(Photo: Shutterstock)
In this ninth annual Advisors Who Serve(d) compilation,we highlight stories of veterans in the advisory world, told in their own words,compiled by BenefitsPRO's sister site, ThinkAdvisor.
|This year was unusual, not just because of the COVID-19pandemic, but also because we received more than 100 submissionsfrom advisors. We suspect all of those who participated are workingfrom home and have a little extra time, or desire, to dig into someof their memories in these unprecedented times.
|Since we couldn't fit all of them in here, we used just 37,though that is double what we normally publish. We promise to rollout the rest over the Fourth of July and on Veterans Day.
|So what is Advisors Who Serve(d)? Well, it's just what it says:Financial advisors who have served or are serving in the military.Each year's initial compilation has debuted over Memorial Dayweekend.
|We understand that Memorial Day is meant for those who have diedin battle serving in the military, not just for anyone who hasserved (honored on Veterans Day), or for those actively serving(recognized on Armed Forces Day).
|We initially chose Memorial Day, since that's when mostof America focuses on the military and thus might pay extraattention to what we feel is an important compilation ofstories.
|This group is arranged in alphabetical order and numbered from1-37, so you can keep track of advisors as you scroll through theirstories, and maybe even recognize a few faces along the way.
|(Checkout ThinkAdvisor's AdvisorsWho Serve(d) page to read stories by advisors fromprevious years.)
1. Name: Mark E. Amberg
|Title/Company: Wealth Management Advisor /First VP / Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
|Branch: US Air Force / DC Air NationalGuard
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Airman Basic (E-1) thru Lt Colonel(O-5)
|Service Dates: 1986 -2015
|Work you did: Aircraft Electrician,Honor Guard, Maintenance Officer, Cyber Officer, Executive Officer,Commander
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: There is no doubt that the most endearingpart of being in the Air Force is serving with the caliber ofpeople who can and will serve in the USAF. As any studentof air power knows, the men and women of early military aviationwere ridiculed, misunderstood and even court martialed. They are my heroes for their vision, tenacity and sacrifices.
|As we approach Memorial Day, I seek to honor the legacy of themen and women who gave all for our nation. But I cannot remainsilent on the battles our warriors fight silently, seemingly alone.The Veterans Administration reported that each year from 2008 to2017, more than 6,000 veterans committed suicide. The rate forsuicide among uniformed personnel is 50% higher than that ofcivilians. The reasons are not well understood, and infrequentlydiscussed. I will use Memorial Day to educate andencourage those around me to become aware and act within theircommunities.
2. Name: Scott Armacost
|Title/Company: Financial Adviser / CeteraAdvisors
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Ensign / Lt. Commander
|Service Dates: November 1982 – March1994
|Work you did: Division Officer,Department Head, Surface Warfare Officer
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: On my first watch asOfficer of the Deck, my ship was approaching one of the busiestchokepoints in the world in the middle of the night: the Straits ofMalacca. I reported a bright light on the horizon directly in frontof us and asked our radar operators to "Mark the Contact" and keepan eye on it. They quickly reported that no such contact appearedon radar and yet, I could see the light growing larger and brighterby the minute. I called out on the Bridge-to-Bridge radio for thecontact dead ahead of us to identify herself and state herintentions. Nothing. I tried again.
|Nothing — and nothing on radar either. Fearing the possibilityof a head-on collision with one of the many 100,000-ton cargovessels in the area, I called the captain (who was sound asleep)and requested his presence on the bridge immediately. In the timeit took him to burst onto the bridge half-dressed and wide-eyed, wecould both see a good portion of a new crescent moon rising abovethe horizon – directly in front of us… Not my finest hour.
3. Name: Kenneth R. Blackmon
|Title/Company: Private Wealth Advisor /Blackmon & Associates Wealth Management
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: I was commissioned an Ensign from TheGeorge Washington University Naval ROTC program and currently holdthe rank of Rear Admiral Lower Half in the U.S. Navy Reserve, whilealso running my Ameriprise Financial Planning practice for the past27 years.
|Service Dates: May 1989 – Present
|Work you did: I was a Surface WarfareOfficer while on active duty, serving as Navigator aboard a U.S.Navy destroyer during Desert Storm. In the U.S. Navy Reserve, Ihave commanded five units, mobilized in support of U.S. PacificFleet in 2003 and in support of U.S.
