James W. Casey, from Queens County was appointed the new State Adjutant, by the newly elected New York State Department Commander, Kenneth F. Governor. First elected as the Alternate Executive Committeeman at the annual Department Convention at Niagara Falls, Saturday July 20, 2013, he resigned that position at the Department Executive Meeting and was confirmed as Department Adjutant. Mr. Casey will fill the position of retiring Adjutant, Richard M. Pedro.
He joined the Daniel M. O’Connell Post, No. 272, Rockaway Beach, NY, in 1979. He has served in almost all Post positions and was elected the Post Commander in 1987 and again for a second term in 1988. He went on to serve as the Queens County Commander in 1992. And as the Tenth District Commander in 2001. Mr. Casey was elected Commander of The Department of New York, at the close of the 88th Annual American Legion, Department of New York Convention, held in Rochester, July 2006. He has served at the Department level as Sergeant-at-Arms, he was a member of the Resolutions Committee, and Chairman of the National Security Committee. At the National level, he has served as Vice Chairman of the Foreign Relations Council.
The Past Commander was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1951, and grew up in Rockaway Beach, Queens, and attended High School in Manhattan. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1969, during the Vietnam conflict. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, CVA 42 as an Electrician’s Mate. And was honorably discharged in 1973. Upon his return from the Navy, he met his wife Paulette Hurley, an Irish immigrant from Cork City, Ireland. They have been married for 39 years and have three children, Mary, Brendan, and Liam.
He worked for the Long Island Railroad (MTA) as a Signal Inspector for 28 years, retiring in 2002. (Photo, Doug Malin).
