Echevarria succeeding Ewoldt at county VA
July 1 will mark a change for Humboldt County. For the first time in nearly 10 years, there will be a new Veterans Affairs director. Dean Ewoldt (left) is retiring and Wilson Echevarria (right) will be taking over. Ewoldt won’t be far removed from Veterans Affairs as he will be replacing Merlin Graaf on the three-person Veterans Affairs Commission. Humboldt Independent photo by Kent Thompson.
By KENT THOMPSON
When the guards change at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery it is a very solemn, precise ceremony, filled with pomp and circumstance.
When the guard changes at the end of this week at the Humboldt County Veterans Affairs Office, there will be much less ceremony, but no less preparation and dedication.
For outgoing VA Director Dean Ewoldt and incoming VA Director Wilson Echevarria, it is all about serving their comrades in arms. As veterans themselves, both Ewoldt and Echevarria see an ardent duty to do their best to help other service members, be they Korean War veterans, Vietnam-era vets or those who have more recently returned from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Read more about what's being done to help veterans in the county and the issues they are facing in this week's Humboldt Independent, your trusted source for local news and sports.
