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Mary Miller

Mary Ann Miller of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the President of the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America, is the widow of Marine Corps Vietnam veteran Thomas James Miller, who served three tours of duty in Vietnam. He retired after a twentyyear Marine Corps career in 1974.

Mary is a Licensed Practical Nurse, having completed her training at Coastal Carolina Community College. She worked as an LPN at Onslow County Community Hospital in North Carolina, and today works as a private duty nurse parttime. In 1998, she received her AA degree in leadership technology at Cambria County Community College in Johnstown, Pa., and in 1999 received her second Associates degree, in human services.

She has been an active member of Vietnam Veterans of America and the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America since 1989. In 2004, she was elected National President of the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America, a position that includes a seat on the National Board of Directors of Vietnam Veterans of America. Prior to that, Mary was the AVVA representative of VVA Chapter 364 in Johnstown, the Pennsylvania State AVVA representative, the AVVA Region 2 Director, and the AVVA Vice President.

She also served on many national VVA Committees, including Minority Affairs, Public Affairs, Constitution, and Employment Training and Business Opportunities. As AVVA Vice President, Mary started the first Agent Orange Women's Health survey in 1994, and helped develop several other noteworthy projects, including Project Friendship.
She has been active in AVVA endeavors with the Gold Star Mothers and Sons and Daughters in Touch and does volunteer work at VA Hospitals. Mary has received many awards for her work with AVVA. They include three awards from the Chapel of Four Chaplains, the Associate Member of the Year from the Pennsylvania VVA State Council, and awards for service from VVA incarcerated chapters. She has been a featured speaker at many veteranrelated events, including the dedication of the In Memory Plaque at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Mary has four children; Christina Maria, Lorraine, Thomas J. Jr., and Joanne, all of whom were born in Cherry Point, North Carolina, while the family was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station. And she has four grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Her goals as AVVA President are to increase membership and to insure that the organization is viable and selfsustaining, serving the needs of veterans of all wars.