AMVETS DEPT. OF HAWAII

Commander’s Letter: For more than 80 years, we in AMVETS have taken to heart the credo of service set forth by our organization’s founding fathers. In so doing, we endeavor to provide our fellow veterans with the type of support they truly deserve. This outreach effort takes many forms, from the professional advice our service officers offer on earned veterans benefits to our legislative efforts on Capitol Hill to the work done by our hospital volunteers.

Other AMVETS members involve themselves in a range of initiatives aimed at contributing to the quality of life in their local communities.

These two areas, veterans service and community service, drive the commitment we have to make a difference in the lives of others. The pages of this website provide more detailed information on each area, as well as a wealth of information for veterans, their families and other interested citizens. Please take a few minutes to review what makes AMVETS the distinctive organization it is. Our aim of building for a better America is an undertaking to which all can contribute.

I invite you to join us, today.

Over 80 Years…

Nine World War II veterans clubs, met in Kansas City, Mo., and founded The American Veterans of World War II on Dec. 10, 1944. Less than three years later, on July 23, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 216, making AMVETS the first World War II organization to be chartered by Congress. Since then, the original charter has been amended several times to admit as members those who served in different eras. On 16 October 2002 the 107th Congress enacted Public Law 107-241 (H.R. 3214), an Act to amend the Charter of the AMVETS organization to “AMVETS (American Veterans)”. Today, membership in AMVETS is open to anyone who is currently serving, or who has honorably served, in the U.S. Armed Forces from World War II to the present, to include the National Guard and Reserves.

Our members are Veterans and Active Duty Servicemembers serving in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, Coast Guard, Hawaii National Guard and Reserve.

DONOVAN A. LAZARUS, AMVETS Hawaii State Commander

Physical Location: AMVETS West Oahu Veterans Center

5001 Iroquois Avenue, Bldg 612 West Loch Annex (JBPHH)

Ewa Beach, Hawaii 96706

Email: admin@amvets-hawaii.org

Mailing Address: AMVETS Hawaii, P.O. Box 2865, Ewa Beach, HI 96706

Office: 808-888-0410

AMVETS Department of Hawaii

is a Congressional-chartered 501(c)19 non-profit, Veterans Service Organization (VSO)

EIN:83-2518892

Board of Directors & Officers:

State Commander:

Donovan Andrew Lazarus (US Army, Retired)
Email: donovan@amvets-hawaii.org, Direct: (808) 382-6835

AMVETS 2018 Commander of the Year Recipient

Commander Lazarus: “I am just another Basic Combat Training Drill Sergeant trying to giveback. For the past 20-plus-years, I have watched so many of the recruits I have trained accomplished great things. They inspired me to do what I do. I will always honor their service and sacrifice, and the countless others… It is our duty to Honor them, Never Forget!”

1st Vice Commander:

Ronald Y.K. Lam (US Army, Veteran)
Email: ron.amvetshawaii@gmail.com, Direct: (808) 375-4500

2nd Vice Commander:

Luis A. Linares (US Army, Retired)
Email: llouiesalas@aol.com

3rd Vice Commander:

Marcus DeValentino (US Marines, Veteran)
Email: marcus.devalentino@okinawakenpodssi.com

Adjutant & Service Officer:

William Rodriguez (US Navy, Retired)
Email: willi a m .r @a m v e t s –h a w a i i .o r g, Direct: (631) 219-1374

National Executive Committeeman:

Marcus Irons (US Air Force, Veteran), Email: marcusirons6@gmail.com

Judge Advocate:

Adolphus “Al” Cabras (US Army, HING), Email: alcabras@yahoo.com

Provost Marshall:

Carmelo Diaz-Rotger (US Army, Veteran), Email: melo@amvets-hawaii.org

Women Veterans’ Representative:

Christina Duenaz-Rodriguez (US Army, Veteran), Email: cplr@hawaii.edu

Finance Officer:

Ira White (US Army, Veteran), Email: knottsman@yahoo.com

Communications Director:

Valerie Hill (US Army, Veteran), Email: valerie@amvets-hawaii.org

Public Affairs Officer:

Chrystie Brandt (US Army, Veteran), Email: lucyimhome23@gmail.com

Historian:

Dr. Michael A. Lazarus (USN, Veteran) Email: michael@amvets-hawaii.org

Government Affairs Advisor:

David E. Lazarus (USMC, Veteran) Email: david@amvets-hawaii.org

Advisory Board Member:

Bronsonn J.A. Taylor (US Army, Retired), Email: bronsonn.taylor@gmail.com

AMVETS Posts:

What are IRC 501(c)(19) purposes? IRC 501(c)(19) purposes are broad, but not unlimited. Appropriate purposes are:

Promoting the social welfare of the community,
Assisting needy and disabled veterans, widows, or orphans of deceased veterans,
Providing entertainment, care and assistance to hospitalized Veterans or members of the Armed Forces of the United States,
Perpetuating the memory of Veterans and comforting their survivors,
Conducting programs for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes,
Sponsoring or participating in patriotic activities,
Providing insurance benefits to members or members dependents, and
Providing social and recreational activities for members

Over 90% of all donations received will directly fund our programs.

