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2010 / 2011 Board of Directors
Each of the VeteransPlus advisory board members has either served in the military and/or on numerous nonprofit boards and community organizations. Through the outreach efforts already in progress, the advisory board has been able to identify on a personal level with the target audience. This outreach has confirmed not only the ability of the board to provide these services, but the importance of the program to the clients served.
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Stephen A. Rector – Chair
Mr. Rector has been in the healthcare field for over 20 years and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Regional Medical Center in Bayonet Point, Florida. Mr. Rector’s experience spans both for profit and nonprofit healthcare and he has many years of service to his community, assuming leadership roles with the Federation of American Hospitals, Pasco-Hernando Community College Foundation, the Pasco Education Foundation, the American Heart Association, the Pasco Primary Care Area Network Executive Committee, the United Way, Civitan/LifeSouth, the YMCA/Green Hills, Partnership for a Healthy Nashville, the Hispanic Family Resource Center and the Davidson County Primary Care Coordinating Committee. He is currently a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and earned his undergraduate degree at Western Kentucky University and his Masters at Washington University St. Louis.
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1st Sgt. William Bodette
1st Sgt. Bodette, a native of Clearwater, Florida, enlisted in the United States Marine in 1988. Since his enlistment, Sergeant Bodette has received numerous awards, accommodations and special recognition as he has moved up the enlisted ranks. From 2000 to 2004 Sergeant Bodette’s leadership skills were employed as he served as a Drill Instructor prior to his deployment in support of both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this deployment Sergeant Bodette was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” for valor. In 2006, for Sergeant Bodette was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in battle on 5 November 2005. Upon his return from supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom 1stSgt Bodette was assigned as the Training Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the 2nd Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and In April 2007, as the Company First Sergeant, Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Georgia. Currently Sergeant Bodette is serving as an Inspector-Instructor in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he is responsible for the training and morale of over 180 reserve and active duty Marines and their families and coordinating community relation events. First Sergeant Bodette’s personal decorations include; Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “V”, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement with 2 gold stars in lieu of the 3rd award, and the Combat Action Ribbon with 3 gold stars in lieu of the 4th award. He has been featured on the History Channel multiple times to describe his experiences fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Maj. David M. Jackson
Maj. Jackson was born in San Jose, Costa Rica on May 6th, 1970. He enlisted in the Army on 25 September of 1989 as a Military Policeman and graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies in August of 1999. He was commissioned through the Officer Candidate School program at Fort Benning, GA on 14 December of 2000 where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Previous assignments include service with the 4th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Kitzingen, Germany. He served as an Avenger Platoon Leader, Battery Rear Detachment Commander, Battery Executive Officer, and Assistant S3. He deployed with 4-3 ADA to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian (2002/2003) and to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II (2004). He served in 6th BDE ADA as an Assistant S3 (2005). He was the Commander of A/1-56 ADA from July 2005 to May 2007. He served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General of Fort Bliss from May 2007 to January 2008. He served in 11th BDE ADA as an Assistant S3 from January 2008 to February 2008. He was the Commander of D/3-43 ADA from February 2008 to October 2008. He served again in 11th BDE ADA as an Assistant S3 from October 2008 to April of 2009. He served again in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2009/2010) as a BDE Team Chief for a Military Transition Team (Military Advisors) for the 36/9 Iraqi Army BDE (Mechanized) in Taji. Currently he serves as the Executive Officer for the Army ROTC program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA from April 2010 to present. His past enlisted deployments have been to Desert Shield/Storm (1990/1991), Operation Support Hope in Zaire, Africa (1994), Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti (1995), and Operation Fuerte Apoyo (Strong Support) Hurricane Mitch Relief in Honduras (1999).
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Senior Master Sergeant Jeffery A. Leemon
Senior Master Sergeant Jeffrey A. Leemon, Sr., is the Inspector General, Superintendent, 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, FL. The wing's overall mission is to provide worldwide air refueling and combatant commander airlift in support of the Air Force's Global Reach, Global Power mission and to provide support to Headquarters U.S. Central Command, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command and 51 other mission partners. As the wing Inspector General, Superintendent he serves as the liaison between the wing commander and the base populace assigned to the 6th Air Mobility Wing. Sergeant Leemon is responsible for establishing procedures to manage and execute the Air Force Inspector General Complaint Resolution and Fraud, Waste and Abuse Programs for non-senior official personnel at the installation level.