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: When I mobilized in 2003,I was fortunate to have my wife Debbie and 15-month old twindaughters Alyssa and Chloe join me in Pearl Harbor for six monthsof my nine-month mobilization. I did shift work in the FleetCommand Center, so we would have a couple days off each week. Wecapitalized on that time to spend together as a family. Chloe andAlyssa learned to walk in the courtyard of the military housingarea.
|There were a number of other Navy personnel also mobilized thatbecame "uncles" to our daughters. One of my best friends was a NavySeal stationed in Hawaii at the time. While his wife and childrenwere visiting family on the mainland, he was very willing tobabysit the girls for us. It was very assuring when a Navy Sealwatched my daughters. They were probably never safer than at thattime.
|When we left Hawaii, we flew space-available on a militaryflight back to the East Coast. This was a nine-hour flight andquite an experience for all of us. There were no windows in theplane and the seats faced backwards in the cargo area. My daughterscried most of the trip, but because it was so loud inside theplane, no one really noticed. My wife said she felt like we were ona covert mission.
|At one point in the flight, someone with a flight suit walked byand my wife caught his attention and asked him if he would discardsome trash for her. It was a one-star general she asked, whichmortified me. Thankfully, he was very understanding and took thetrash without hesitation. My daughters have no memory of the trip,but my wife and I will never forget it.
4. Name: Louis DeCuir
|Title/Company: Financial Advisor / InvestorSecurities Group
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Ensign / Captain
|Service Dates: 1979 – 2009
|Work you did: Surface WarfareOfficer
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I met my wife three monthsbefore my last tour of duty ended. At the time, I thought I'd neversee her again after I moved. We now have a daughter, age 4.
5. Name: Michael Delorey
|Title/Company: OSJ / Prism Financial Group
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E-1, O-3
|Service Dates: 1963 – 1977
|Work you did: Enlisted, thenCommissioned
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: During my service time, Iknew several friends that died in combat or in training, but theperson I remember the most among those departed friends was LCDRDick Shand. He was my fellow pilot on this mission when ourhelicopter crashed.
|I was certain that day, when I was trapped on the outside of thehelicopter, I was going to die. My thought, as I was on my backlooking up, through the turning rotor blades, to a perfectly clearblue sky was; "At least I won't see it happen. When we hit, thelights will go out."
|To this day, I still remember in vivid detail, how calm andlogical my thought processes were during the event. There was nopanic or "freezing up." As the situation unfolded and I waspresented with different circumstances, I simply made what seemedto be logical choices and proceeded. In each decision, I knew thatif I did nothing — I was dead.
|To this day, whenever the day-to-day pressures start to overcomeme, I just remember that I should have died that day, and every dayis truly a "bonus" to me. At the time of the accident, no one hadheard of PTSD. I buried and compartmentalize my feelings about thatday. Even today, whenever I am reminded about it, I tense up withemotion. Whenever I hear Taps, I have to control my emotionsbecause I think of those who "gave the last full measure ofdevotion"; but in particular, I remember – Dick Shand.
6. Name: Melissa Dennis
|Title/Company: Executive Assistant / MonarchWealth & Retirement Strategies
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E1 / E5
|Service Dates: September 2011 –October 2016
|Work you did: Personnel Specialist
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: NA
7. Name: Tim Doehrmann
|Title/Company: President / Eagle Ridge WealthAdvisors
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E1 – E5
|Service Dates: 1997 – 2005
|Work you did: Crew Chief
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: We were activated in 2003and sent to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedomand Enduring Freedom. We had some stressful times but wemade the most of it!
|We were mobilized and they sent us to a hotel outside of ScottAir Force base by St. Louis to wait for our C-5 Galaxy cargo jet totake us overseas.
|So, there were over 100 of us from our base at this hotel foraround 3 weeks. They kept telling us we were leaving tomorrow. Andsince we had no idea how long we would be gone or how long the warwould last, let's just say those 3 weeks were pretty crazy to saythe least.
|The photo is of myself and my sister the day I returned. It wasa good day!
8. Name: Harold Evensky
|Title/Company: Founder / Evensky & Katz
|Branch: US Army Medical ServicesCorps
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E2 to Captain
|Service Dates: July 1968 – April1981
|Work you did: Industrial Hygienist
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Having the commandingGeneral at Fort Dix pin on my Captain's bars raising me from an E2to Captain and then going to visit my basic training cadre.Watching their faces as I entered the barracks was the BEST!
