All-American Post Commander Mike Eason, Who Served In Five U.S. Conflicts, Leads One Of The Best VFW Posts In The Nation Based In Prince George’s County

By Raoul Dennis

“The attack happened and I got a call from my unit that we had been mobilized,” All-American VFW Post 9376 Commander Mike Eason recalls in the days after 9/11. “We were ordered to report to Fort Benning, GA. We knew that we would-be going overseas. I had to call all my soldiers and let them know that they would be mobilized. We needed to go war. We got to get these people who did this to us. When they get bold enough to come here and do this, it’s time to go to war. That’s one time that George Bush and I were on the same page---that and when he gave us a pay raise. You mess with us, it’s time to retaliate.”

Eason knows the business of protecting the nation. The 6.0” foot tall, 210-pound U.S. Army veteran survived hundreds of combat missions (240 in Iraq alone). He’s fought in five different conflicts and in battle theaters on foreign soil around the world including: Korea, Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, Grenada. Eason earned a chest full of medals and recognition in his 41 years of service including the Army Commendation Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Readiness is still a daily reality for the Clinton, MD resident. He’s maintained it by making sure that he remains on top. The Clinton-based Post has the highest status for a Post in the largest combat veterans’ organization in America. As an All-American facility its leader also carries the title of All-American. Eason doesn’t take his position lightly. In fact, he’s earned the high honor for the fourth year in a row. VFW Post 9376 stands as the #1 division three Post in the state of Maryland and #2 division three Post in the nation.

VFW 9376 Commander Mike Eason in 2019. PHOTO: RAOUL DENNIS // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA

“I’m only as good as the people around me,” says Eason, who is the first commander named All American at the VFW 9376 post since 1947. Eason’s principles on how to achieve the winning status is to simply follow the rules and guidelines for what the judges seek. “Follow the game plan that [they] lay out and request the items you need to do for that year, and you get it. I refuse to be a failure,” says Eason. “When you’re at the top the only way to go is down, and I don’t plan to go down.”

We enjoy being the number 1 post in Maryland in our division and The number 2 post in the world in our division,” Eason says of the vaunted and well recognized VFW Post 9376 since it came under his command in 2017. He has been elected to the command for five terms.

He knows how to lead a team forward.

“Without my people none of this would be possible,” he says of the awards the Post has won. We have 737 members now. People find out about us and want to be a part of the post. That’s a blessing. I reward my people all the time. I would be nothing without them.”

Over the years, Eason’s military career success includes a history of leadership fighting in conflicts on behalf of the nation for over 40 years.

“I was active U.S. Army, National Guard and Army Reserves from 1974 to 2015,” Eason says. “You name it --- I have served in every entity of the U.S. Army,” he says proudly.

Although retired, Eason continues to rack up awards and recognitions. His expertise in finding, screening, and attracting new soldiers to join the military earned him a recruiter’s award for recruiting nearly 100 people in a year. He’s also earned the Community Service Award from the state of Maryland. “They rate you on what you do throughout 2020 thru 2021. “We do community activities for the last 70 weeks that include drive thru fish dinners. We came up with a way to do it thru pandemic. If chic fillet can do it, we can.”

“In 1998, I retired from Federal Law Enforcement agent Department of Justice. I was transferred here to the central office. So I moved to the area. I was still in the Army Reserve and I got mobilized for Iraq in 2006. After that, I retired in 2012 as federal agent at the Department of Justice.”

It Started in North Carolina

Michael Jerome Eason was born in Woodland, NC

Eason’s military career dates back to the 1970s and begins in North Carolina. “I was 17½ years-old when I joined,” Eason says explaining that he was the first African American to join the North Carolina National Guard in 1974 – 79. As a native of Woodland, NC he was encouraged to join the Army, making a way for him to enter the National Guard.

He served a military career experiencing travel around the world, and a life time of service which includes the loss of fellow soldiers in battle.

“It stays with me to this day,” he says of his troops stuck in the humvee burning to death in Iraq in May 2007. “We couldn’t get them out. We could hear them inside but we couldn’t do anything about getting them out. We were taking fire at the same time from the enemy at the same time. We couldn’t get them out.”

Although he stays in touch with the family of one of the fallen soldiers, it doesn’t ease Eason’s pain.

“I will never be completely over it,” Eason says recalling that every May is a difficult time for him.

Long before retirement from active duty, the veteran also began a career in corrections, starting with an appointment as a corrections officer at Odom Prison in 1977. Over the years, he advanced in the field and was recruited by the federal corrections department. Through it, he eventually came to the Washington, D.C. metro area.

“In 1998, I was promoted from the field office to the central office of the Federal Law Enforcement agency at the Department of Justice and I was transferred to the DC metro area to the central office. When my wife retired in Langley in 1999, we bought the house in Clinton in Prince George’s. I was still doing Army Reserve. I got mobilized for Iraq in 2006. I retired in 2012 from the federal system.

Remaining in the county after retirement, Eason began building a new legacy with the VFW. Once elected commander, he implemented the first, and possibly biggest step of his vision: to open up the Post to community participation and activities. He initiated weekly events and dinners and created a bridge to other community organizations by engaging their activities. The new leader also inspired a new leadership team and supported them by listening and being responsive to their needs and interests. Eason also launched a memorial annual motorcycle ride in 2019 in honor of fallen military personnel from the county. The event grew in attendance to 400 participants – up from 127 the first year attracting attention for the VFW from across the state. The event was cancelled due to COVID but is back on track now.

Eason’s efforts were recognized when he was elected to become commander of the VFW in 2017 and every year since. The post recently received the 2021 Community Leadership Award from the state of Maryland.

Milestones have been reached in recent months: “We just finished hosting our 76th dinner last Friday----every Friday night (alternating fish and steak , week to week).”

The monthly Pork Chop Saturdays may next be on the rotating menu. The drive thru fish dinners are done every Friday during the day (11 30 a.m. – 2 30 pm). Pork chop dinners are once per month on a Saturday (12 p.m. – 3 a.m.)

But Eason never forgot his hometown roots, either. He helped to launch today’s annual gala 13 years ago.

“I put on the first military ball for Woodland, NC and maintained the tradition from then,” Eason says. He did it to keep a promise that he made before he was deployed to Iraq. “I promised that I would put on an upscale, first class black tie gala event to acknowledge the service of people from my hometown. I said ‘if I come back from Iraq, I will do something’.”

Eason in his capacity as VFW Commander leading the first annual motorcycle memorial to fallen Prince George’s County military in 2019.

When I got back 18 months later, a guy walked up to me and asked if I was going to do it and I told him: If I said that then I’m going to do it, then I will do my damndest to make it happen. So we raised the money. It was a beautiful night: not everybody wore the tux but everybody put on their best. People really had chance to feel good about themselves and we gave awards to every veteran in attendance. We still do it. Every year. ”

When it comes to the war against terror, Eason doesn’t hesitate to say that the fight needed to be had.

“We needed to go to war. We got to get these people who did this to us. When they get bold enough to come here and do this, it’s time to go to war,” he said emphatically.

The veteran isn’t convinced that it’s over.

“Look at where we are right now. Look at Afghanistan. We were sent there on the same mission – to retrain them to retake their country. Here we are 20 years later, the Taliban came back and retook it. War could happen again that I could get called back even now. I will if I have to,” he says.

Although there’s no doubt the combat veteran is serious – and ready – to go to battle if necessary, he says that he believes the center of his calling is service and helping people.

“I love serving the veterans, their families and the community. If I can’t reach everybody that way, I don’t know what else there is.”