Perryville man now national commander of AMVETS

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A Perryville man who has been an advocate for veterans' rights since the 1960s has been named national commander of AMVETS, one of the country's largest veterans service organizations.

Jerry Hotop said he moved to Baltimore a little more than a week ago and started his tenure as the group's leader Wednesday. He said he is thrilled about the opportunity to head the organization and do more for veterans.

"It is awesome. I am honored to be here," he said.

Hotop said more than 650 fellow AMVETS members elected him at the organization's 2010 national convention in Louisville, Ky., last month. He said originally there were several names on the ballot, but in the days preceding the election, the other candidates stepped aside, giving Hotop a clear path to the office.

AMVETS was founded in 1944 and provides support for veterans and active military personnel in procuring entitlements. It is one of the largest congressionally chartered veterans' service organizations in the country and includes members from each branch of the military, the National Guard and the Reserves.

Hotop is an Army and Navy veteran. He was stationed with the Army in Korea during the 1950s and later became a member of the Navy Reserves.

Hotop said there are several issues affecting returning military personnel he will make priorities as national commander.

"There are a multitude of veterans' issues," he said. "There are bills on Capitol Hill that I am following. Health care is a big issue, too. A lot of our wounded vets are coming back and facing a lot of problems like post-traumatic stress disorder."

Hotop said returning veterans inspired his involvement with AMVETS several decades ago. As he became more active in the organization and started holding local offices, he said his friends started encouraging him to aim higher and soon he was a leader at the state and national levels.

As the national commander, Hotop will be responsible for the group's operations from "the top down." That includes being the voice for veterans in Washington, D.C., and serving as the group's ambassador nationally and abroad. As the AMVETS national commander, Hotop will travel to Hawaii, Taiwan and South Korea in October. He will also make an official appearance at a St. Louis Cardinals game to honor eight former prisoners of war.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

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