President: Patrick McCann
Email: unityact2@aol.com
Member: VFP District of Columbia Chapter 016 - Washington, DC

Back to top

Vice President: Matt Southworth
Email: vfpmsouth@gmail.com
Member: VFP District of Columbia Chapter 016 - Washington, DC

While in the Army, Matt served a tour of duty in northern Iraq, near Mosul, in 2004. Matt’s experience in Iraq turned him against war and into an anti-war activist. By happenstance, he was eventually led to Wilmington College, a small Quaker school in Wilmington, Ohio. In May of 2009, Matt graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wilmington College with his Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and History and a minor in Psychology. After graduation, Matt spent two months in Israel-Palestine—his second trip to the region.

Currently, Matt works on Afghanistan policy and greater Middle East issues on Capitol Hill. He has been working closely with a number of Congressional offices in an effort to create a Congressionally led Afghanistan-Pakistan Study Group that will provide President Obama with recommendations moving past the July 2011 transitional phase. Matt also organizes young adults around the country by providing the tools that empower people to influence government through effective lobbying.

Back to top

Treasurer: Mike Hearington
Email: mhearington@veteransforpeace.org
Member: VFP Chapter 089 in Nashville TN and VFP Chapter 149 in Memphis, TN

Mike served in the US Army 1970-1971, 171^st Infantry. On my 17^th birthday I was naively excited about taking my first airplane ride off to Ft Polk, LA. After AIT at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma my tour was in Fairbanks, AL, Ft. Wainwright. As my conscious developed toward a non violence stance, I actively began protesting wars during US involvement in Bosnia. Already active in anti-war activities I joined VFP after meeting members in Crawford, TX during Cindy Sheehan’s protest in the summer of 2005. After returning home I started VFP Chapter 149 in Memphis, TN. My VFP journey had begun. Connections I made with members during the gulf coast march to New Orleans made a lasting impression. I am currently a life time member and active in chapters 149& 89 in Tennessee.

Back to top

Secretary: Adrienne Kinne
Email: adriennej@hotmail.com
Member: VFP Will Miller Chapter 057 - Green Mountain, VT

Adrienne served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves from 1994-2004 as an Arabic linguist in military intelligence. Following September 11th, Adrienne was activated in the Reserves and stationed stateside where she served in direct support of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Currently she works to improve veterans' healthcare through the VA. She helped form the Vermont chapter of IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) and was on the Winter Soldier organizing team.

Back to top

Board Member: Gerry Condon
Email: projectsafehaven@hotmail.com
Member: VFP Greater Seattle Chapter 092 in Seattle, WA

Gerry Condon deserted from the U.S. Army in 1969 after refusing orders to deploy to the U.S. war in Vietnam. He found sanctuary in Europe and Canada for six years before returning to the U.S.A. as part of a campaign for amnesty for all war resisters.

Today, Gerry works closely with GI resisters who refuse to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the co-chair of the GI Resistance Working Group of Veterans For Peace, and serves on the steering committee of the Bradley Manning Support Network.

He was also the president of Chapter 92 in Seattle, and he and his partner and Associate member Helen Jaccard are currently touring Europe working with peace activists and promoting Veterans For Peace.

Back to top

Board Member: Ken Dalton
Email: njvfpken22@aim.com
Member: VFP 021 in Northern NJ

In June, 1970, I joined the Navy in support of the war in Vietnam. During my Navy years, I spent one year aboard the USS Monticello an LSD 35. While assigned to that ship, I participated in two crimes against humanity, one being Vietnam, the other being the displacement of the indigenous people of Diego Garcia. However, after the Pentagon Papers were published, I went through an epiphany, which totally changed my attitude towards war and our government. Since then I have protested the 1^stGulf War, and the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After the current Middle East Wars began, I was recruited by Dave Cline to join both VVAW and VFP. I have been very active with VFP ever since.

