Department of Nebraska including South and North Dakota

2026-27 Department Officers

Department Commander: Brandon Barth (Welstead Camp)
Sr. Vice Commander: Terry Zastera (Welstead Camp)
Jr. Vice Commander: Val Schmiedeskamp (Harrison Camp)
Secretary/Treasurer: Gage Stermenksy (Shiloh/Vifquain Camp)

Council: Norm Weber, PDC (Harrison Camp)
Council: Keith Rockefeller, PDC (Vifquain Camp)
Council: Mark Nichols, PDC (Shiloh Camp)

Counselor: John Surman, PDC (Shiloh Camp)
Patriotic Instructor: Eric Bachenberg (Shiloh Camp)
Chaplain: Marc Witkovski CC (Shiloh Camp)
Guide: Andrew Adams (Vifquain Camp)
Guard: Jameson Trauger (Welstead Camp)
Color Bearer: Elliott Fullner (Harrison Camp)
Department Historian: David Wells (Harrison Camp)
Graves Registration Officer: John Surman, PDC (Shiloh Camp)
Civil War Memorials Officer – Norm Weber, PDC (Vifquain Camp)
Signals Officer: Mark Nichols, PDC (Shiloh Camp)
ROTC Officer: Paul Lahowetz (Vifquain Camp)
Department Musician: Joe Mettenbrink (Vifquain Camp)
GAR Records Officer: Marc Witkovski (Shiloh Camp)
GAR Highway Officer: Gene Hasenkamp (Welstead Camp)
Eagle Scout Coordinator: Paul Hadley, PDC (Welstead Camp)
Camp Creation Officer: Norm Weber, PDC (Harrison Camp)

Last Soldier Committee: Norm Weber, Paul Hadley, John Surman

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Department History/Chronology

Department of Nebraska established in 1881

The Grand Army of the Republic officially recognized the Sons of Union Veterans in 1888.

Nebraska Department grew to 112 Active Camps in 1891. Decline in membership resulted in hard economic times, membership age being raised to 18, and the Spanish American War.

National Encampment of the Sons of Union Veterans was held in Omaha in 1898

Department was reorganized in 1930 with 30 Camps.

Department of Nebraska SUVCW disbanded in 1950

Victor Vifquain, Camp-at-Large was established in 1996 by George Schulz.

Department of Nebraska, reestablished on June 25, 2000.

Charter was presented by Commander-in-Chief, Danney Wheeler from New York in Nebraska City at the GAR Hall.

There were 3 Camps in Nebraska in 2010.

Camp No. 1, Victor Vifquain Camp, Omaha, named after Victor Vifquain, buried in Calvary Cemetery, Lincoln, Medal of Honor

Camp No. 2 Shiloh Camp, Lincoln, named after battle of Shiloh

Camp No. 53-2, Harrison Camp, Wisner, named after General, President Harrison

Additional Camps added:

Camp No. 0, John M. Thayer Camp, At-Large, named for General/Governor, John Thayer

Camp No. 3, Welstead Camp, Fremont, named after James C. Welstead

Department of Nebraska was renamed to include North and South Dakota