membership outreach and representing AMVETS National Headquarters at veterans’ events around the country.
Geer is a life member of Florida AMVETS Post 17, and served as commander of Post 30 in Orlando, Fla., Department of Florida Commander, Department NEC, National District III Commander, deputy VAVS representative, and Junior AMVETS Coordinator. Geer was also elected as the President of the AMVETS National Service Foundation, and has also served nine years as NSF trustee. He was named Department of Florida AMVET of the Year and nominated for AMVET of the Year in 2004–2005. In 2010, he received the President’s Award for Voluntary Service to our country.
Geer has been married for 49 years to Delores Geer, a life member of the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, and is the father of Omar Geer, a member of Sons of AMVETS.
John Mitchell
National 1st Vice Commander John H. Mitchell, Jr.
John Mitchell is a life member of AMVETS Post 2 in Oakridge, Tenn., who served as a Navy Corpsman for 14 years. A veteran of Vietnam, Mitchell joined AMVETS in 1981 after leaving the military. Mitchell has served as his post commander for nine years. He has also served as Department of Tennessee Commander, National District III Commander, and as a trustee for the Department of Tennessee Service Foundation. Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology with honors from the University of Tennessee. He currently resides in Knoxville, Tenn., with his wife, Jeanne, who leads the Ladies Auxiliary for Tennessee.
Larry Via
National 2nd Vice Commander Larry Via
Larry Via was born and raised in Ohio, is an Army veteran, and currently resides in Naples, Fla., with his wife, four children, and three grandchildren. He has served as a AMVETS Post Commander for two years, post trustee, District Judge Advocate, Department of Florida Second Vice Commander, Department First Vice Commander, Department Commander, and National District III Commander. Via was voted as Commander of the Year in 2009–2010.
He retired in January 2012 after working 36 years for a large electrical firm, with over twenty years in supervision and the final ten years in corporate management.
Stewart Hickey
National Executive Director Stewart Hickey
Major Stewart M. Hickey, United States Marine Corps, (Retired) was born in Watertown, NY 14 October 1957. He attended Penn State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1979. In 1987 Major Hickey received his Master of Arts degree in Management from Webster University. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in February 1977 at Cumberland, MD as an infantryman, and graduated Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC in August 1977. Major Hickey transferred to Platoon Leaders Class, which he attended in the summer of 1978. His military education includes The Basic School (TBS), Armor Officer Basic (AOB), Amphibious Warfare School (AWS, NR), Armor Officer Advanced Course (AOAC), and Marine Corps Command and Staff College (NR).
Major Hickey is currently the National Executive Director of AMVETS. He resides on his family farm in Cumberland Valley Township, and McConnellsburg, PA, he and his wife Ellen have five children: Monroe, Ali, Charles, Andrew and Bryce.