New VFW state commander hopes to bring young veterans into the fold

New VFW state commander hopes to bring young veterans into the fold
By Andy Fillmore
Correspondent
Published: Saturday, July 7, 2012

The recently installed Veterans of Foreign Wars state commander, himself a disabled veteran, hopes to bridge the "generation gap" from Vietnam War era veterans to those from current conflicts.

Wayne Carrignan, 64, who lives in Chiefland with his wife, Susan, was sworn in June 17 in Orlando for a one-year term as leader of the 73,403 VFW members at 191 posts statewide. Marion County has eight posts, with 3,023 members. The VFW Department of Florida Headquarters is located in Ocala.

"The young veterans are our biggest concern," Carrignan said. "They have job and family obligations, and we can help with their needs and benefits."

The new leader of the group, which was established 113 years ago by veterans of the Spanish-American War, knows what it means to be a disabled veteran. At age 18, on Jan. 20, 1966, Carrignan stepped on a land mine left over from the Korean War while serving in the U.S. Army in the Korean DMZ. He lost his right foot and spent about six months in a military hospital near Valley Forge. He is considered "100 percent total and permanent" status by the Veterans Administration in terms of disability.
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