Back to top

Board Member: Mark Foreman
Email: foremane1589@sbcglobal.net
Member: VFP 102 in Milwaukee WI

I served as a Navy Corpsman in 1968 with the 3^rd Battalion, 5^th Marines in Vietnam. After five weeks in country I was wounded and received a 100% physical disability rating from the VA. While in Vietnam, I refused to carry a weapon and as soon as I got home I threw my purple heart in the garbage. War is nothing less then social insanity… while the war profiteers make off with billions of tax payer’s dollars.

I joined VFP in 1990 and served as Milwaukee Chapter 102’s president for three years. In my three year term as president our chapter doubled its membership and partnered with Wisconsin Peace Action, and Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice. I co-founded the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative in 2008, which I’ve been board chair of for the past three years. I’ve also served on four different boards of directors for peace organizations.

I feel no greater purpose in my life then working for peace… knowing that VFP is the most credible voice of all in the peace community. The American Empire is using its powerful military to dominate the world, making our role more important then ever.

Back to top

Board Member: John Heuer
Email: heu93@aol.com
Member: VFP Eisenhower Chapter 157, NC Triangle

John registered with the Coast Guard for his merchant seaman’s papers in 1965 and sailed the east coast, Atlantic and Mediterranean in 1967, the same year he began protesting the war in Viet Nam. In 1968 he sailed from the west coast to Qui Nhon, Viet Nam, confirming his worst fears that his country was engaged in great crimes against the people of Viet Nam and our own service members. In 1970 he refused induction into the army of Richard Nixon and settled on a small farm not far from his mother’s birthplace in Nova Scotia.

In 1975 John returned to the US under Gerry Ford’s Reconciliation Program for Viet Nam era war resisters, and worked 4 years on low income rural home rehabilitation in central NC. After retiring from UNC Chapel Hill Architectural & Engineering Services in 2006, he began volunteering with NC Peace Action, and helped found the Eisenhower Chapter 157 VFP in the NC Triangle. John is co-chair, with Ron Fisher, of the War Crimes Prosecution Work Group.

Back to top

Board Member: Tarak Kauff
Email: takauff@gmail.com
Member: VFP Catskill Mountain Chapter 058 - Catskill Mountain, NY

Since the Vietnam War to today’s occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, Tarak has opposed U.S. wars and invasions and the materialist, consumer oriented American way of life which precipitates wars and needs an ever expanding empire to continue. Tarak served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper from 1959 to 1962. He has held a lead role in VFP’s Direct Action Team including actions at the National Archives, the White House on December 16, 2010, and March 19, 2011 and recently at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Oct. 7, he took part in the 2009-10 Gaza Freedom March in Cairo.

Tarak believes that creating and nurturing a culture of sustained resistance is our only hope for stopping the war machine and saving the planet from destruction by the profit-driven system of corporate control now in power.

Back to top

Board Member: Michael McPhearson
Email: michaelvfp@gmail.com
Member:VFP Northern New Jersey Chapter 021- Clifton, NJ

Michael is National Coordinator for United For Peace and Justice, and former Executive Director of Veterans For Peace. He resides with his wife in Newark NJ where he works with the People’s Organization for Progress and publishes mcphearsonreport.com. Michael joined the Army Reserve 1981 as an enlisted soldier at the age of 17. He was a field artillery officer during Gulf War I. Michael's son joined the Army and served one tour in Iraq in 2005-2006. In December of 2003 Michael returned to Iraq as part of a peace delegation to examine the state of the occupation firsthand and has spoken all over the U.S. to small gatherings and large crowds.

Back to top

Board Member: Michael Prysner
Email: mikeprys@hotmail.com
Member: VFP District of Columbia Chapter 007 in Los Angeles CA

From the moment I first met VFP—as a young Iraq war veteran who had just entered political life (with no knowledge such an organization existed)—I immediately felt at home. Words cannot describe how much that experience meant for me as a young, confused, and struggling combat vet. It solidified my dedication to the cause of fighting for peace. Since that day, I’ve proudly fought alongside VFP and credit so much of my development to the support and mentoring of VFP members.

I also bring to the organization a strong anti-imperialist political perspective, and a dedication to building mass street actions in the tradition of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience to challenge the criminal Afghanistan war, the shift to murderous drone warfare, the war on the poor here at home, and to encourage and support GI resistance.

Back to top