Programs:

Suicide Prevention and Awareness Program (VA, Cohen Veterans Network and Resurrecting Lives Foundation)
Adaptive Sports Program (Big Tire Bootcamp and Veterans Administration Pacific Islands Health Care System)
Warriors ‘Ohana Gardens Program (Landnam Warrior)
BioModulator Therapy Program (Senergy and Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH, KCSJ)
Elderly Veterans Care Program (AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary)
Employment Assistance Program (Job Search and Resume Building)
Financial Education and Home Buying Program (Harosky’s Homes)
Auto Internship and Transportation Service Program (Baba Rentals LLC)
ROTC/JROTC Program (Medals with Certificate Awards)
Scouting Program (Boys Scouts of America)
Softball Program (Cobras Softball Hawaii)
Basketball Program (Basketball Hawaii Youth Academy)
Community Service Program: American Samoan Weekly Church Services, Harosky Homes’ Bi-Weekly VA Seminars, VA Monthly Art Group Therapy Workshops, Hispanic Events Hawaii’ Annual Hispanic Festival and U.S.Vets’ Monthly Meetings, Miss Hawaii American Scholar Organization and B.R.A.V.E. Hawaii’s Workshops
Memorials and Commemorative Program: Preservations of the USS ARIZONA Memorial Marble Shrine Wall, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific’s Carillon Memorial, Naval Air Station Barbers Point Memorial, Dr. John Henry Felix Monument, Ewa Battlefield, Ewa Battlefield Pearl Harbor Annual Commemoration Ceremony, West Loch Disaster Annual Commemoration Ceremony, Battle of Midway Annual Commemoration, Memorial Day Annual Commemoration Ceremony, Veteran’s Day Annual Celebration, Annual Suicide Preventative Awareness Summits and Run/Walk to Combat Suicides, and other contest and events.

Your generous donations will help to support our AMVETS Hawaii’s program initiatives to benefit our Veterans, transitioning Service members, and their families with needed support and assistance.

Our Purpose

To inspire a sense of responsibility in AMVETS members and develop leadership to preserve the American democratic way of life.
To help unify diverse groups in support of American democracy.
To train our youth to become engaged citizens, fully aware of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.
To collaborate with all recognized veterans organizations to advance the interests of veterans who have served or are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during and since World War II.
To ensure the smooth transition of veterans into civilian life by protecting their rights while they are still in uniform.
To expedite and assist in the rehabilitation of veterans by providing employment services, educational opportunities, and counsel on insurance, housing, recreation, personal matters, hospitalization, and veterans’ benefits.
To act as a liaison between veterans and the government.
To foster fellowship among all American veterans who have served or are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during and since World War II.
To remind the public that American veterans fought and served to preserve peace, liberty, and democracy for the nation.
To inform, influence, and inspire others to serve in both military and civilian communities.
To provide financial support and assistance to service members, veterans, and their families.
To support the preservation of historic sites, such as Ewa Battlefield, through financial assistance.
To help build and preserve memorials and monuments across Hawaii.
To honor and remember not only our World War II veterans who died at Pearl Harbor and Ewa Field, but also those who sacrificed their lives in sea battles and distant coral atolls—Coral Sea, Midway, Wake—whose names often go unrecognized, along with those who died in all other conflicts.

Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future

– Preserve and Honor: Remembering the legacy of those who came before us.
– Educate and Inspire: Passing on this legacy to future generations.

It is our duty and solemn vow to never forget those who fought and died—from the birth of our nation to the brave men of the USS Arizona, and to our fallen comrades today. May they rest in peace, knowing they will never be forgotten.

President Lincoln once said that speeches and statues are not enough to repay the service of those who defend their country. A single day of remembrance cannot fully honor the sacrifices made by these veterans. We are able to choose freedom today because of the bravery of those men and women, whose fate, on those days, was chosen for them.

About AMVETS

AMVETS (American Veterans) is the nation’s most inclusive Congressionally-chartered veterans service organization, representing the interests of 20 million veterans. AMVETS is open to and fighting for all who honorably served in the United States military, including the Reserve and Guard. With more than 300,00 members nationwide, we are veterans serving veterans.

AMVETS NATIONAL MISSION STATEMENT: To enhance and safeguard the entitlements for all American Veterans who have served honorably and to improve the quality of life for them, their families, and the communities where they live through leadership, advocacy and service.