Mon Valley Veteran Named VFW Public Affairs Officer

Last Updated on Tuesday, 29 January 2019 01:25

A Mon Valley resident and life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 914 Intrepid West Mifflin has been appointed VFW Department of Pennsylvania District 29 Public Affairs Officer by Commander William Roland.

Veterans Of Foreign Wars Pennsylvania District 29 Public Affairs Officer Michael P. Mauer

Michael P. Mauer, an Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm, was presented with a garrison cap signifying his new office during a VFW event Dec. 6 at the Southwestern Veterans’ Center in Pittsburgh. As the VFW District 29 PAO, he is responsible for communicating the VFW’s mission and activities in Allegheny County to the public via periodicals and social media.

“In appointing Mike as our PAO, it is also in recognition for the work he has done over a great many years in helping the VFW get out the word about what all we do to help veterans, their families and our communities,” said Roland, a Kosovo Campaign and Global War On Terrorism veteran. “We have every bit of confidence in him that he’ll be able to keep up this good work.”

Mauer has written scores of articles about the VFW over the last three decades. These stories have been printed in local, regional and state-wide publications. In 2016, Mauer won the grand award for best feature article in the VFW National Publications Contest. He has been a life member of the VFW since 1995. He has received citations for his work over the years with the VFW from both the Pennsylvania State Senate and the House of Representatives.

An active free-lance writer for more than 35 years, Mauer won the Army’s highest journalism honor, the Keith L. Ware, in 1991. He was also awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal by Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf for his actions as a military reporter in Operation Desert Storm. He was appointed a VFW National Aide-De-Camp in 2006.

In 2010, Mauer was inducted into the Southwestern Pennsylvania Veterans Hall of Fame. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications from Point Park University in 1984. He also is a graduate of the United States military’s Defense Information School.

Mauer is employed with the United States Veterans Administration. He has been married to his spouse, Marsey, for 33 years. They have two daughters, Sarah and Rachel.