SOUTHWICK – Current Southwick VFW Post 872 Chairman Troy Henke has been elected as the District Seven Commander for the 18 VFW’s in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties for the year of 2019-2020.
At their annual district convention in Amherst on April 13, District Seven unanimously voted in favor of electing Henke as the next district commander. Henke was the only one nominated by his peers and will officially take office in June at the Massachusetts VFW Convention and will serve a one-year term.
Henke is shown speaking at a VFW Post 872 event in May of 2018. (WNG File Photo)
Henke is very grateful to be recognized by the people he has worked with since he first became involved with the VFW in 2014.
“When you have that kind of support and respect by your peers, not just in your community, but in your region, that’s always honorable,” said Henke.
As the district commander, Henke will be overseeing all 18 VFW post commanders in his district.
By being elected as the next district commander, Henke will be the first VFW member from Southwick to hold the position of District Seven Commander for quite some time.
The Westfield resident who grew up in Southwick was quick to compliment the members that he works with in Southwick and how they too are credited with his accomplishment.
“In our area we’re really fortunate to have such a capable group of members,” said Henke. “I think it was just a matter of time until someone from Southwick led the district.”
Needing to either have been under hostile fire or in an active combat theater in order to be a member of the VFW, Henke is an Army veteran. In the Army reserves, Henke was deployed twice, once for 16 days in Paraguay in 2002 and then in Iraq in 2003. Henke was given an honorable discharge from the Army in 2008, which left him with a favorable record during his service.
