AMVETS
National Headquarters
Official Website
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New AMVETS National Headquarters now open for business
After 80 years in the Washington, D.C., area, AMVETS' NHQ moved to Washington, PA, in 2025 to better serve Veterans.
An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held March 7, 2026, in conjunction with the Spring NEC meetings.
In the news
December 11, 2024 -- The $525,000 sale of the synagogue to AMVETS was finalized in June 2024.The national veterans organization will move its headquarters from Washington, D.C., where it has been for 80 years.
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“The D.C. area was a great home for AMVETS for eight decades, but we know we can always do better,” said Horace Johnson, AMVETS National Commander. “In moving to Washington County, we are moving to the county that has more veterans per capita than any other county in the continental United States. We are moving to our fellow veterans.”
September 16, 2024 --“It’s a wonderful community,” he said. “There’s a very, very high percentage of veterans in the area. It’s very centrally located. That was a huge selling point for our membership. There’s certainly a much more reasonable cost of living than the Washington, D.C. area. We love the two buildings we ended up purchasing. Every day, it seems like we have a new positive experience with someone in the community that we’re working with to make this all happen.”
Leadership & Committees
NATIONAL COMMANDERS
The exploratory process of relocating the National Headquarters began in 2023 under AMVETS National Commander Don McLean. NEC approval and the purchase of the property took place in June 2024 under AMVETS National Commander Bill Clark. The construction took place in 2024-2025 under AMVETS National Commander Horace Johnson.
RELOCATION COMMITTEE
With the approval of the 2024 Winter NEC, National Commander Clark appointed a five-member committee to find a new home for AMVETS National Headquarters.
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Chair: Past National Commander Arthur Stahl (PA)
PNC Don McLean (MA)
Andre Martel (MD)
Fred Vineyard (NJ)
Dana Dillon (CT)
AVMVETS National Judge Advocate: PNC Jim King
AMVETS National Finance Officer: Kelly McFarlain
Ladies Auxiliary Representative: Past National Auxiliary President Carol King
Sons of AMVETS Representative: Past National Sons Commander Harold Collins
AMVETS National Executive Director: Joe Chenelly
CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
With the approval of the 2025 Post-Convention NEC, National Commander Johnson appointed a three-member committee to oversee the construction of the new AMVETS National Headquarters.
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Chair: Past National Commander Don McLean (MA)
National 1st Vice Commander Paul Shipley (PA)
National 3rd Vice Commander Christopher Studebaker (IL)
AMVETS National Judge Advocate: Frederick Bates (GA)
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At the 2025 National Convention, newly elected National Commander Paul Shipley appointed a new committee to continue overseeing construction.
Chair: PNC Don McLean
National 2nd Vice Commander Christopher Studebaker
Past National 1sst District Commander Albert Duff (CT)
AMVETS National Judge Advocate: PNC Jan Brown (OH)
COMING IN 2025
AMVETS National Headquarters
265 North Avenue
Washington, PA 13501
Want more information, including why we are moving and how this location was carefully chosen? Click the PDF icon to see the presentation from AMVETS National Convention in August 2024.