About Us

Joseph Fawcett

Veterans Service Commissioner & President

Joe Fawcett is a lifelong resident of Wood County, growing up in Bowling Green and Perrysburg.  He enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard at the age of 17 as an infantryman.  Joe went to Basic Combat Training at Ft. Benning, Georgia between his junior and senior year of high school.  Upon graduating from Bowling Green High School, Joe entered Army ROTC at Bowling Green State University.  He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Military Intelligence branch and attended the Military Intelligence Officers Basic Course at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. Joe was assigned a Platoon Leader with Delta Company, 313th MI Battalion, 82d Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, NC, and later as Executive Officer of the same company. He deployed twice to Iraq (2004 and 2006). Following his second deployment, Joe attended the Maneuver Captains Career Course at Ft. Knox, KY.  He was then assigned as the Forward Support Detachment Chief for the 1st Information Operations Command at Ft. Belvoir, VA. Joe returned to Ohio in 2009 to attend graduate school and entered the Ohio Army National Guard as the Battalion Intelligence Officer for 1-148 Infantry, exiting the military in 2012.

Joe is the Assistant Municipal Administrator for the City of Bowling Green. He and his wife, Jane, have three children. He is a member of Post 45 of the American Legion, a life member of the VFW (Post 1148), and a life member of Disabled American Veterans.

Appointed in 2019, Joe represents the veteran community. His term expires in 2024.

Doug Dariano

Veterans Service Commissioner & Vice President

Doug Dariano grew up, in Tiffin, Ohio attending Tiffin Columbian High School. He enlisted in the Navy in 1971 and served in Mobile Construction Battalion One (SEABEES) as a Builder (carpenter). Upon discharge, he attended college on the GI Bill and in 1977 he graduated from Ohio Northern University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he accepted a direct commission as an Ensign in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. In the Naval Reserve, he has held billets in Mobil Construction Battalions Twenty & Twenty-Six, Amphibious Construction Battalion Two, Cargo Handling Battalion Nine, Office in Charge of Contingency Construction Atlantic (OICC LANT) and  Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Headquarters (NAVFAC HQ) in Washington DC.  Overseas deployments have included Diego Garcia, Thailand, The Philippines, and Iraq. Doug retired from the military in 2010 at the rank of Captain. 

He is a life member of the American Legion, VFW and SEABEE Veterans of America. He is a certified State of Ohio Hunter Education Instructor and enjoys the outdoors, especially hunting with his Labrador marsh buddy and carving his own decoys. 

Appointed in 2020, Doug represents the American Legion. His term expires in 2025.

Thomas Uhler

Veterans Service Commissioner & Secretary

Appointed in 2017, Tom represents the veteran community. His term expires in 2022.

Richard Zulch

Veterans Service Commissioner

Appointed in 2020, Dick represents the AMVETS. His term expires in 2023.

Steve Benner

Veterans Service Commissioner

Steve Benner is the oldest of 10 children grew up on a farm in West Central Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Agriculture Economics. 

He was Commissioned out the Purdue University ROTC program in 1968 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army.  On 1 April 1969 he reported to Fort Benning Georgia for Infantry Officer Basic Training.  After graduation in June 1969 he reported to Ford Ord, California.  One of his duties was a Range Officer of a rifle range on Carmel Bay.  In February of 1970 he went to the Panama Canal Zone for Jungle Training Course, and in March of 1970 arrived in Vietnam. He served with the 9th Infantry Division in the Delta south of Saigon and then was transferred to the 1st Cavalry Division north of Saigon. He served as an Infantry platoon leader in both units. Steve also served as Security Platoon leader, and Executive Officer of a Rifle Company, among other duties. In January of 1971 he was medevacked to Walter Reed Military Hospital in Washington D.C. He was then discharged from the Army in March of 1971. 

He has been a Wood County Veterans Service Commissioner for 20 years. He is Past Commander of VFW Post 1148 and now Commander of American Legion Post 45 and VVA Chapter 35. He is also involved with several other veteran organizations, has been involved in Rolling Thunder, and has escorted the Moving Wall Vietnam War Memorial.

He moved to Bowling Green in 1972 and is a Crop Advisor with S&D Application a local agribusiness. Steve and his wife, Marcia, have been married for 44 years and we had two sons and now six grandchildren. He is a member of St Aloyoius Parish in Bowling Green and involved with several ministries. He is a Life member and Past Grand Knight of the Knight of Columbus Council 6373.

Appointed in 2021, Steve represents the Veterans of Foreign Wars. His term expires in 2026.