Each year the Post selects two Comrades as their Comrade of the Year who have exemplified the values of the VFW. The comrade must have been a Post member for the entire year calendar year in which be nominated for. Members may be Legacy Life, Life, or Annual members. Their body of work must have benefitted Post 2995 or the VFW.
If selected, annual members will be upgraded to Life Membership. Life Members will be upgraded to Bronze Legacy Life. Bronze and Silver Legacy Members will be upgraded to Silver and Gold Legacy Members respectively. Gold Legacy Members will receive a $250.00 Post Gift Card.
A nomination submission form can be sent to the Adjutant
2025 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
David ‘Doc’ DELAP
Comrade David ‘Doc’ DELAP is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member
of VFW Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2025 to December 2025. A Life member and strong supporter of the Post
and Veteran community, Comrade DELAP consistently participated in Post
activities and events geared towards the social well-being of Veterans and
their families by providing financial assistance to the programs. Twice
a year, Comrade DELAP altruistically provided several hundreds of dollars in
donations to the Post’s Buddy Puppy program to aid impoverished Veterans in
crisis situations. For the Post’s
Holiday Give-A-Meal campaign, Comrade DELAP’s funding contributions made it
possible to provide more than 40 meals to Veterans on sustenance budgets. Comrade DELAP’s perseverance, commitment, and
dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Rick TOLBERT
Comrade Rick TOLBERT is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of
VFW Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2025 to December 2025. A Bronze Legacy member and Post Trustee, he
was the driving force in freshening up the Post grounds. Volunteering over 90 hours, he maintained the
grounds and the parking lot to provide a more stimulating visual attraction for
the membership and visitors. Additionally, he brightened up the yellow caution strips allowing
patrons to better see steps and ramps leading up to the front entrance. For the Buddy Poppy campaigns, Comrade TOBERT
led collection efforts by bringing in more than $1,600.00 for the Post Relief
Fund. When called upon, Comrade TOLBERT
assisted clubroom operations with meal delivery service during high volume
ordering times. Comrade TOLBERT’s
perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping
with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
2024 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
Robert BRUGGER
Comrade Robert BRUGGER is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of
VFW Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2024 to December 2024. Stepping in to serve as the Post Chaplain,
Comrade BRUGER epitomized the position by elevating the ceremonial remembrance
of Veterans. In Post ‘Draping the
Charter’ observations, Comrade BRUGGER not only sent condolence cards to the
families of the departed Veteran members but reached out to the families to
provide a more significant memorialization of the member by reading obituaries
in a celebration of the members’ lives at Post meetings. In addition, Comrade BRUGGER added an
undraping ceremony to the Post meeting to further honor their service to the
Nation, the VFW, and the Post. Comrade BRUGGER’s
perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping
with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Doug HOOPLE
Comrade Doug HOOPLE is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of
VFW Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2024 to December 2024. Serving as both Junior Vice and Judge
Advocate, he co-chaired the Youth Essay Scholarship program which resulted in 14
student entries, the highest within District 11, by successfully mastering the VFW’s
new online submission program that will be the future of the Youth Essay
program management. At USO NW in Sea-Tac
airport, Comrade HOOPLE volunteered over 128 hours providing refreshments to
travelling service members and their families while waiting for departing and
connecting flights to new duty stations. Finally, he played Santa at the Post’s annual Santa Breakfast and
Toys-for-Tots drive, which collected more than $3,000.00 in donated toys. Comrade HOOPLE’s perseverance, commitment,
and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
2023 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
James BEATTY
Comrade James BEATTY is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of
VFW Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2023 to December 2023. Completing his fifth year as Post Commander,
Comrade BEATTY led to Post to five consecutive All American titles, an
accomplishment never achieved by the Post in its 90 year charter. Additionally, he serves as the District 11
Commander and is a member of Cootie Pup Tent 8 having volunteered more the 150
hours towards the betterment of the VFW while bringing in 6 new members for the
organization. Actively engaged in Post
activities, Comrade BEATTY coordinated the massive cleanup effort of Post grounds
by enlisting more than 45 volunteers from the Post, Mission Continues, and the
Boeing Veterans to enhance the Post’s curbside appeal. Comrade BEATTY’s perseverance, commitment,
and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Aaron MALEC
Comrade Aaron MALEC is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of
VFW Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2023 to December 2023. Using his industrial skills, he provided more
than 160 hours of maintenance services and saved over $3,000 in repair costs
throughout the year. He spared the Post
over $1,800.00 in plumbers fees by repairing a drainage leak from the bar’s ice
machine and by reseating and strengthening the base plating for a commode in
the men’s restroom. Enhancing security
measures, Comrade MALEC spent 30 hours fabricating brackets and upgrading locks
that better protected outside storage units from vandalism and theft when the
Post was closed. He added 20 more hours
of service with periodical parking lot sweeping to reduce slip hazards and
provide better visibility of parking spots. Comrade MALEC’s perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most
heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
2022 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
Mark BJORNDAL
Comrade BJORNDAL is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW
Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2022 to December 2022. Serving as the Post Chaplain, Comrade
BJORNDAL significantly broadened its scope of duties. He initiated the ‘Chaplain’s Corner’ in the
monthly newsletter that assisted Veterans towards self-fulfillment through
spiritual edification. In our mission to
‘Never Forget’, Comrade BJORNDAL spent 40 hours designing and building four new
stanchions to encircle the POW/MIA table. The new design represents all Armed Forces branches and the obligation
