Local veteran wins Silver Award in the 2024 Veterans of Foreign Wars National Publications Contest

Press release from Michael Mauer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Alachua County Post 2811 has won an award for the top feature article in the 2024 VFW National Publications Contest.

Michael P. Mauer, a Desert Storm Veteran, won the Silver Award for his article, “Flag finds way back to Alachua County VFW Post 2811.” The submission appeared in the Nov. 23, 2023 edition of Alachua County Today and placed second in the competition after a judges’ review by two non-VFW affiliated journalism professionals.

This is Mauer’s fifth VFW writing award in nine years and his first for the VFW Department of Florida.

Mauer has written scores of articles about the VFW and veterans over the last three decades. These stories have been printed in local, regional, and state-wide publications. Last year, Mauer won the Grand Award, and in 2022, he won the Bronze Award. In 2020, he won his first Silver Award for best feature article in the VFW National Publications Contest, and in 2016, he won his first Grand Award. He has been a life member of the VFW since 1995. He has also received citations for his work over the years with the VFW from both the Pennsylvania State Senate and the House of Representatives. Additionally, he was appointed a VFW National Aide-De-Camp in 2006.

A Bethel Park, Pa. native, Mauer’s name is one of hundreds inscribed on the Veteran’s Memorial near the borough’s municipal building. He attended Bethel Park Senior High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications from Point Park University in 1984.

Mauer won the Army’s highest journalism honor, the Keith L. Ware, in 1991. He was also awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal by Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf for his actions as a military reporter in Operation Desert Storm. 

In 2010, Mauer was inducted into the Southwestern Pennsylvania Veterans Hall of Fame. He is also a graduate of the United States Military’s Defense Information School and the Field Artillery School in Fort Sill, Okla.

Mauer has been employed with the United States Veterans Administration since 2014 and lives in Gainesville. He has been married to his spouse, Marsey, for 38 years. They have two daughters, Sarah and Rae.