In honor of Independence Day, we're pleased to present ThinkAdvisor's 13th annual Advisors Who Serve(d) compilation, highlighting stories of veterans in the advisory world, told in their own words.
Paul D. Babaz
Title/company: Managing Director-Investments/Oppenheimer & Co.
Branch: U.S. Army
Rank held at beginning of service and at end: Specialist
Service dates: 1989-1996
Work you did: UH1 Crewchief (Medvac)
Brief story that stands out from your service time: There are so many stories to relay, but one memory I have while deployed was visiting a school for orphans, and I always remember this one little girl whom I gave a Hershey bar. She kept coming back, looking for another Hershey bar. Visiting those kids was a welcome distraction at the time, but looking back I always wished I could have done more for her and the other children.
David Brown
Title/company: Investment Advisor & Founder/Magellan Wealth Advisors
Branch: U.S. Air Force Reserve and active duty
Rank held at beginning of service and at end: Airman Basic/Major and Navigator
Service dates: 1979–2008
Work you did: Pilot, navigator on C-130s
Brief story that stands out from your service time: This photo was taken on our first combat mission into Iraq. Due to the secret nature of our mission, we did know why we were there. After about 20 minutes with our ramp and door open and engines running, a bunch of Navy Seals boarded our plane.
We weren't prepared for troops as no seats were down. They didn't care. They just laid on the floor and immediately fell asleep, as they were obviously exhausted. We took them to a secret airbase, and the welcoming party for these guys was exceptional. Hundreds of troops were there to greet them with high fives and hugs. I thought they must've done something "pretty cool."
When we landed back at our base, we learned a POW, Jessica Lynch, was just rescued. I thought that was fantastic, still not realizing that we were a part of that operation. The "clue light" went on the next day when we were told "nice job." That was a rewarding mission, along with ones when we would evacuate wounded troops. It was an honor to serve.
Gary J. Curry
Title/company: Financial Advisor/Raymond James & Associates
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Rank held at beginning of service and at end: Recruit/Lance Corporal
Service dates: 2001-2005
Work you did: Communications, Field Radio Officer
Brief story that stands out from your service time: My introduction to "thrashing" happened to me on Day 2 of basic training ... not as a spectator but as the subject of the thrashing! Yes, I was the very first person in my squad to be thrashed. To add some context: In the military we use the term thrashing as a form of verbal and/or physical correction. The physical form of thrashing usually ends in a pool of sweat!
After being up a day and a half straight getting processed in basic training, we got our barracks and bunks squared away, meaning everything is tidy and neatly put together in our footlockers. The footlockers were neatly placed by our bunks with all of our gear in them.
To this point, other than lack of sleep, things are going fairly calm. We were outside of the barracks getting briefed by our senior drill instructor and as we entered the barracks one of the other drill instructors had gone through the barracks like a hurricane throwing the footlockers across the room, and flipping bunks!
As we entered, our faces dropped when saw the disaster, ALL of the drill instructors starting yelling and telling us we have two minutes to get everything back in order! WHOA!! In panic mode, all of us are running around tripping over each other trying to gather our things and put them back in place. It was insane!
When our two minutes were up, we all had to line up at our bunks and footlockers. With all the haste, chaos and confusion, we managed to get everything pretty much back in place. Well, almost. The drill instructor held up a single canteen, and says to the squad, Who's canteen is this?
My heart dropped because it was mine. As I hesitantly confessed that it was mine, the drill instructor begin to thrash me, rapidly yelling and repeating to me to do pushups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, run in place over and over again! He proceeded to do this for what felt like an eternity. Needless to say, by the time it was over I was in a pool of sweat and the rest of the squad was terrified. At that moment, Marine Corps bootcamp begin!
