Jan Brown Inducted Into Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame

The Boardman, Ohio, veteran is one of 20 inductees in the Class of 2026, joining more than 1,000 other Ohio veterans.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Awards

Row of American flags beside a pale limestone memorial wall in a quiet Midwestern plaza, with a bronze bench in the foreground. — Jan Brown of Boardman, Ohio, was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Thursday in Columbus as one of 20 veterans in the Class of 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Jan Brown was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame during a Thursday morning ceremony, with Mike McKinney serving as master of ceremonies. Brown is one of 20 veterans in the Class of 2026.

Why it matters

The induction recognizes a veteran who served 27 years in the U.S. Air Force and led AMVETS as its first woman national commander. Hall of Fame members are honored with a permanent display in Columbus, preserving their service for Ohioans.

The induction adds one veteran to a roster of over 1,000 Ohio veterans, with 20 inductees in the Class of 2026. Brown's 27-year Air Force career and two-year AMVETS term are the service milestones cited, though the selection criteria were not detailed.

The players

Jan Brown

A Boardman, Ohio, veteran who served 27 years in the U.S. Air Force and led AMVETS as its first woman national commander.

AMVETS

A national veterans service organization founded to advocate for and support American veterans and their families.

Mike McKinney

The master of ceremonies at the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The details

Brown, a Boardman resident, was elected the first woman national commander of AMVETS in 2019 and later received the Taiwan Veteran Medal of Honor while serving in that role. Her induction was held Thursday morning in Columbus, where a permanent display will honor Hall of Fame members.

2019: Jan Brown becomes the first woman elected AMVETS national commander.
Thursday, November 12, 2026 (morning): Brown is inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

Legacy Recognition

The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame has built a roster of over 1,000 inductees, and the 2026 class of 20 adds to that record of statewide honor. Brown's induction follows that established pattern of recognizing veterans whose service extends beyond military careers into national leadership.

For Ohio residents, the induction spotlights veterans whose service and leadership are recognized through a permanent public display in Columbus. Readers interested in veterans' history can visit the display to learn about Hall of Fame members.

The takeaway

Recognition programs like the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame preserve the service records of individuals whose leadership extends beyond their military careers. Visiting public displays of such honors is one way residents can learn about veterans in their own communities.