National President Tom Howe, served as United States Marine combat veteran, Vietnam. VMFP National board/committee participation includes, among others, President, Director, Media/Public Relations Committee, Chair, National Business Plan Committee. Tom served as Iowa chair of the Democratic Veterans’ Caucus Platform Committee, and as a member of National Security Network and Dubuque Area Council on Foreign Relations. In 2009 Tom was a vital force in planning and bringing to fruition the first annual All the Way Home conference in Dubuque. As a public speaker Tom shares stories of the ongoing and current coming home issues, elevating awareness, movement to action, and information about the “All The Way Home” conference. Tom says, “For nearly 40 years, I have been living the process of coming home from combat. By listening to the stories of others, I continue to learn about the complexity, similarity, and changing nature of the coming home issues. The passion of my volunteer life for nearly 30 years is to speak out to raise America’s awareness and to move a caring America to action. During the presidential campaign of 2003-2004, I was aware that there was something much bigger than the presidential election going on among veterans. Others were similarly aware. In February of 2005, I was lucky enough to be present at a gathering of those in uniform, veterans, and members of military families, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Those gathered were aware that because America was at war, we were being called to a new duty, a second call to duty. VMFP was born on that weekend. As I drove home in a terrible snow storm that Sunday night, I was warmed by the selfless sense of service present at that gathering. I had finally found a home for taking the passion about the coming home issues to a national level. I am the luckiest Marine who served in Vietnam.”