9. Name: Harlan J. Fischer
|Title/Company: President / Branch FinancialServices, Inc.
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Airman Basic – Staff Sergeant
|Service Dates: May 1966 – March1970
|Work you did: Inventory ManagementSpecialist
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: President Nixon came tovisit his daughter, Julie, at Smith College in Northampton, MA, notthat far from Westover AFB. The base was on alert for over a week.Everything was painted, scrubbed, scraped and cleaned.
|The whole base looked brand new and all the barracks werespotless.
|Finally, Air Force One arrives with the president on it. Thecabin door opened and President Nixon stepped out, waved, steppeddown the stair ramp, proceeded to the awaiting limo and waspromptly driven off the base. He never looked at anything.
10. Name: Gary Frisina
|Title/Company: President / AtlanticAdvisors
|Branch: US Marine Corps
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Private / Sgt.
|Service Dates: 1968-1972
|Work you did: Com/Nav ECM tech on A-6aIntruders
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: My time in Vietnam wasmade more tolerable by visiting and helping at the China BeachOrphanage. These children were banished from their villages becausethey were children of Vietnamese women and US servicemen. It was arewarding experience in a terrible war.
11. Name: Scot Hanson
|Title/Company: CFP / EFS Advisors
|Branch: US Navy Aviation
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E-3 / O-2
|Service Dates: 1981-1988
|Work you did: General Aviation
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: My US Navy training mademe the success I am today. I was taught dedication and commitmentto excellence. No one works as hard to prepare, it carries with meto this day. Nothing in the civilian world compares to my US Navyexperience.
12. Name: Hunter Hart
|Title/Company: Equity Planning
|Branch: US Marine Corps
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: PVT/ SGT
|Service Dates: 2003 – 2007
|Work you did: Supply/ Fiscal
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: In 2004 whileparticipating in Operation Cobra Gold, our unit was tasked withsome community outreach programs. We helped out at schools in thearea and were able to interact with many locals. I was only 18 atthe time and had little worldly experience. It taught me a lotabout how the US military is respected around the world and madeproud to be a part of that. Also, it helped me understand that itwas my responsibility to uphold that standard.
13. Name: Christopher Hellie
|Title/Company: Financial Advisor / MorganStanley
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: O1 / O3
|Service Dates: May 2005 – July 2009
|Work you did: Armor Officer
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: We had an accident with ayoung Iraqi girl on the side of the road. We stopped and providedemergency medical care and then evacuated her to our main base. Theyoung lady suffered extensive facial lacerations and went undermedical care. During the entire course of the incident she did notutter a single weep. As a unit, we adopted her and her sister as welearned that they were the sole breadwinners for their family. I'venever witnessed as much courage and bravery as I did in that younggirl.
14. Name: Ken Herrington
|Title/Company: First VP Wealth Management /Morgan Stanley
|Branch: US Marine Corps
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: 2d Lt / Colonel
|Service Dates: 1971-2001
|Work you did: Infantry Officer
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I had the honor to servewith our Nation's heroes and had an incredible experience.
15. Name: Robert Kailes
|Title/Company: Financial Planner / RobertKailes, CFP
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Specialist 5 E5
|Service Dates: September 1966 –September 1968
|Work you did: Highly ClassifiedDocument control
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I was stationed in thePentagon. On 4/5/68 Martin Luther King was assassinated. I gotcaught in the riots the next day. Two months later on 6/5/68 RobertKennedy was assassinated and there was fear of another riot. TheSCLC was camped out in front of the Lincoln memorial and was aquagmire. I was put on special assignment at police headquarters toanswer the phones for the generals in charge. No riot in partbecause of people such as singer James Brown giving a freeconcert.
16. Name: Daniel Kopp
|Title/Company: Founder / Wise StewardshipFinancial Planning
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: 2nd Lt – Captain
|Service Dates: June 2009 – February2018
|Work you did: Air Battle Manager
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I became a financialplanner in part because of the work of getting to be a volunteerfinancial counselor while I was on active duty. Getting to see thetransformations in peoples' lives as they paid down debt, saved forpersonal goals, and invested in their future was so inspiring Irealized I wanted to help people with their money full time.
17. Name: Patrick B. Lough
|Title/Company: Financial Planner / CharterFinancial Planning
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Enlisted: Pvt.-Sgt. / Officer: 2ndLt.-Captain
|Service Dates: 1977 – 1985
|Work you did: Enlisted 1977-1981, 95BMilitary Police. Artillery Officer 1981-1985, Fist Chief, BatteryExecutive Officer, Battalion Fire Support Officer. AirborneRanger.
