Jan D. “JD” Larson was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion on Aug. 28, 2025, during the 106th National Convention in Tampa, Fla
Larson enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard shortly after graduating high school and served for more than 21 years. During his career he was assigned to the International Affairs Division at Coast Guard Headquarters, served as the Coast Guard Liaison to a Department of Defense school and was the chief of the World War II Merchant Mariners Branch at headquarters. He retired from the Coast Guard in 1991 as a chief warrant officer. During his career, he also served as president of the Coast Guard Washington, D.C., Chapter of the Chief Petty Officers Association (1982) and as chairman, Washington, D.C., Council, Coast Guard Warrant Officer and Chief Warrant Officers Association (1989-1991).
He is an honorary life member of Disney-Bell Post 66 in Bowie, Md., where he joined in 1993. In 2025, Disney-Bell Squadron 66 of the Sons of The American Legion also honored him as a life member. He has served in all leadership positions at his post, county, district and department level including department commander of Maryland in 2012-2013. He has been a member of ANAVICUS since 2002 and is a 2005 graduate of National American Legion College. He has served on numerous department and national committees, commissions and councils, as well as serving as the dean of the Department of Maryland Legion College (2013-2015) and Co-Chairman of the Department of Maryland Reorganization Committee (2014-2018).
Larson and his late wife Michele relocated to Cape Coral, Fla., in 2016. During their more than 30 years of marriage, they rescued six dogs (five Rottweilers) and 15 cats.
