Department Commander
 Merle Pratt
Merle J. Pratt was born February 15, 1948, and grew up in Lima, Ohio.  He graduated from Lima Senior High School and enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and served Active Duty in the Navy from October 1968 to March 1973.    Reenlisted in the Naval Reserve in March 1973 and retired as a Chief Petty Officer in January 1994 he also was employed at the Lima Engine Plant from March 1973 to July 1981.  Graduated from the University of Northwestern Ohio in June 1982 with Associate Degrees in Business Administration and Marketing.  Accepted a position with the Secretary of State in January 1983 and moved to Columbus.  Accepted a position with the Ohio Attorney General in July 1983 and employed there until my retirement in January 2009.  Last position was the Director of Constituent Services and Veterans Liaison.  Graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in September 1997 with a Bachelors of Business Administration Degree.

Merle earned his Bachelor of Business Administration, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, September 1997, with a Grade-point average: 4.0 (on a 4.0 scale), graduated summa cum laude.  In 1983, Merle began his career as a Clerical Supervisor for the Ohio Secretary of State.  He then went on to be an Investigator at the Ohio Attorney General’s office from 1983-1984.  From 1984-1991, he was Administrative Assistant for the Ohio Attorney General, and also was the Director of Scheduling for Celebrezze’s campaign for Governor.  From 1991-2007 he was the Deputy Director & Office Manager for the Ohio Attorney General, and he retired in 2009 as Director of Constituent Services for the Ohio Attorney General. 

Merle has served as President of OP Consulting LLC. He is a Trustee (Past President) of Military/Veterans Educational Foundation (1988-Present), a Life Member (Past President) of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 670 (1988-Present), a Member (Past Chairman) of Columbus Veterans Day Parade Committee (1989-Present), a Life Member of AMVETS Post 89 (1994-Present), a Life Member (Past Commander) of American Legion Columbus Post 82 (1995-Present), a Member of Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee (2001-Present), a Member of Inter-Service Family Assistance Committee (2007-Present), a Member of Franklin County Veteran’s Memorial Board of Trustees (2008-Present), a Member (Past Chairman) of Governor’s Veterans Advisory Committee (1991-2009),  a Member of Ohio Veterans Employment & Training Council (1995-2009), a Past Chairman of AMVETS State Legislative Committee (1999-2009), a Member of Ohio Military Activation Task Force (2000-2009), a Member of Worker Quality Committee, Governor’s Workforce Policy Board (2001-2006), Chairman of Ohio Attorney General’s Veterans Advisory Council (2003-2009), a Member of City of Columbus Downtown Streetcar Working Group (2006), Chairman of Governor’s Veterans Study Council (2007), and a Member of Masons, Eagles, Elks and Moose .  He is currently serving as Commander for the AMVETS Department of Ohio. 

Merle is Retired with over 26 years of dedication and leadership in the U.S. Navy as a Chief Petty Officer (YNC/E-7). 

Mr. Pratt was Commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Ernie Fletcher on September 13, 2004.  He has received the prestigious AMVETS Silver Helmet Civil Servant-Of-The-Year Award (March 2004).  Attorney General Jim Petro has awarded Merle with the Innovation and Excellence Award (November 2003).   Military/Veterans Educational Foundation awarded Merle with Trustee of the Year (May 1999). He was Elected Membership in PHI DELTA LAMBA, the Academic Honor Society of the Colleges of the Church of the Nazarene (May 1997). 

Merle currently lives in Powell, Ohio with his wife of 26 years, Lee Ann.  They have 2 sons together, Aaron, age 26, who is currently in grad school at OSU, and Jonathan, age 23, who is a graduate of OSU.  He also has 2 daughters, Julia, age 39, who is married to Jeff (Desert Storm Army Veteran), with 2 children Brad and Christy, and Melissa, age 36, who is a graduate of Bluffton College.  Merle has one sister Jane, and one living brother Dawaine, who is a Navy veteran.