Jr Vice Commander with the Department of Washington Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Quartermaster/Adjutant of McCleary VFW Post 5564 are among the positions that Holly Pierce holds. Positions with responsibilities that she balances along with running a business and caring for her family. The reason why Pierce accepts these responsibilities – “It’s going to help the greater good to take care of the veterans,” she said.
Pierce joined the VFW while on deployment to Iraq as an Army medic in 2006. However, it wasn’t until a decade later that she became involved at the local level after she and her husband, Elvis, separated from the military and moved to East Grays Harbor, as Pierce had grown up in Elma. They bought a house in McCleary, and it was McCleary VFW Post 5564 where Pierce clicked with the members and saw potential to redefine what the post could offer, both to members and the community.
One meeting stands out memorably.
“I had this idea of what I wanted to do and Dan [Comer] goes, ‘Hold up, hold up, hold up girl. Just tell us what you need to do.’ I said, ‘I want to do this and this.’ He goes, ‘Okay, done, we’ll help you’” she recalled him saying. “I always remember Dan telling me that because I could come in with new ideas and they fully supported it so that’s how we started doing different events at the VFW.”
And those events have been welcomed by the community. Bingo nights held the second Saturday of the month and the bazaars, featuring local business and are held roughly every quarter, attract so many attendees that the few parking spots alongside the VFW hall are filled and cars overflow into Beerbower Park.
With these new ideas came titles and responsibilities. Quartermaster, aka treasurer, of the post. Judge advocate —“I make sure we follow the rules,” Pierce said — and she’s also the fundraising chairman, which complements her quartermaster role.
In these roles, Pierce found herself organizing the Post’s records, which include meeting minutes dating back to 1946. Among the meeting minutes was her grandfather, Louie Pettit; Pettit flew on the B-17s during World War II.
“My grandpa was sworn into the VFW eight days before I was born and then I found where he held the post commander position from ’99 to 2001,” she said.
And now, not only is Pierce’s name part of the Post’s historical record, but four other family members are too: her husband, her two sisters, Julia and Amy, brother-in-law Jacob Norton, and uncle John.
“Then you go to the auxiliary side and my mom’s the auxiliary president and my aunt is an auxiliary member, so it’s like it’s a family,” said Pierce.
Another idea that Pierce implemented when becoming district commander a few years ago (Post 5564 is one of 11 posts within District 5, which includes all of Grays Harbor, parts of Thurston and Mason counties) was starting an honor guard to ensure all the veterans get their military honors.
Originally, she hadn’t wanted the district commander position, having no experience, and instead accepted the senior vice commander position with Bill “Bo” Brown being the district commander.
Brown was a mentor to Pierce. In January 2022, she received a call: Brown passed away from Covid, having gotten sick after the state’s annual midwinter training. Pierce assumed command and served as district commander for the next two and a half years through June 2024. During this time, District 5 eared the All-American District award.
“When I got that hat, I took a picture and said, ‘Bo, this one’s for you,’” Pierce said. “He started the year and I finished it, and so I’ll wear this hat with pride.”
It’s mentors, such as Brown, and other older VFW members who trusted Pierce’s vision, who she credits for their support.
“They want [me] to actually take it forward and keep going and do something different. … To have that support, knowing that they feel comfortable stepping back” is good, Pierce said.
Post 5564 has around 60 members. “We’re small but mighty,” said Pierce, and it’s been a collective effort of what she calls the “unsupervised squad,” consisting of her, her sister, Julia, Elvis, Chris Watts, and Post Commander Ryan Berg.
The five of us are the ones who the older generation has more or less passed the torch to and we keep everything going, said Pierce.
Through several years of fundraising efforts, much of the VFW Hall has been upgraded, including a new roof, new coat of paint on the outside of the buildings, and a brand-new floor in the side hall.
“Someone told me once, ‘You don’t care about helping veterans. All you care about is the building,’” Pierce said. “And I’m like, no. The building is our history. It gives veterans a place to have home.”
A home that is both physical and emotional. You can walk in not having to act 100%, Pierce said. “You come in there at 25% and they got your back. The VFW gave me a [military] family.”
And this leads back to what Pierce spoke of earlier in the conversation, about why she’s passionate about serving in the VFW and why she’s moved up within VFW state leadership.
“The more I got involved, the more I realized all the VFW does for veterans, and then it made me want to keep getting involved and keep doing more,” said Pierce.
Earlier this year, Pierce was elected junior vice commander, a state-level position she will hold from July 1 to June 30, 2026.
Editor’s Note: Feb. 9, 2026, will mark Post 5564’s 80th anniversary. Next year, an article will be devoted to Post 5564’s history.
Crystal Beeler At the VFW State Convention held in June, Holly Pierce was sworn in as State Jr Vice Commander. In keeping with tradition, new Sr Vice Commander Frank Persa IV pinned Pierce with the Jr Vice Commander pin.
