- AFCWA National Commander
Michael W. "Mick" Stewart
Michael W. "Mick" Stewart enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school and served with 16th and 63rd Signal Battalion, Signal Corps
Regiment, 1985-1988. Upon ETS from federal military service he served as a part-time Texas Peace Officer, 1989-1993. He later re-
enlisted for state military service with 8th Military Police (MP) Brigade, RSD, Texas State Guard (TXSG) 1999-2002; 2004-2006. In
2005, during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he was placed on active duty by Gov. Rick Perry where he served as Emergency Operations
Center (EOC) NCO at several Red Cross shelters in East Texas; his unit in-processed over 25,000 evacuees from Louisiana and Texas.
Active in veteran's affairs since 1990 (and in military simulation since 1982), Mick has served as Board of Director, 36th Texas
Ceremonial and Demonstrations Auxiliary, 1989-1990; Texas State Chairman and Legislative Director, Cold War Veterans
Association (CWVA), 2000-2008, Board of Director, Signal Regiment Veterans Association (USA), 2000-2004 and as National
Commander, Allied Forces Cold War Association (2005-present). He is currently unit commander of Paras Indochine! 1946-54 a
nationally recognized French Indochina War historical reenactment group. He currently resides in Houston, Texas where he works as a
Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT), Body-weight Strength Training Instructor (BSTI) and Sports Nutritionist. Mick is co-founder of the Allied
Forces Cold War Association (AFCWA) and currently serves as National Commander. He can be reached by email at:
michaelwstewart@yahoo.com.
AFCWA Senior Military Research Chairman
John Dockall, Ph.D.
- John Dockall, Ph.D., was born in Andrews, Texas. Having a background in science he attended Odessa Junior College where he
received his Associate of Science in 1982; his Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology followed shortly thereafter in 1985 from the University of
Texas, Permian Basin. He received his Master of Arts in Anthropology in 1991 and his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Texas A and M
University in 1997. His professional memberships include the Society for American Archaeologists and Register of Professional
Archaeologists. He is also a Book Reviewer for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Library Journal
Reviewer as well as for American Antiquity, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Journal of Archaeological Science, The Kiva
and Journal of Lithic Technology. His reviews have appeared in Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, ABE Books, and snippets of reviews
online and currently reviews publications for the Allied Forces Cold War Association (AFCWA). John became interested in the French
Indochina War and Cold War history in the early 70's. John was appointed AFCWA Senior Military Research Chairman on 01 July
2009. He can be reached by email at: stoneadze@hotmail.com.
AFCWA Senior Military Advisor
Major J. R. van de Grift (USA)
Major Joseph Robert van de Grift (USA) attended Penn State University where he graduated with a degree in anthropology in 1964.
He was then commissioned into the United States Army Infantry in 1965 where he was stationed at Fort Polk, LA as a training officer and
then Company Commander. After a short break in service teaching junior high science, he returned to active duty and the Special Forces
Officer's Course in 1969. On graduation, Van was assigned to 3rd Special Forces (SF) Group and then transferred for thirteen months to
the 5th Special Forces (SF) Group in the Republic of Vietnam; he arrived in country 01 Aug 69. There, he served initially as Adjutant with
Detachment B-11 in Chu Lai. Later, he was given command of Detachment A-104, Ha Thanh, a combat base in the central highlands. His
final in-country duty was briefing the Group Commander on all Special Forces tactical activities in I Corps as a member of the HQSF
Operations Section in Nha Trang. Upon returning stateside (1970) from Vietnam, he was assigned to the 10th Special Forces (SF) Group
in New England where he worked as a B-Detachment Commander and Battalion Adjutant, frequently deploying to Europe for guerrilla
warfare exercises. As a reservist, He served with the 7th and 12th Training Groups. In addition, He also worked with the European
Detachment and the J.F.K. Center for Unconventional Warfare. He was promoted to his Majority on 01 Sep 77. Maj. van de Grift was
later tapped by the U.S. State Department and served as a Military Observer/Advisor with the Sinai Field Mission (SFM), 1980-82.
