Merle Heatwole

Commissioners Merle and Dawn Heatwole are the national leaders of The Salvation Army in the United States, with Merle serving as the National Commander and Dawn serving as the National Secretary for Programs. They assumed these appointments on March 1, 2025.

Immediately preceding this appointment, Merle served as Territorial Commander and Dawn as Territorial President of Women’s Ministries in the Latin America North Territory.

Merle and Dawn are both children of Salvation Army officers, Lt. Colonels Merle L. and Vivian Heatwole and Colonels Thomas C. and Mary Lewis. The Heatwoles met when their parents were both stationed at the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Divisional Headquarters. They were married in 1981, entered the College for Officer Training the following year, and were commissioned in 1984 as a part of the Servants of God session.

The Heatwoles held appointments as corps officers, divisional officers, and territorial officers, in addition to appointments at National Headquarters in the USA and International Headquarters in London, England.