to Remember our Fallen Comrades. At Post
remembrance events, such as Memorial and Veterans Days, and at Celebration of
Life events, his invocations embodied the dignity and respect deserving of the
solemn occasions. Comrade BJORNDAL’s
perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping
with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Donald HANCOCK
Comrade HANCOCK is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW
Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2022 to December 2022. Throughout the entire summer season, Comrade
HANCOCK worked tirelessly to keep the Post’s grounds tidy. Dedicating more than 52 hours in lawn care
services, he voluntarily removed fallen foliage and branches to maintain the
aesthetic view of the Post while eliminating potential slip hazards in high
traffic areas. In addition, Comrade
HANCOCK enhanced the cleanliness of the Post by removing unsightly debris that
detracted from the curbside appeal of the Post. Committed to the clubroom’s success, Comrade HANCOCK provided over 250
hours supporting clubroom activities that encouraged comradeship, networking,
and socialization for Veterans and their families. Comrade HANCOCK’s perseverance, commitment,
and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
2021 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
Greg HAM
Comrade HAM is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW Lake
Washington Post 2995 from January 2021 to December 2021. As the clubroom cautiously returned to post-pandemic
operations, Comrade HAM provided 64 hours in volunteer culinary services in the
beginning of the year to assist in re-opening efforts. He provided an additional 15 hours of outdoor
grilling time for the Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Patriots Day picnics. For the Post’s ‘Operation Feed the Veterans’
Comrade HAM provided 16 hours to prepare and package 100 freshly made then
frozen entrees that were distributed to needy Veterans/Families over the
seasonal holidays. Finally, he aided in
the Post’s curbside appeal through lawn care and patron safety by shoveling and
deicing walkways during frigid temperatures. Comrade HAM’s perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most heartily
commended in keeping with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Rick TOLBERT
Comrade TOLBERT is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW
Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2021 to December 2021. A key contributor in several Post programs,
Comrade TOLBERT served as Buddy Poppy Chair in an ongoing pandemic and led efforts
to safely collect over $3,500.00 for the Post Relief Fund to financially aid
Veterans in need. He volunteered 15
hours in Troop Support inventory control, ensuring perishable donated products
were properly cycled to avoid shipping expired items to our deployed
troops. In renovation projects, Comrade
TOLBERT provided 50 hours in storage management by disposing of 1,000 pounds of
unrepairable or unserviceable items. He added
20 more hours in grounds care and assisted in Home Depot’s Beautification
project to rejuvenate outside areas. Comrade
TOLBERT’s perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most heartily commended
in keeping with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
2020 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
Doug HOOPLE
Comrade HOOPLE is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW
Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2020 to December 2020. Dedicated to the VFW mission, Comrade HOOPLE
volunteered over 430 hours and travelled 2,000 miles for the VFW’s Scouting
program in various State, District, and Post positions to support the VFW’s
commitment to community involvement. Furthermore,
he provided 128 additional hours volunteering at USO Northwest in Sea-Tac
Airport to ensure travelling service members and their families had a safe,
comfortable, and relaxing area while travelling between duty stations or for
family needs by providing refreshment services while waiting for departing or
connecting flights. Finally, Comrade
HOOPLE strengthened Post membership by recruiting three new members. Comrade HOOPLE’s perseverance, commitment,
and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
PG PHILLIPS
Comrade PHILLIPS is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW
Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2020 to December 2020. Dedicated to the VFW mission, Comrade
PHILLIPS was key in leading the Troop Support team amid a Coronavirus pandemic
year. Volunteering over 240 hours, he
coordinated the collection, packing, and mailing of more than 520 care packages
with $36,400.00 worth of supplies to deployed U.S. forces ensuring our troops
had comforts of home along with the assurances they were always in our
thoughts. In addition, Comrade PHILLIPS teamed
with the Daughters of the American Revolution for a collection that yielded
$1,100.00 in donations and kept the Troop Support program in the public’s view when
social distancing mandates prevented normal collection operations. Comrade PHILLIPS’ perseverance, commitment,
and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
2019 COMRADES OF THE YEAR
John KENNY
Comrade KENNY is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW Lake
Washington Post 2995 from January 2019 to December 2019. Dedicated to the VFW mission, Comrade KENNY
volunteered more than 380 hours, leading the Post’s Troop Support program and
his team in collecting, packaging, and sending 1,460 care packages with over an
estimated $102,000.00 worth of supplies for the 2019 calendar year. In his 15th season as Troop Support chair,
Comrade KENNY and his team sent more than $1.5 million dollars’ worth of goods
in excess of more than 21,000 boxes to our deployed forces overseas in remote
areas to ensure they had necessities and comforts of home along with the
assurances they were not forgotten. Comrade KENNY’s perseverance, commitment, and dedication are most
heartily commended in keeping with the mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Fred SEATON
Comrade SEATON is recognized for outstanding achievement as a member of VFW
Lake Washington Post 2995 from January 2019 to December 2019. Dedicated to the Post, Comrade SEATON
obtained $13,000 in grants to improve the facility, resulting in a new
refrigerator, tables, barstools, and the renovation of the meeting room and
game room. Volunteering over 240 hours
in the year, he coordinated grounds cleaning and four flag retirement
ceremonies to support the Boy Scouts. In
the community, Comrade SEATON assisted in arranging VA Bingo for hospitalized
Veterans and a food/toy drive to benefit local families in the area. For the membership, he promoted comradery by
hosting monthly Trivia and organizing the Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Christmas
parties. Comrade SEATON’s perseverance,
commitment, and dedication are most heartily commended in keeping with the
mission of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
