Officials with the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Founding Chapter of the American GI Forum appointed a commander, vice commander, secretary and treasurer

Oscar Guerra will lead the chapter as commander


Officers appointed for GI Forum

Interim posts can be designated until quorum is present

By Barbara Ramirez Caller Times
October 1, 2006




The founding chapter of the American GI Forum hopes the appointment Saturday of four interim officers - including the commander and vice-commander - will help renew the organization that has seen a rocky year.

Officials with the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Founding Chapter of the American GI Forum appointed a commander, vice commander, secretary and treasurer to serve until September 2007, according to Cecilia Akers, Garcia's daughter and a lifetime member of the chapter.

Oscar Guerra will lead the chapter as commander, replacing Juventino Ortiz. Jose Espinoza was appointed vice commander; Cyruss Mallison as secretary; and Ron Garza as treasurer.

Each will serve until the founding chapter holds elections for new officers. New officers could not be elected because a quorum was not present at the meeting, which was approved by the national GI Forum and is one of the provisions that allowed the chapter to be reinstated this year.

Akers said state chapter officers would research the national constitution to ensure Mallison and Garza may serve if elected. Neither are veterans.

Ortiz, who said Friday the Saturday meeting was being held against some local members' wishes, called the appointments a fiasco.

"If the forum ceases to exist like it is now, we're looking at major problems," he said.

The chapter has faced numerous issues in recent months, including suspension and reinstatement in the national organization regarding financial documents the founding chapter did not hand over for an audit.

Part of the reinstatement agreement was to elect new officers, said C.P. Garcia, state commander of the American GI Forum.

Guerra said his duty is to help restore the organization.

"I know it's going to be hard to bring it up to standards, but God willing, we'll get there," said Guerra, an Air Force veteran who served in the Korean War.

Akers said the reorganization was designed to rebuild the chapter.

"We need to start following the agenda to help veterans and their families," Akers said. "We feel that the chapter can now move forward and get the negative publicity out of Corpus Christi."

Contact Barbara Ramirez at 886-3792 or ramirezb@ caller.com