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Siloam Proud Wednesday, June 29, 2022 n C7 Siloam Springs Herald-Leader 479-524-8117 479-524-8149 Lee steps down as VFW commander after nine years By Marc Hayot Staff Writer n mhayot@nwadg.com Frank Lee has spent the last nine years as com- mander of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW ) Post 1674 and is now planning on stepping down in the beginning of July. Lee said after nine years he wanted to take a break from command, but hav - ing a servant's heart means he will still be active in the VFW's activities and events. Throughout the course of his time with the VFW Lee has worked to help not only veterans but anyone in the community who needed a hand, according to VFW member Michael Butler. "I would say that Frank is probably one of the most kind giving and caring people," Butler said. "If you wanted to meet a kinder person I would not know where to find him." While Lee may take a little bit of time for himself, he will continue to help veterans and community members in need, he said. Inactivity is not something that Lee can handle for long periods of time, he said. "I've always needed something to do," Lee said. Working all his life Lee spent the first eight years of his life in New Mexico. Lee's father oper- ated a lumber mill and Lee himself spent a lot of time at the mill, he said. In 1958, Lee's family moved to Arkansas to take care of his grandmother, Lee said. His father bought a small mill near Flint Ridge in Okla - homa, Lee said. "I worked all my life from a very young age," Lee said. "If we weren't in school we worked at the mill." When Lee graduated from high school in 1968, the United States was fighting in the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia and the draft was in full swing, Lee said. At the time all young men had to register for the draft so Lee joined the Army National Guard, he said. Lee did not serve in Vietnam because he was in the Guard, he said. Dur - ing his time, Lee had mul- tiple positions throughout the years, he said. Lee was a field wireman and post switchboard opera- tor, he said. Eventually Lee worked his way up to commo chief, he said. In 1990, Lee served his first tour abroad when he was sent to participate in Desert Shield, he said. In 1991, Desert Shield be - came Desert Storm and Lee saw combat in the middle east, he said. After serving in the Na- tional Guard for 22 years, Lee retired and went to work in the automotive in- dustry, he said. Lee worked at Bob Ray Pontiac in Si- loam Springs. Eventually the Pontiac dealership became Supe- rior Chevrolet and Superior Ford and Lee continued to work until he retired in 2008 as the manager of the parts department, Lee said. VFW service In April of 2009, Lee joined the VFW because of an article he saw in the newspaper, he said. "Someone put an ad in the paper to come and vol - unteer, and I came to paint the fence and I signed up," Lee said. The post had been suc- cessful for several years but fell into disrepair between 2000-2009 and had few members, Lee said. Mark Alexander, Ron Drake and Wayne Thomas worked to revitalize the post, Lee said. Steve Milbourn, who had recently been elected post commander in 2009, asked the state VFW headquar - ters if he could have the opportunity to revitalize the Siloam Springs post. Two months after join- ing the post, Lee was made quartermaster (treasurer) of the post. In 2013, Lee was made post command- er. Lee's tenure as post commander has resulted in the post winning Post of the Year three times, he said. Lee was also chosen as Post Commander of the Year for the 2016-17 and District Commander of the Year for 2017-18 and 2019- 20, Lee said. Along with the VFW, Lee has also been a part of the American Legion At Large and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV ) Chapter 64, but Lee's heart will always be with the VFW, he said. Butler recounted a mo - ment when he and Lee were standing in a flag line for a Korean War veteran in the freezing cold. "We were standing there with our flags and he said 'It may be cold but we do this for our brothers,'" But - ler said. "That cemented it for us." One of the organiza- tions Lee had helped was Bo's Blessings which helps veterans in Northwest Ar- kansas transition back to civilian life, according to Jannie Layne, the founder of the organization. Layne said Bo's Blessings also helps with deceased Marc Hayot/Herald-Leader Retiring VFW Commander Frank Lee salutes the U.S. Flag, POW Flag and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) flag. Lee has served as commander of the VFW since 2013 and plans to step down as commander on July 1. Photo submitted Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post 1674 Commander Lee (right) poses with a World War II veteran known as "Mr. Nathan." Lee is known for tirelessly helping veterans and he would often take Mr. Nathan around town on his motorcycle. See LEE on Page C8 Keep Arkansas Beautiful.com