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: When we jumped intoGrenada as Part of Operation Urgent Fury in 1983, there was a Brig.General on our plane that was making his first jump in 20 years. Hesaid to us, "Hell of a refresher course, huh, men."
18. Name: Colin Mackenzie
|Title/Company: Regional Director / CeteraAdvisor Networks
|Branch: US Marine Corps
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Midshipman – US Naval Academy
|Service Dates: 1973 – 1983
|Work you did: Helicopter Pilot
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: In February 1982 we weretasked with flying some people from our ship to Pusan Int'l Airportin South Korea. My co-pilot (Bill Tarbutton- "Button") seemed to behaving difficulties understanding the Korean air trafficcontrollers. "Hey, Button, do you want me to take it?" "Uh,YEAH!"
|After landing and taking off our helmets, Button looks at me andsays, "Don't tell me you understood what they were saying!" Askinghim about the wind direction and likely runway landing. I mentionedto him, with a big grin on my face, that "I was just listening forwhat they were going to tell me." He got to fly us back to the shipand had no problems "understanding" the Korean flight controllerson the way back.
19. Name: Courtney McElvain
|Title/Company: Vice President/Investments /Stifel
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Spec 4 to Spec 5
|Service Dates: February 2002 – April2004
|Work you did: Korean Linguist
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I moved back to the USfrom teaching English in China, one week before Sept. 11, 2001.After the shock of that week, I felt compelled to use my degree inEnglish to serve in the Army as a linguist. Military service buildsan unmatched sense of patriotism, and I'm so thankful. And, I metmy husband of 16 years, who served as an Arabic linguist in the AirForce.
20. Name: Michael Nelan
|Title/Company: President / Nelan Financial& Insurance Services
|Branch: US Army & US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: PVT E1 (Army) / CMSgt E9 (Air Force)
|Service Dates: September 1981 –Present
|Work you did: Avionics, CivilEngineering, Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Currently, I am stillserving in the Nevada Air National Guard. My brother, Dan, was ahuge influence. He was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and retired asa Brigadier General.
21. Name: Neal Nolan
|Title/Company: Senior Financial Advisor /Parsec Financial
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E2 / E3
|Service Dates: 1991 – 1992
|Work you did: Medical Specialist(Medic)
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: During my voluntarydeployment for Hurricane Andrew relief in 1992, as a medic I wastasked with ensuring that the combat engineers were followingproper heat-related protocols. We were working in an urban areaclearing streets of debris, often clearing many blocks in aday.
|On a whim, I walked to the opposite side of one of the blocksand there was this young child watching me with great admiration. Iturned to walk in the opposite direction and the kid's fatherapproached me. In his broken English, he explained that the boy wasso excited to see a soldier in real life and that he wanted to beone when he grew up. The boy was too shy to ask but the father saidthat he would love to have his picture made with me. Naturally, Iagreed. During a time of utter devastation, it was a welcomedistraction to bring a little joy to someone's life, especially toa young child.
22. Name: William O'Donnell
|Title/Company: CFP / AVH Invest
|Branch: US Air Force & US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: CW3
|Service Dates: 1994 – 2014
|Work you did: Helicopter Pilot
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: In my 20 years of service,I had the honor of serving with many great men and women in variousunits including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of those, the one personwho stands out the most is now my wife, Rachel. We met in Iraq, and16 years later we are still together. I wouldn't be where I amtoday without her!
23. Name: William Orchard-Hays III
|Title/Company: Financial Planner &Investment Advisor Rep / HBW Partners DBA Stepwise Financial
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: A1C / SSGT
|Service Dates: August 1969 – August1973
|Work you did: Systems Monitor for BaseFinances, Data Automation
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: First few days atWurtsmith AF Base in Oscoda, MI, my young bride and I had to stayin a trailer (no Base Housing available) at the beginning of theairport runway. At night, the trailer shook as the B-52s andfighter jets revved up their engines before taking off.Additionally, it snowed. It was Oct. 21st!
24. Name: Brad Pendleton
|Title/Company: VP Investments / Stifel
|Branch: US Marine Corps
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Private / Corporal
|Service Dates: 1984 – 1989
|Work you did: Combat Engineer
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Pleased to have had theopportunity to serve this great country.
