John Hanson |
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Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications
John Hanson came to the United Service Organizations with extensive management and communications experience. He has served the nation’s veterans and their families through work at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the American Legion.
At the VA, Hanson was the senior media advisor to the VA Secretary. He also managed the VA press office and the department’s intergovernmental and international affairs office. He implemented a number of new policies in VA’s media office, set up a national hotline for veterans traumatized by the movie Saving Private Ryan, and was actively involved in VA’s special events for disabled veterans. The VA honored him with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Exceptional Service Award. He and his staff received two VA Scissors Awards for finding ways to streamline processes and services.
At the American Legion, Hanson managed the Washington, D.C., office that developed policy on veterans’ health care and disability benefits. He also ran the Legion’s Washington public affairs office.
He has appeared in interviews in newspapers and on national and local radio and television programs, including World News Tonight, the CBS Evening News, and on CNN.
Hanson is grateful to have been the recipient of USO services when he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., he attended the University of Alabama and received his B.A. degree in journalism and political science from Georgia State University.