United War Veterans Council puts the future of the Veterans Day Parade in the hands of a new generation.

NEW YORK, NY – Vince McGowan, former Marine, and life-long New Yorker, came home from Vietnam unable to recognize the country that he left. “I got home from Vietnam in ’68 to a very unwelcome country, and an ungrateful nation,” McGowan told me. Growing up, he had watched a nation celebrate World War II veterans, but now, he and his peers were not given the same respect. Some were vilified.

In 1985, realizing that veterans would have to take care of themselves, McGowan revived the United War Veterans Council, an organization that has its roots in the Spanish-American War (1898), but had fallen into obscurity. It became a haven for Vietnam vets who felt their country had abandoned them, but since, has developed into a home for veterans of all eras to come together and honor military service.

When McGowan reinstated UWVC, the American Legion had been producing the New York City Veterans Day parade. However, in 1987, the group chose to abandon it, largely, according to McGowan, because of the controversy surrounding gay veterans who wanted to participate. This left a vacuum of leadership in the veteran community, and McGowan was not content to let the parade die.

With no money or real support to speak of, UWVC took charge of the NYC Veterans Day Parade. McGowan described to me that first challenging year as, “25 guys with a snare drum marching down 5th Avenue.”

This serves as stark contrast to the New York City Veterans Day Parade of today, one that has been dubbed “Americas Parade”. This November 11^th, 40,000 participants marched, walked, and rode up New York’s iconic Fifth Avenue, honoring post-9/11 military veterans, police, firefighters, and civilians who were 9/11 First Responders.

As a Marine veteran who was new to the City in 2010, I discovered for myself the benefit of being a part of the United War Veterans Council community. I quickly felt at home among fellow veterans, volunteering my time to help execute the parade. I left as Director of Veteran Services in 2015, after graduating from Columbia University.

Veterans Day, not to be confused with Memorial Day, in which we honor those that have sacrificed their lives in service to this country, is celebrated in conjunction with Armistice Day—the official end to all hostilities on the 11^th hour, of the 11^th day, of the 11^th month in, 1918. One year after the original Armistice Day, President Woodrow Wilson officially recognized the sacrifices of U.S. service members during the “war to end all wars”. Unbelievably, it still took 19 more years for a bill to be passed establishing a National Armistice Day, one that would honor all veterans, not just those that had fought, and died during World War I.

“Since 1919, we have set aside November, 11, as a special day to honor service, and to remind all Americans, and our elected leaders, of the debt of honor we owe those who have served our nation,” Doug McGowan, UWVC Chairman, and United States Marine Corps veteran said. “In fact, every day should be Veterans Day.”

For the first time, UWVC named three Grand Marshals who represented both post-9/11 military vets, and 9/11 First Responders: Colonel Stephanie Dawson, NYFD Battalion Chief, Joseph Duggan and NYC Police Detective, Nelson Vergara. Dawson, a New York Army National Guard colonel, who commanded troops at Ground Zero on 9/11, and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, is currently the Port Authority’s Acting COO. Battalion Chief Duggan is a 9/11 First Responder who served with the Army Reserve in Iraq, and Detective Vergara, who spent months working at Ground Zero, served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq.

Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke at the Parade’s opening ceremony in Madison Square Park about the close ties his family has to military service and the challenges that accompanied those ties. “We grew up in a family that understood how powerful military service is, what a measure it is of one’s devotion to their nation,” de Blasio said. “But the honest truth is we also saw all of the challenges that come with returning from military service. My wife saw it with her father, I saw it with my dad.”

In addition to honoring service, UWVC has a long tradition of veteran advocacy in both the public and private sectors. UWVC’s core founding members established the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the organization was instrumental in creating the Veterans Leadership Program. Serving as chairperson of the New York City Veterans Advisory Board for many years, McGowan tirelessly advocated for veterans in New York City government.

The scope of the Veterans Day Parade, and UWVC’s ability to positively impact veteran’s lives did not come easy, or cheap. Pre-9/11, money was hard to come by—America’s notoriously short-term memory meant private donations were almost non-existent, and the lack of media attention meant that corporations had no interest in donating to veteran charities. McGowan realized that in order for UWVC to carry out its mission, it would have to become self-sufficient.

But how?

How did a non-profit organization, one with non-existent donations, and little to no public attention generate revenue?

Ten years ago McGowan turned to Debra Menich, an experienced and accomplished business transformation consultant. Menich would develop and expand a program where donated clothes and household goods are resold through thrift stores, in turn, generating revenue used to help fund UWVC’s operations. “Because we generate an independent income stream from a program that benefits both veterans and the surrounding community,” Menich told me, “UWVC views itself as a social business.”

As UWVC Recycling Director, Menich emphasized that UWVC’s social business model “has ten years of proven success, and is currently diverting many tons of clothing and household goods from being incinerated, landfilled or otherwise dumped on the taxpayers dime.” Since the initiation of the recycling program, it has diverted approximately 12.7 million pounds from landfills.

Realizing that after three-plus decades of impactful service to the veteran community it was time to pass the torch to the next generation, this year Vince McGowan reluctantly stepped down as both Veterans Advisory Board Chairman, and President of United War Veterans Council. Ready to take charge were the veterans of modern-warfare—those that served from Desert Storm through our Post-9/11 conflicts.

One particular modern warfare vet, ready to fill the enormous shoes of the retiring founding president, is Dan McSweeney. McSweeney, a former Marine officer, has committed himself to the mission of honoring service, helping veterans and expanding UWVC’s influence. “At UWVC we consider this a solemn obligation to keep alive in the hearts of Americans,” President McSweeney said. “We are expanding the America’s Parade Network to cities across the U.S., with parades this year in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Our goal is to have 10 cities in the America’s Parade Network by 2019, the 100^th anniversary of the first parade.”

McSweeny’s directive as president is to expand the parade and recycling program, but he is also looking to more directly impact veteran’s lives through veteran employment initiatives, podcasts and web-based interactions, and partnerships with other veteran support groups, such as the city’s Veteran Business Hub.

To support UWVC and its recycling program, you can schedule to have your clothing and household goods picked up here: uwvcpickup.org

Mario Figueroa, Lima Charlie News

Mario Figueroa is a former Marine Corps Infantryman who deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Following his service, Mario completed his B.A. in English Literature at Columbia University in the City of New York. While completing his studies, Mario served on the Executive Board of The US Military Veterans of Columbia University while also working as Director of Veteran Services for United War Veterans Council, a veterans centric non-profit dedicated to honoring service and helping veterans transition back into the civilian world. Follow

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