Lycoming County Commissioner Marc C. Sortman; Commissioner and board chair Scott Metzger, William Michael McMunn, and Commissioner Mark Mussina recently presented McMunn with the certificate of recognition in the commissioners board room and a reception was held for family and friends on the second floor upon McMunn’s retirement as director of the Lycoming County Office of Veterans Affairs.

William “Michael” McMunn was honored by the Lycoming County commissioners recently with a certificate of recognition as he retired as Director of the Office of Veterans Affairs in the presence of his family and friends.

After a long and distinguished career in human resources and public service roles, McMunn, in June, 2019, came out of retirement to serve his fellow veterans in the VA office, helping veterans and their families to navigate critical benefits, entitlements and support services with passion and dedication.

Among those recognizing his achievements in helping advocate for veterans was Howard Wilt, a 96-year-old Korean War veteran, county Judge Nancy Butts, state Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, and representatives for state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township and state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport. A U.S. Army captain during Vietnam, McMunn was an adviser with Military Assistance Command, living among and training South Vietnamese troops, learning their language and their culture. He continues to advocate for veterans affected by Agent Orange exposure. In Lycoming County, McMunn was instrumental in establishing and expanding a Veterans Court Mentor Program, helping and assisting veterans in need. McMunn was actively involved in the furtherance of the Lycoming County Veterans Memorial Park since its inception and was a key figure in the 2023 dedication of the Purple Heart monument, honoring the sacrifice of all those who have been wounded or killed in service of the nation. He led a successful effort to formally designate Williamsport as a Purple Heart City and Lycoming County as a Purple Heart County. McMunn has served as commander of a local veterans post, where he played a leading role in bringing the Moving Wall, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Lycoming County in the 1990s, providing an opportunity for the community’s remembrance and healing. Beyond his duty in the county, McMunn remains actively engaged in military history research and advocacy for local veterans initiatives. This includes regularly traveling to Washington, D.C. where he takes part in ceremonies reading the names of the fallen from the permanent Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, ensuring those legacies live on. The board of commissioners offered its deepest appreciation for McMunn’s ongoing dedication and warm congratulations on his well deserved retirement. They appreciated his empathy and leadership. His daughter also spoke.