Dale Dahlke was elected as the VFW District 7 Commander in May of 2024. This is his first term. He served as the District 7 Adjutant from 2015-2023 and has also served as District 7 Junior and Senior Vice Commanders. He is a Gold Legacy Life Member of Edgar Memorial VFW Post 10187 since November 2011, serving as Post Adjutant, Junior and Senior Vice Commanders, and is now in his second term as Post Commander.

A U.S. Navy Veteran, Dahlke joined the United States Naval Reserve SAM Program (Sea-Air-Mariner) under the Delayed Entry Program in November 1983. He did boot camp at Great Lakes Illinois in early 1984 and attended the Navy Electricity/Electronics A-School at the Great Lakes Naval Base from late 1984 to July 1985. As a "Weekend Warrior”, he drilled at the Naval Reserve Facility in Plover, WI, from 1985 -1992. That facility then moved and became the Naval Reserve Center Stevens Point. Due to the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closures) List, Stevens Point was closed, and his unit was transferred to the Naval Reserve Center in Green Bay, WI, in 1997. During some drill weekends, they worked on the WWII Submarine USS Cobia in Manitowoc doing various repairs onboard to bring some systems back to life for the public tours given to the visitors at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Dale achieved the rank of Navy Chief Petty Officer in 2007. He served for over 28 years in the Naval Reserve, retiring in September 2012.

Dale’s VFW eligibility was earned with his activation in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from September 2010 to November 2011. Assigned to the Air Force 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, 443rd Mission Support Squadron, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, his duties included training and mentoring Afghan Air Force personnel on computer and phone systems and wiring, as well as military bearing. He also did installs and upgrades on the Army NIPR and SIPR computers along with wiring and installing phones for the Air Force Squadrons. He also held the position of Squadron Superintendent for the 443rd Mission Support Squadron. So, he was a Naval Reserve Chief Petty Officer, wearing an Army ACU uniform (with Navy patches), working for the Air Force.

Dahlke lives near Edgar, Wisconsin, with his wife Amy. They have four children and four grandchildren. He currently works in the Telecom industry.