Major General Francis "Frank" D. Vavala, ARNG (Ret)

Veterans Advocacy Specialist

Francis D. "Frank" Vavala, Major General, U.S, Army (Retired) combined service time spanned 50 years. He enlisted as a Private in 1967 serving three years before attaining the rank of Sergeant. He then attended officer candidate school and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1970. He retired as a Major General in February 2017, serving his last 18 years as the Adjutant General of the Delaware National Guard.

He commanded at the Platoon, Company, Battalion and Brigade levels and was promoted to Brigadier General, as the Assistant Adjutant General of the Delaware Army National Guard in 1995. He was subsequently promoted to Major General, as the Adjutant General of the Delaware National Guard in 1999. Prior to his retirement, he was promoted to Lieutenant General (State) and General (State), by Governors Markell and Carney respectively, making him the only Delawarean to achieve this honor.

While serving as Adjutant General, he held prominent national positions as president of the Adjutants General Association of the United States and chairman of the board of the National Guard Association of the United States. He currently serves on numerous boards, committees, and commissions at both the national and state level and is the veterans advocacy specialist for Delaware Technical Community College. He was recently appointed by President Joe Biden to the board of governors of United Service Organizations (USO) Inc., a non-profit charitable corporation that provides live entertainment to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

He resides in Wilmington, Delaware with his wife of 54 years, Jane; they have three children and three grandchildren.