25. Name: Kevin S. Rademacher
|Title/Company: Senior Wealth Manager /Financial Life Advisors
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E-1 / E-5
|Service Dates: 1996 – 2001
|Work you did: Hospital Corpsman
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: My most memorableexperience while serving in the military was flying in an olderaircraft which started losing cabin pressure at 30,000+ feet, theair masks fell from ceiling, and thankfully we made a successfulemergency landing!
26. Name: Nicholas Remer
|Title/Company: Wealth Manager / CeteraInvestors
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: E1 – E4
|Service Dates: June 2006 – October2011
|Work you did: Various roles
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Experience I won't forget:During BUDS (Basic Underwater Demolition School/ SEAL Training)while assisting as one of the lower classes were going through Hellweek, a couple guys in our class drove the SEAL Instructor's Humveetoo close to the water and got it stuck. The tide rose and wenearly lost the Humvee completely. After getting it towed back upto the dry beach, our class proctor found seaweed in the vehicleand found out what happened. All 200 of us were punished togetheron the beach. It sucked, but we embraced it and it was fun lookingback.
|Experience I am most grateful for: Leading up to the OlympicGames in 2008 I was given orders to the Olympic Training Center inColorado Springs, Colo., to train and make a run for Beijing.
27. Name: Angela (Angie) Ribuffo
|Title/Company: President & FinancialAdvisor / Raion Financial Strategies / Lincoln FinancialSecurities
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: 2nd Lieutenant / Captain
|Service Dates: July 1979 – March1984
|Work you did: Air Force Nurse/FlightNurse
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I was stationed at aStrategic Air Command (SAC) base in the upper peninsula ofMichigan. The winters there are harsh and every year we have manyblizzards that closed down the base. One winter the weather wasunusually harsh.
|As a flight nurse, at a SAC base, my job was to coordinate anymedivacs to larger hospitals. I was notified that we had acritically ill infant that needed to be medevac'd out to WilfordHall Hospital in Texas. We had a C-130 medevac airplane scheduledto come in for the infant but as it got close to the base a winterstorm descended on the base and closed the runway. The closest theplane could get was the local airport at Green Bay, Wisconsin, 170miles away and more than a 3-hour drive in good weather. The C-130would meet us in Green Bay if we could get there.
|The baby was getting more critical as time passed but theweather wouldn't let up so we decided to drive the infant to theairplane. We coordinated with the state police in Michigan andWisconsin, base and civilian snow plows and our ambulance crew. Wedrove that baby all the way to Green Bay with the Michigan statepolice and snow plows clearing the way and handing off to theWisconsin police and snow plows all the way to the Green Bayairport where we handed off our most precious cargo, our infant,for its flight to Texas. Our baby made it to the ICU at WilfordHall and recovered. That's what it's all about when you're in themilitary. Adapt and Overcome!
28. Name: Mark Robertson
|Title/Company: Managing Partner / RDJ FinancialArchitects
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Private – Colonel
|Service Dates: 1976 – 2019
|Work you did: Served in a variety ofpositions. Work included setting up foreign banks on NATO militaryinstallations throughout Afghanistan and Iraq; Senior MilitaryAdvisor to State Department; Support of US Humanitarian Efforts inSyria; Joint Military Planning
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: There is a comradery inthe military that is near impossible to replicate in the civilianworld. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines share a commonexperience of service, dedication and a willingness to give theirlives in defense of others. It is this esprit de corps and bond ofbrotherhood and sisterhood that I cherish. My memories are filledwith individuals who selflessly served. My son is one of them.
|Although he was in college on a scholarship, he volunteered tojoin the Army and learn Arabic. He knew he would be sent to Iraq ata time that the US was faltering and soldiers were being killed andmaimed. When I told him that he didn't have to do this, all he saidwas, "I know Dad." It was an honor for me to serve with him in acombat zone. Both of us returned home without any physicalscars.
29. Name: Jose Rafael Rodriguez
|Title/Company: President / Rodriguez FinancialStrategies
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Colonel
|Service Dates: May 1978 – April2004
|Work you did: Weapons SystemsAcquisition
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I had a mentor throughoutmy military career; never on my chain of command but always thereto guide me.
30. Name: Jeffrey B. Stoll
|Title/Company: CPA, CFP / Jeffrey B. Stoll,CPA, CFP
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Private, E-1, Specialist 5th Class, E-5
|Service Dates: 1963 – 1966
|Work you did: Required SecretClearance
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Stationed at SHAPE,Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe for 2 years.