Major van de Grift's awards include the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense, Vietnam
Service; he is a graduate of the Basic and Advanced Infantry Officer's Courses, Airborne School, Special Forces Officer's School (SFOC),
holder of U.S. Army jump wings as a Senior Parachutist as well as Korean Army, Army of the Republic of Vietnam and Greek Commando
Parachutists wings. An accom-plished artist and sculptor, he resides in Houston, Texas. Van was appointed AFCWA Senior Military
Advisor in 2009. He can be reached by email at grift42@yahoo.com.
| Maj. J. R. van de Grift, USA PHOTO COURTESY AND COPYRIGHT CHOLLA |
| Michael W. "Mick" Stewart PHOTO COURTESY AFCWA |
| John Dockall, Ph.D. PHOTO COURTESY AFCWA |
AFCWA French Indochina War Committee Chairman
Mark Allen
Mark Allen joined the British Army in 2000 and served as an officer cadet in the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR). He was discharged
medically in 2002. He then "...stacked shelves in a supermarket and supervised in a multiplex cinema" until 2007 when he joined the
West Midlands Police where he currently serves. Mr. Allen has been an active member of the well recognized Thunder From Heaven
military history group since 2003. Thunder From Heaven is a leading historical reenactment association which has worked with the BBC,
The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, National Geographic and HBO. He was honored for his work with U.S. Airborne
Forces Second World War [ 1939-45 ] military impressions by being made an honorary member of the US 101st & 17th Airborne
Veteran Associations and an Associate of the British 9th Parachute Battalion Veterans Association. TFH's work extends far
beyond historical recreation. According to Mark, ".... we lay wreaths on behalf of these units at the US memorial day every year at
Madingley and at the US war cemetary at the invite of the US ambassadors office." Mark was appointed AFCWA French
Indochina War Committee Chairman on 01 July 2009. He can be reached by email at: elche_mra@hotmail.com.
| Mark Allen PHOTO COURTESY MARK ALLEN AND THUNDER FROM HEAVEN |
- AFCWA Vietnam War Historical Committee Chairman
Jacob Nishimura
Jacob Nishimura was born in Hawaii (of Amerasian descent). He joined the U.S. Army and served in the 101st Airborne Division; he
later volunteered for, was accepted and graduated from the United States Army Ranger School (Fort Benning GA) later serving with 3rd
Ranger Bn (75th Infantry), 1987-1993. He has been a historical reenactor for 12 years, depicting impressions from the American
Revolution (1771-1777) to the Vietnam War (1955-75). Jacob is currently unit commander for the prestigious 5th Special Forces (SF)
Group (AIRBORNE) historical reenactment group in Texas with membership in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Forth Worth and Houston,
Texas. His knowledge of languages is immense; Jacob speaks several foreign dialects. Jacob was appointed AFCWA Vietnam War
Historical Committee Chairman on 01 November 2009. He can be reached by email at: asianpridejnish@aol.com.
- AFCWA Vietnam War Historical Committee Co-Chairman
SSG Derek Heuring
SSG Derek Heuring was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and was an avid Hockey and Rugby player well into his thirties.
He traced his family tree to a Chaplain with the 25th Indiana Infantry during the American Civil War. His military service includes serving as
a Canadian Military Engineer corporal with the 192nd Airfield Engineers and received the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force
medal for service with CCUNDOF in the Golan Heights in 1999 and soon after received the Canadian Peacekeepers Medal. During his
service he was deployed to many military bases throughout Canada and the U.S. such as: C.F.S. Pat Bay, C.F.B. Chilliwack, C.F.B.
Esquimalt, C.F.B. Comox, C.F.B. Edmonton, C.F.B. Cold Lake, C.F.B. Trenton, C.F.B. Borden, and C.F.B. Greenwood as well as
many U.S. bases such as: Ft. Lewis, WA, Camp Blanding, FL the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport MS as well as Patrick
and Keesler AFB. Derek now continues his love for God and country in Texas with his wife Heather and is applying for U.S. citizenship.
Derek's hobbies include Civil War, WWII, and Vietnam reenacting (he is an avid military historian) as well as restoring his 1942 Canadian
Military Pattern C15 and his 1961 M37. Derek is currently employed as a facilities operator for Texas Instruments and his favorite saying
is: I've died and gone to Texas! Derek now serves as a SSG with the 436th Air Support Group with the Texas State Guard (TXSG).
Derek was appointed AFCWA Vietnam War Historical Committee Co-Chair on 01 November 2009. He can be reached by email at:
sapper740@grandecom.net.
| Derek Heuring PHOTO COURTESY 5TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (AIRBORNE) |
| Jacob Nishimura PHOTO COURTESY JACOB NISHIMURA |
| Allied forces cold war association (AFCWA) |
| AFCWA NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2009 - 2011 |
(c) Copyright. 2005-2009. The Allied Forces Cold War Association (AFCWA). Lest We Forget. Questions or Comments? Contact the AFCWA Webmaster. This page update 03 November 2009. |
