McCain Campaign Press Release - Florida Veterans Unite Behind John McCain

TALLAHASSEE, FL -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced the leadership of Florida Veterans for John McCain, a statewide grassroots organization that will work to bolster John McCain's support within Florida's veterans' community.

"John McCain has the leadership, judgment and experience to keep Americans safe at home and abroad in these difficult times," said Chair of Florida Veterans for McCain USAF Colonel Bud Day (Ret.), a longtime friend and fellow Vietnam POW with McCain. "Florida's veterans support John McCain because they know he will put his country first and make the difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions needed to protect the homeland and our troops."

Today's announcement occurs in conjunction with Veterans for McCain events in Pensacola, Tampa, Jacksonville and throughout the country.

FLORIDA VETERANS FOR JOHN MCCAIN LEADERSHIP TEAM

CHAIR

George "Bud" Day, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

HONORARY STATEWIDE CHAIRS

State Senator Carey Baker

State Senator Mike Bennett, Petty Officer, USN

Congressman Mike Bilirakis, Staff Sergeant, USAF

Congressman Vern Buchanan, ANG

State Representative Stan Jordan, Colonel, USAR (Ret.)

Congressman Cliff Stearns, Captain, USAF

CO-CHAIRS

Dexter Lehtinen, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

Richard Stratton, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Bob Stumpf, Captain, USN (Ret.)

FLORIDA MILITARY ADVISORY COUNCIL

Charles "Chuck" Horner, General, USAF (Ret.)

Robert J. Kelly, Admiral, USN (Ret.)

Howard Crowell, Jr., Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Rolland Heiser, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Paul Albritton, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Ret.)

R. Byron Fuller, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.)

Rick Grant, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.)

Rufus C. Lazzell, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Paul Moses, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.)

Jerry Neff, Brigadier General, Florida Army National Guard (Ret.)

Mike Sheridan, Brigadier General, USMC (Ret.)

STEERING COMMITTEE

Panhandle Region

Skip Aiken, Lieutenant Commander, USN (Ret.)

John Paul Bailey, Petty Officer Second Class, USN

Walter Bell, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army (Ret.)

DJ Boyles, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Chuck Burkhead, USAF

Jett Crouch, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Earl Daniell, Colonel, USMC (Ret.)

Allen DeGraw, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Nick Finch, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army

Charley Fowinkle, Commander, USN (Ret.)

Eric Grant, Captain, USMC

Gene Greenwood, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Collins Haines, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Talmadge Heath, Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Bruce Host, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Bill Huffcut, Colonel, USMC, (Ret.)

Charles Wesley Johnston, Sr., Chief Petty Officer, USN (Ret.)

Tim Leadbeater, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Charles LeCroy, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Bill Lemocks, Chief Petty Officer, USN (Ret.)

Daniel Lindemann, Captain, USMC

Al Mirabella, Major, USMC (Ret.)

Clarence E. Newton, Private First Class, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Alex Sanchez, USAF

Claude Thomas Sanson, Corporal, U.S. Army

Jonathan Scott, U.S. Army

Bill Spa nn, Commander, USN (Ret.)

Tommie Stanaland, Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)

Dave Steere, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Chuck Yates, Colonel, USMC (Ret.)

Northeast Florida Region

Glenn Ferrell Asbell, Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Ted Barber, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

George Bradley, USN

Gary Campbell, Master Chief, USN

RB Davis, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

John Ellis, Captain, USAF

Lloyd Freckleton, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Ralph Gaither, Commander, USN (Ret.)

Gene Hall, Commander, USN (Ret.)

Don Horne, Sergeant First Class, USN and U.S. Army (Ret.)

Roger Jewell, Senior Chief Petty Officer, USN (Ret.)

John Leenhouts, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Arley McRae, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Peter Schoeffel, Captain, USN (Ret.)

William Thompson, Commander, USN (Ret.)

Larry Williams, USN

Central Florida Region


Bob Adolphe, Lieutenant, USN

Jack Bratton, Corporal, USMC

Bill Coleman, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Morrey Deen, Major, USAR (Ret.)

Bruce Johnson, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Joe Kittinger, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Peter Olivo, Staff Sergeant , U.S. Army

John Posey, Sergeant, USAF and U.S. Army

Joseph Rudderow, Petty Officer Third Class, USN

Joel Smoyer, Airman, USN

Major L. Stroupe, Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Art Swanson, Gunnery Sergeant, USMC (Ret.)

Richard Tangeman, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Tom Walters, Colon el, USAF (Ret.)

Tampa Bay Region

William E. Cartwright, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Frank Chicolo, Corporal, U.S. Army

Stephen D. Cork, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Wallace Crumpton, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army

Ron Filipkowski, USMC

Chris Hart, U.S. Army

Bill Hutton, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

Lee F. Kichen, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Dr. Kathy Kleinlein, Captain, New York Army National Guard

Ken Kleinlein, First Sergeant, U.S. Army

Ron Kocher, Commander, USN (Ret.)

Norm MacLellan, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Eugene R. Manfrey, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Michael McCalister, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Don O'Nesky, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Jorge Rodriguez, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

John Saputo, Colonel, USMC (Ret.)

Bob Silah, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Richard Swier, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Steve Valley, Sergeant, U.S. Army

East Coast Region

Robert Christensen, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Jim Coffield, Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)

Doug Korinke, Senior Chief Petty Officer, USN (Ret.)

McMeekin Korte, Major, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Dr. Floyd Harold Kushner, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Harry Marsh, Sergeant, U.S. Army

Allen Miller, Lieutenant, USN

Luke Murphy, U.S. Army

Don Pickard, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Charley Price, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

David Snyder, USMC

Joe Steckler, Captain, USN (Ret.)

Eric "Rip" Wieler, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.)

Palm Beach Region

Joseph Penkala, Captain, U.S. Army

Mel Pollack, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Southwest/Broward Region

Robert Chilmonik, USMCR

Thomas Corbitt, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Chuck McLaughlin, USMC

Dr. Donald Richards, Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)

John Sykes, First Lieutenant, USMC

Charles Sues, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Thomas G. Unsworth, Staff Sergeant, USAF

South Florida Region

Joe Martory, Petty Officer Second Class, USN (Ret.)

Frank Penela, U.S. Army