Fang Wong of Flushing, New York – an Army veteran and former national commander of the American Legion – has been appointed to the advisory committee on minority veterans, which provides the US. secretary of Veterans Affairs and Congress with advice and recommendations about benefits, medical care, programs and services for America’s 4.7 million minority veterans.

US Representative Grace Meng, Democrat of Queens, made the announcement on Friday.

Wong, 68, a Chinese American, was appointed to the committee by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald. He was selected to fill an open slot on the 12-member panel after Meng wrote a letter to McDonald recommending him for the position. His term on the committee runs through June 2018.

As national commander of the American Legion from 2011-2012, Wong was the first ever non-white male to head the nation’s largest veterans organization with more than 2 million members. He also served as commander of the American Legion department of New York. In addition to the Vietnam War, he served tours of duty in Germany, Korea and several stateside military bases. He was awarded several medals, including the Bronze Star, and retired from the Army as a chief warrant officer. His term on the Committee runs through June 2018.