York County veterans installed as officers in state VFW

• Two local war veterans will serve as officers for the Pennsylvania VFW.
• Brenner wiill serve as the state parliamentarian and Fuhrman will serve as the senior vice commander.

Two local war veterans were among those recently installed as 2016-2017 officers for the Pennsylvania Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Dwight Fuhrman, of Spring Grove, and John Brenner, of Mount Wolf, received their official titles at the organization’s state convention June 18 in Lake Harmony. Fuhrman, of Post 8996, will be the 2016-17 senior vice commander, and Brenner, of Post 2493, will serve as the 2016-17 state parliamentarian.

“This is one of the goals of my life. I am highly honored to serve the veterans of Pennsylvania,” said Fuhrman.

The Pennsylvania VFW is made up of 83,000 veterans who hold membership at 440 local posts, making the state organization the largest in the nation.

Both Fuhrman and Brenner are Vietnam veterans who have served in several leadership roles with the VFW. Brenner earned York County's Outstanding Young Veteran of the Year award, served as the state commander in 2008, and currently serves as chairman of the Pennsylvania State Veterans' Commission. Fuhrman currently directs the VFW's Voice of Democracy essay contest for high school students and will move into the state commander position next June.

"This is my way of paying it forward by helping the community and other veterans," said Fuhrman.

The VFW, which is based on the principles of community service and veterans serving other veterans, donated more than $10 million worth of community service in the past year.

“We support our communities with whatever their needs may be,” said Brenner.

The VFW has previously donated money toward scholarships, public safety and youth program support.