TopVet

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Howard Tucker The world’s oldest practicing doctor, a Navy veteran, will celebrate his 103rd birthday next week. Dr. Howard Tucker was born in Cleveland, OH on July 10, 1922. He served from 1944 to 1945 during World War II while at medical school and was the chief neurologist for the Atlantic fleet during the Korean War. He’s been practicing medicine since 1947 and was the 2021 recipient of Guinness World Records’ title of “Oldest Practicing Physician.”

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Dr. Marco Gargano Dr. Marco Gargano is an Army National Guardsman and dentist in Kansas City, Missouri who serves the veteran community with affordable dental care.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Thomas Sowell Prominent economist Thomas Sowell will celebrate his 95th birthday in June but shows no signs of slowing down. The Marine Corps veteran is widely published, quoted, and sought after for guidance on current economic issues. The author of more than 45 books, he is a known voice in the Black conservative movement.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Air Force Captain Ed Joseph Dwight 90-year old retired Air Force Captain Ed Joseph Dwight held his fists in the air sporting a smile from ear to ear last week as he exited rocket-capsule combo New Shepard. He became the oldest person to reach space, 63 years after President John F. Kennedy selected him, a former test pilot, as a candidate to be the first Black astronaut in 1961.

Military & Veterans News TopVet: Artemis Astronauts & Navy Veterans Aim For the Moon Next fall, two veterans will take a mission to the moon. The commander and pilot of NASA’s Artemis II both served in the U.S. Navy. Artemis II will be the first moon mission since the Apollo program concluded lunar excursions over 50 years ago.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Producers of the Movie "Jaws" Jaws burst onto the silver screen in June of 1975 and become a historical icon for many reasons. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie became the prototype for the summer blockbuster.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Brian Armstrong Marine Corps veteran Brian Armstrong is a transitioning veteran success story. From military recruiter to Lead Business Execution Consultant Program Manager for Wells Fargo, he has made the jump from service to success in the corporate world.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Chris Perkins, Veterans on Wall Street When Lehman Brothers collapsed at the start of the 2008 financial crisis, Marine VETERAN Captain Chris Perkins was on the ground floor unphased. “People were screaming and crying. I had just come back from combat - I had seen worse.”

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Dusty Baker The Houston Astros have high hopes for capturing their second consecutive baseball championship. To get there, Astros fans have once again put their faith in baseball and military veteran, Dusty Baker, who proudly served as a U.S. Marine.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Dr. Phillip Shinnick A world record holder, Olympic athlete, and Air Force Captain, Dr. Phillip Shinnick has an extensive track record of achievements But at 79 years old, perhaps his most admirable accomplishment is his tenacity.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: David Seymour What child hasn’t dreamed of being able to fly? Like many youngsters, David Seymour was fascinated with flying and airplanes. And today, he lives that dream as a top executive and Chief Operating Officer at American Airlines.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Chuck Scarborough Air Force Veteran Chuck Scarborough is one of the most experienced and successful journalists in the country. Over five decades, both in New York City and nationally, he's earned a total of 36 Emmys. Importantly, he credits his military service for the skills, education, and discipline to break into and achieve a remarkable career that continues today.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley Two military men made history last week with a rather unique mission: flying into space on the SpaceX Crew Dragon. NASA astronauts Air Force Col. Robert L. Behnken and retired Marine Corps Col. Douglas G. Hurley launched into space on May 30 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the first time ever that NASA astronauts launched from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft.

Military & Veterans Life TopVet: Dan Schultz, President of Sikorsky Editor’s Note: Daniel (Dan) C. Schultz is President of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company. In his role, he is responsible for leading the strategic growth and program execution of Sikorsky’s government and commercial rotorcraft platforms. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, as the program manager for the Joint V-22 Osprey Program, overseeing the program for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command. Given his lifetime of service both in and out of uniform, Veterans Advantage recognizes Schultz as a TopVet in April of 2020.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: James Hendon leads NYC’s Department of Veterans' Services “What can we do to help you help yourself to reach your fullest potential and do the things that you want in life?” 

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Mark Maybury, Stanley Black & Decker Chief Technology Officer Mark Maybury believes in the power within all of us. Ever since he was an Air Force ROTC Cadet nearly 40 years ago, his vision of the future has focused on new technologies and human potential. At its core, this vision is rooted in military principles that require one to think outside of yourself and beyond.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: General (Ret.) Joseph L. Votel General (Ret.) Joseph L. Votel has just come off one of the most powerful assignments in the U.S. Military, as the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), capping a nearly 40-year career of military service. Looking forward, he is giving back, helping his fellow vets return home to a top college or university education.

Military & Veterans Life TopVet: Matt Meeker Entrepreneur Matt Meeker is a digital pioneer and Navy veteran.  He is currently Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bark & Co. and Barkbox, its subscription service that makes over 600,000 dogs happy each month with a box shipped full of innovative toys and treats. 

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Bruce Whitman, FlightSafety International Editor's Note: We were saddened to hear the news on October 11, 2018 of the passing of Bruce Whitman, president and CEO of Flight Safety International, and Chairman Emeritus of the Medal of Honor Foundation. He was an Air Force veteran, and dear friend, and he is already sorely missed. We honored Bruce with our TopVet award in 2011.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Angelina Trillo Angelina Trillo, Oregon Army National Guard medic, first-generation college student and daughter of an Army veteran, was recently named 2023 Student Veteran of the Year. She is the chapter president of the Student Veterans of America (SVA) for Oregon State University, where she will graduate this month with a B.S. in Political Science.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: John McCain Senator John McCain will always be remembered as a Vietnam War POW, Navy veteran, and statesman who rose to become his party’s nominee for president ten years ago.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Richard C. Hartnack Richard C. Hartnack, known as Rick, is the Non-Executive Chairman of Synchrony Financial, the recent spin out of GE Capital's consumer credit business, and a leading provider of credit cards. A proud Marine and Vietnam War Veteran, he credits the Corps for having shaped him for his success in the business world. Respectful of its roots and legacy, he is committed to ensuring that the Corp's virtues and values are shared with future generations.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Jim A. Skinner, McDonalds & Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Navy vet Jim Skinner’s story is an inspiring example of the American Dream. He began his career as a management trainee at McDonalds in 1971. Thirty-three years and plenty of hard work later, he took the helm as CEO, turning around falling profits and injecting new life into the company. In 2012, Jim retired from McDonald’s and his success at the iconic American company led him to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., the nation’s largest pharmacy retail chain, where he now serves as Executive Chairman.

WeSalute Awards TopVet: Kurt Kane, Wendy's Chief Concept and Marketing Officer Kurt Kane's fondness for Wendy's dates back to when he was an Army 2nd lieutenant returning from deployment in 1995. Kane had just landed back at Fort Carson, Colorado, following a deployment to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he led a platoon responsible for helping run an immigration camp and, like most deployed troops, dreamed of home.