Sergeant Leemon hails from Largo, Florida, where he graduated from Osceola H.S. and entered the Air Force in 1987 as a C-130 Tactical Airlift Maintenance Technician. He has held many positions both in and out of the aerospace maintenance arena of which his primary specialty is in the Aircraft Maintenance career field. He has served in various Tactical, Operational and Strategic level positions throughout the wing, maintenance community and the Air Staff including currently serving as the Inspector General, Superintendent.
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John Henry Douglas
John Henry Douglas served in the United States Army from 1966-1973 during the Vietnam War with the 1st Calvary Division. During his time in Vietnam, he received a Purple Heart in 1966 and another one in 1967. After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Mr. Douglas became involved with numerous organizations, committees and councils and continues to have a major presence in many. In 2006, he served as the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) State Commander, Department of Florida. He also served as MOPH Chapter 772 Commander in Lake City, Florida from June 2008 – February 2009. He assisted with Veterans claims from 2000-2009 as a Service Officer for the MOPH at the Lake City VA Medical Center and continues to assist part-time. Mr. Douglas is a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans, 1st Calvary Division Association, and American Legion Post 57, in Lake City; and Rolling Thunder, Chapter 3 in Gainesville. Mr. Douglas is also a member of the Florida Independent Living Council, Florida Rehabilitation Council, National Council Independent Living Veterans Sub-Committee, and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living.
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John E. Pickens III
Mr. Pickens has devoted his entire adult life to serving Veterans. From 1970 – 1973 he served as a combat medic with the U.S. Army Special Forces and the 82nd Airborne Division. Following his discharge from the military Mr. Pickens took a position with the Veterans Administration in 1974 and graduated from the University of South Florida in 1979. After attending graduate school Mr. Pickens transitioned from patient care services to administrative services within the VA, ultimately becoming the Assistant Chief for Acquisition & Material Management Services. In 1994, he was selected as the Public Affairs Officer for the Lake City Florida VA Medical Center where, along with his Public Affairs responsibilities, Mr. Pickens also served as Chief, Community Resources Service which included a Voluntary Service program, Recreation Therapy, Chaplains, Patient Advocates and Social Work Services. During this period he served as the Vice President of the Columbia County Senior Services Association, and was an active board member for the Columbia County School Foundation, Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, United Way of North Florida, Suwannee Valley Coordinated Community Child Care Inc, and Life South Blood Banks. In 1998, Mr. Pickens was appointed as the Public Affairs Officer for the North Florida/South Georgia integrated VA Healthcare System with coverage in 34 counties in Florida and 19 in Georgia. During his tenure, he established Chamber of Commerce membership’s at all eleven VA facilities in their respective communities and founded and chaired a Public Affairs Council which included Public Affairs and Public Information Officers from Florida and Southern Georgia. In 2004, Mr. Pickens was selected as Communications Manager for the VA’s Sunshine Healthcare Network. During this period he worked with congressional offices throughout Florida, Georgia and the Caribbean to establish congressional forums and veteran advisory boards that would allow veterans and their families to meet face to face with their congressional representatives to discuss veteran issues and concerns. John retired from federal service on January 31, 2010and on February 1, 2010; he became the Executive Director of VeteransPlus.
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Lionel Sardinas
Occupation: Lead Patient Services Assistant, President of Tampa’s James A. Haley VA Employee Association
Veteran: 24 years U.S. Army and Navy Reserves
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Hank Whittier
Occupation: Executive Director, Marion County Veterans Helping Veterans, Inc.
Veteran: 4 years U.S. Marine Corps
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Janice Grammick
Occupation: President of the VAEA for Pasco Outpatient Clinic Nurse Manager SCI-E
Veteran: 1989-Current: Air Force Reserves
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Howard Schnellenberger
Occupation: Head Coach and Director of Football Operations, Florida Atlantic University
Veteran: 2 years U.S. Army
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Peter Vandervlis
Occupation: Retired Executive Management, GTE Directories after 26 years
Veteran: 6 years U.S. Marine Corps
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The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation survey released in October 2010 revealed that debt affects a number of military families. The study determined that:
- Military families are in debt to credit card issuers, with over one in four respondents reporting more than $10,000 in credit card debt.
- One in four service members with checking accounts reported overdrawing their accounts, which typically incurs significant fees.
- More than one in five (21 percent) service members used high-cost, non-bank borrowing such as payday or auto title loans in the last five years.
- Over half of enlisted personnel and junior non-commissioned officers reported that in some months, they made only the minimum payment on their credit cards.
- Only 50 percent of military respondents have a "rainy day" fund for unanticipated financial emergencies.
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