31. Name: Erik Sutcliffe
|Title/Company: Advisor / Alpha Financial
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Colonel
|Service Dates: 1990 to Present
|Work you did: missile launch officer /logistics / aircraft maintenance
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: After 30 years, there aremore stories forgotten than remembered. As I near retirement, it'shard to leave, as it's about the friendships and bonds created overthe years. In the private sector, competition can be viewed as athreat. In the military, knowing there are highly intelligent andcapable people ready for leadership to meet tomorrow's challengesis comforting.
32. Name: Aaron Terwedo
|Title/Company: Financial Advisor / TFSAdvisors
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: PVT / SGT
|Service Dates: March 2004 – August2011
|Work you did: Field Artillery
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: It amazed me how peoplefrom all different walks of life and different upbringings can cometo work together.
33. Name: Cameron M. Thornton
|Title/Company: President & CEO / CTA WealthAdvisors
|Branch: US Navy
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Ensign / LT
|Service Dates: June 1976 – October1980
|Work you did: NA
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I love the "sense ofhumor" the Navy had when I was a young officer. My undergraduatedegree was in Psychology. After commissioning, I attended andgraduated from Surface Warfare Officer school and immediatelyreported to the USS Cook, FF 1083, stationed in San Diego, CA.
|I was tagged to become the Main Propulsion Assistant (1200 PSISteam System). In preparation for this job, I attended aneight-week class to learn how to become a Steam Engineer. I wasexposed to the various shipboard steam, propulsion and auxiliaryequipment that I would soon be responsible for managing. The bestthing going for me was not my technical abilities, but rather mypeople skills and my ability to interface well with my MasterChief, Senior Chief and two Chief Petty Officers who happilyhandled all technical aspects required for the safe and efficientoperation of our power plant on the Cook. To each of these men, Ithank them for a job well done and for providing me with theopportunity to learn hands-on about the tenants of responsibility,leadership and accountability that comes with being a juniormilitary officer.
34. Name: Mitchell Wassink
|Title/Company: Financial Advisor, AIF / KuipersAdvisors
|Branch: US Army
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Sergeant E-5
|Service Dates: April 1997 – April2005
|Work you did: Convoy SecurityOperation Iraqi Freedom 1 & 2
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I want to take thisopportunity to honor my friend and Platoon Leader Lt MatthewStovall. He gave his life for our country and I will remember himforever. Our job was not fun but we did it anyway. We did itbecause we love our country and our Flag!
35. Name: Scott A Webb
|Title/Company: Financial Advisor / WoodburyFinancial / Total Resource Financial
|Branch: US Air Force
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Airman Basic / Senior Airman
|Service Dates: May 2001 – September2011
|Work you did: Ground Radio MaintenanceJourneyman
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I once sent a new airmanto the flight line vehicle repair shop to get the halogen fluid inthe headlamps topped off. Vehicle maintenance played along and kepthim there for hours, saying that the vehicle was unsafe to operatewithout full halogen fluid in each light, and he would have tosearch the shop to find more, or order it online from basesupply.
36. Name: David T Wilson
|Title/Company: Financial Advisor & StateRep. in State of Connecticut
|Branch: US Coast Guard
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: AM2
|Service Dates: May 1967 – February1972
|Work you did: SAR Structures &Hydraulics Mech
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Great friends made whileat CGAS San Juan.
37. Name: Clayton J. Winkler
|Title/Company: CFP & Owner / CobblestoneFinancial Services
|Branch: US Army / Army Reserves
|Rank held at beginning of service and atend: Private to Specialist / Cadet 2ndLieutenant
|Service Dates: March 1995 – December2000
|Work you did: Counter IntelligenceAnalyst & Financial Executive Officer
|Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: My final assignment wasserving at a Financial Detachment in South Korea. Our US Forcesserved with KATUSA's (Korean Augments To United States Army) and itwas such a pleasure to meet the young men of Korea who wererequired to serve their country's Army.
|I bonded with many of them, learning about their culture andmany of their customs (especially when eating out and diningtogether). We were also competitive in Physical Fitness contests. Afunny story (kept short) was how they were determined to beat me inour Physical Training Contests, specifically in a 1 mile sprintrace – and they were unsuccessful overall.
— Check out our Advisors Who Serve(d) page to read stories byadvisors from previous years.
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