About the Post
In this era of both instant communication and multiple deployments to far-flung locations, JWV has established its first online Post to accommodate the needs of today’s military and veterans. Through our online Post, Jewish service members and veterans in even the most remote locations will be able to join with their comrades in a virtual Post that will promote the JWV ideal to be of “greater service to our country and to one another,” as outlined in the preamble to the JWV Constitution. The new virtual Post is named after two American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country: DC3 Nathan Bruckenthal of the Coast Guard, who died in Iraq on April 24, 2004, and 1st LT Roslyn Schulte of the Air Force, who died in Afghanistan on May 20, 2009.
National Commander
Allen E. Falk of New Jersey was elected National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA at the JWV’s 116th Annual National Convention in August, 2011. Previously he served as JWV National Judge Advocate. He is a member of JWV’s LT Seth Dvorin Post 972.
Allen served as a Captain with the First Marine Division in Viet Nam. He is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and Rutgers Law School and entered OCS at Quantico, VA, in September 1967 and spent one year as JAG Officer at Camp Pendleton. In July 1968 he was sent to Viet Nam where he served as trial counsel and investigating officer, and as defense counsel in two murder cases. Upon his return to the US, he was assigned to JAG Camp LeJeune as Chief of Defense Section.
He was the first Viet Nam veteran to serve as Commander of his post in New Jersey. He also served as Chairman of the Department of New Jersey Viet Nam Veterans Committee and a Department Chief of Staff. In 2005, Allen was appointed as National Judge Advocate, and he has been reappointed by every National Commander since. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Museum of American Jewish Military History.
Allen’s contributions to the veterans’ community include eight years as volunteer chairman of the New Jersey Agent Orange Commission. The results of the Commission’s landmark “Pointman” research project were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and helped Congress establish its “presumptive conditions” criteria for Agent Orange exposure. He was also appointed by former VA Secretary Derwinski to the VA’s committee on the health-related effects of herbicides.
Recently, he was one of two JWV members invited to attend an educational seminar in Israel, known as the General and Flag Officer’s program, sponsored by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA).
After leaving the Marine Corps, Allen formed a law firm with Patrick Healy in 1972, The firm of Healy & Falk continues to operate today in Belford, NJ. In addition to the private practice of law, Allen has served as the part-time Prosecutor for numerous municipalities in Central New Jersey. Allen has still found time to serve his community as a volunteer fireman and as Township Department Fire Chief.
He and his wife Leah have five children and ten grandchildren.
