Sergeant Major, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) Vietnam Veteran
Paul Chevalier was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, the first son of four children born to Salbe and Mary Chevalier. He attended parochial schools there until moving to Chelmsford, MA where he graduated from Chelmsford High School. Upon graduation from high school he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.
His active duty military career spanned the years of 1954 – 1985 and included three tours in Vietnam. Chevalier earned many decorations including Meritorious Service Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V (2), Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Service Ribbon with 7 Bronze Stars, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and Vietnam Campaign Ribbon. In 1976 he was promoted to Sergeant Major. At the time of his retirement Paul was a Brigade Sergeant Major serving as Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd).
Since his military retirement, Paul has been an active community leader in New Hampshire. A life member of Portsmouth Emerson Hovey VFW Post 168, he has served four times as Post Commander as well as VFW District 7 Commander, the State Commander of the New Hampshire VFW, and VFW State Legislative Chairman. He has been appointed as the Chief of Staff to the state commander for 2011 – 2012. Paul has also served as President of the Central Veterans Council of Portsmouth, a member of the Board of Directors of the NH Veterans Home, and member of the NH State Cemetery
Council. Mr. Chevalier served as a military aide-de-camp to NH Governor Craig Benson for which he was commissioned as a Major in the NH Militia. He has been an involved member of the State Veterans Advisory Council and has held the position of Veteran’s Liaison to the New Hampshire Labor Commission. He was appointed by Governor John Lynch to serve as New Hampshire’s liaison to the National Marine Corps museum.
Sergeant Major Chevalier is and has been active in the state political arena having served as the New Hampshire Director of Veterans for McCain, the New Hampshire Co-chairman of Veterans for Bush, Veterans Co-chairman for U.S. Congressmen Jeb Bradley and Charlie Bass, U.S. Senators John E. Sununu and Kelly Ayotte, and for former Governor Craig Benson.
Currently he serves as a member of the VFW National Legislative Committee and has served on the Board of Directors of the VFW National Political Action Committee. He is married to Cathie Chevalier who is also very active as a member of the Ladies Auxiliary. Chevalier is the father of six grown children and two stepsons, grandfather of eighteen and great grandfather of 6. He is a member of the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, and the Marine Corps League.
Chevalier has served as the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Inspector General in 2007-2008 and is currently serving as the Budget Chairman for the national organization 2011 – 2112.