Robert E. Wallace will also serve as executive director of the VFW's Washington, D.C. office.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A New Jersey native was recently appointed as the adjutant general of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States during the 117th VFW National Convention in North Carolina on July 27.
Robert E. Wallace Robert E. Wallace, who was raised in Newark but lived for many years in Jefferson, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of administration of the VFW and its activities in Washington D.C., the VFW said in a news release.
Wallace, who first joined the staff of the VFW in 1996, is the first VFW adjutant general to concurrently hold position of executive director of the VFW's Washington office.
Wallace worked as a banker for 24 years before he joined the administration of former Gov. Thomas Kean as deputy commissioner/administrator of veterans affairs. He also previously served as executive director of the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission.
Wallace, a three-time recipient of the Purple Heart, served as a lance corporal with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division during Vietnam.
Wallace's tenure as executive director has been focused on quality of life programs for veterans, service members and their families such as the passage of the post-9/11 GI Bill and the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, the VFW said in the news release.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.