Ampsurf founder to be named county's veterans services officer

Dana Cummings, a Marine Corps veteran and co-founder of the Association of Amputee Surfers, is scheduled to be named San Luis Obispo County’s veterans services officer at a Tuesday meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

Cummings served two tours of combat duty, including in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Shortly after returning to the United States in 2002, he lost his leg in an auto accident.

He responded by co-founding the Association of Amputee Surfers, or Ampsurf.

Ampsurf is a nonprofit that teaches people with disabilities, most of them veterans, how to surf, as a form of therapy.

In May, state Sen. Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo, named Cummings “Veteran of the Year” at an annual veterans’ recognition luncheon.

Cummings will be paid an annual salary of $76,000 and receive benefits of $52,000.

He succeeds Paul Burns, who took over the post last September and resigned this spring.

This story was originally published August 31, 2011 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Ampsurf founder to be named county's veterans services officer."