State VFW headquarters to be built in Wasilla

WASILLA — The Veteran’s of Foreign Wars plans to build its state headquarters in the Valley.

John Minnick, State Quartermaster for the VFW who also owns A-1 Pawn in Wasilla, said a groundbreaking is set for Wednesday.

The headquarters will be a freestanding building on the same lot as the organization’s Wasilla post in the city’s business district just down Knik-Goose Bay Road from the Parks Highway. The post, he said, will stay right where it is.

“We’d never actually had a state headquarters building and we’re just now at where we can put one in,” he said. “This would be the first for the state.”

He said the plan calls for a 40-by-60-foot headquarters building that will house his office and that of the state adjutant as well as a full-time receptionist. They’ll be running the organization’s Alaska operations and doing veteran’s service work.

“It’ll be well-utilized,” Minnick said.

Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright said he was very excited to have the VFW decide to build it’s headquarters here.

“I think it’s an excellent for the VFW and all veteran’s organizations and I think it’s a plus positive for the city of Wasilla,” Rupright said, especially since, “we have, percentage per capita, such a high veteran population.”