BOSTON: AAWV Luncheon Meeting on November 12, 2012

             Francisco A. Urena is Guest Speaker at AAWV 
             Annual Luncheon Meeting

BOSTON November 7, 2012  Boston Veterans’ Services Commissioner 
Francisco A. Urena is the Guest Speaker at the 64th Annual Luncheon Meeting
 of the American Albanian War Veterans (AAWV) on November 12, 2012 at 
Anthony’s Pier 4 Restaurant on Boston’s historic Waterfront.

Appointed by Boston’s Mayor Thomas M. Menino to lead the City of 
Boston’s Veterans’ Services, Commissioner Urena’s commitment to government
service began the day after graduating from South Broward High School in
 Hollywood, Florida, where he enlisted in the United States Marines Corps. 

In the span of eight years of honorable service in the U.S. Marines, 
Commissioner Urena’s duties included Diplomatic Security with the 
Department of State at two American Embassies; American Embassy Damascus, 
Syria, and American Embassy Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He is a Purple Heart recipient 
from injuries sustained while in combat during the Operation Iraqi Freedom 
campaign. 

Commissioner Urena followed his enlistment in the U.S. Marines with a degree
 in History and Legal Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. 
Whilepursuing his education, he involved himself in a series of volunteer work
 which ultimately led to his role as a Veterans’ Services Officer. 

In 2008, Commissioner Urena was honored with the “Veterans’ Services 
Officer of the Year” - award by former Veterans’ Services Secretary, 
Thomas G. Kelley.

The AAWV, comprised of WWII Albanian-American veterans in Greater Boston, 
was founded in 1946 in Boston by U.S. Navy Lieut-Commander Andrew E. Elia 
who served as a Medical Officer on board a U.S. Navy supply ship during WWII. 

It is believed that Dr. Elia was the role model of the ship’s doctor in the book,  

Mr. Roberts, by Thomas Heggen that later became a movie starring Henry Fonda 

as Mr. Roberts and William Powell as the ship’s doctor. 

For more information and/or reservations, please contact Virginia Kosmo 

at 1-781 894-2721 or Ron Nasson at 1-508 668-6506

AAWV Annual Luncheon Meeting

November 12, 2012 at Noon

Anthony’s Pier 4 Restaurant

140 Northern Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts

The AAWV Annual Meeting Luncheon ($25) is open to the public.

All are most welcome!