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This is our sister site ThinkAdvisor's annual version of theAdvisors Who Serve(d) compilation, and this year we highlight thestories, told in their own words, of 14 veterans in the advisoryworld. You may recognize some of the advisors as they were also onMemorial Day's version; for this version we added three newadvisors.

Advisors Who Serve(d) is just that: Financial advisors who haveserved or are serving in the military. Each of our compilationshave debuted over Memorial Day weekend and been repeated on July4th and Veterans Day. ThinkAdvisor understands that Memorial Day ismeant for those who have died in battle serving in the military notjust for anyone who has served, which is Veterans Day, or for thoseactively serving, Armed Forces Day.

ThinkAdvisor initially chose Memorial Day because it's when mostAmericans focus on the military and therefore would give the extraattention to what we feel is an important compilation ofstories.

Sheri Rhoades

Title/Company: Vice President, Penn MutualInsurance Company

Branch: US Navy

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Yeoman 1st Class

Service Dates:  1981 – 1989

Work you did: Yeoman, Administrativeposition leading business offices

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: The story that stands outmost profoundly happened during boot camp. The barracks were justas you would see in the movies, two rows of metal bunk beds housing80 females. Our days were full of activities that required us to beaway from the barracks most of the time, and yet keeping thebarracks perfectly neat was critical. Before leaving each morningwe would be inspected to ensure everything was in order.

One day after a particularly long day we returned to thebarracks to find that everything in the room had been tossed about.Clothing, sheets, pillows, mattresses … everything. It was totalchaos. Our leaders (Company Commanders) were furious and let usknow that the place must be put back together in 2 hours. And theywould be back to inspect. I still remember the feeling: Panic. Howcould we possibly clean this up in that amount of time?

At this point the natural leaders begin to emerge coming up withrecommendations of how to tackle the overwhelming situation. Within30 minutes we had a system and the group worked together to executethe plan, adjusting the plan when necessary. The approach we tookwas assigning "squads" to a particular item. One grabbed all themattresses and returned them to the bed. One grabbed all the shirtsand threw them into one big pile. As squads finished their workthey would join others to finish their task. At the end there wassuch a sense of pride that we were able to tackle the mess, passthe inspection, and really began to ACT like a team.

The lesson our leaders wanted us to learn was about teamwork,and this exercise obviously accomplished that, including themindset necessary to tackle big problems. How do you eat anelephant? One bite at a time.

Cale P. Smith

Title/Company: Managing Partner, Penn MutualSouth

Branch: US Army, Louisiana NationalGuard

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  E1 Private to E5 Sergeant

Service Dates:  1989 – 2003

Work you did: Combat Medic, RetentionNCO

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: I felt a powerful sense ofpride while serving and defending our country during my DesertStorm service, but one of my favorite memories was serving my localcommunity. While facing an oncoming Category 5 hurricane in 1994,my National Guard unit was tasked with evacuating nursing homes inSouth Louisiana's flood prone areas. Loading elderly citizens intoa deuce and a half, in their wheelchairs and hospital beds, andoffering strength and security to calm their anxieties, I havenever felt more of a service to the elder generation.

James R. Cote

Title/Company: Financial Advisor, ConcordWealth Management

Branch: US Marines

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Entered in 1975 as a Private, and left in1995 as a First Sergeant

Service Dates:  1975 – 1995

Work you did: First Sergeant/SeniorStaff Roles

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: My story involves myintroduction to new types of food. Entering the Marines throughParris Island I was about to experience changes in my diningexperience. A couple of highlights as I adapted to my new mealoptions.

First, involved eating a food from another part of the US.Coming from the Northeast in 1975 we had an extremely limitedexperience with Mexican foods. Leaving the chow hall one day, afellow recruit asked if me if I was unusually hungry that day;responding "No, why." I was surprised to learn what a Tamale was,and then secondly that these Tamales were wrapped within wax paper.Down it went, paper and all. My 2nd experience in the chow hall wasa few weeks later when we were served up some fried food. The samerecruit, obviously amused by my eating style asked again after afried meal if we were extra hungry. I replied negative, and thistime I was surprised to learn I had eaten the tail of the friedshrimp. Having never had this type of fried food, I just ateeverything in sight. I learned to ask before eating if I had aquestion of what was on the plate.

Audree L. Begay, CFP

Title/Company: Private Wealth Advisor /Ameriprise Financial

Branch: US Army

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Private 1st Class, ended as 1stLieutenant

Service Dates:  1993 – 1999

Work you did: Communicationsspecialist for 200

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: One of my fondest memorieswas during a field exercise as a new soldier, our entire fieldhospital loaded up and drove from Fort Hood, Texas to Fort Polk,Louisiana, to perform a mock wartime field simulation. During theconvoy to our destination, as we would pass through many smalltowns on the way, I could not help being so proud to serve ourcountry, as children and adults of all ages would line the streetsas we drove past just to wave at us and show their pride in ourcountry and our service. Serving as an inspiration to others toprotect and serve our country is something I will neverforget.

Brandon Lovell 

Title/Company: Financial Advisor / EdwardJones

Branch: US Navy Reserve

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Fireman Recruit – Chief Petty Officer(current)

Service Dates:  2001 – Present

Work you did: Amphibious ConstructionBattalion – One, Torpedo Weapons Retriever 821, USS San Jacinto,Costal Riverine Squadron, Small Boat Detachment-USNS Trenton

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: . I am currently afinancial advisor and Navy reservist, and it has been an honor toserve in both capacities. Just three months ago, I returned from aneleven-month overseas deployment.

At the end of 2017, I received a phone call at my office fromthe Navy informing me that I was being "involuntarily recalled" toactive duty for a year-long deployment overseas. The emotionsstarted flooding in. Before transferring to the Navy Reserve Icompleted 10 years of active duty and a number of deployments, butthis time it was different. How would my wife and kids react? Whatwould my clients think? How would my firm and my branch officeadministrator handle the news, and how would they operate thebranch over the next year without me?

However, I knew that this is why I was here as a member of thearmed services — to answer the call to serve when called upon, asso many have done before me. The next year was one of the mostdifficult years in my life, as I left behind a business, my wife,and my four kids. However, it was also one of the most rewardingexperiences in my life. My firm, my clients, and friends supportedmy family and I in so many ways. It was amazing to see the love andsupport that I received from all of them while I was gone. Itreaffirmed my love for both of these careers. Additionally, I washonored to lead an amazing group of sailors into harm's way, andsuccessfully carry out the missions our nation asked of us. I amforever grateful, to all the people at my firm, and my clients whomade this past year a success. It has made me a better Leader,Financial Advisor, Husband and Father.

Carl Kunhardt  

Title/Company: Wealth Advisor / Quest CapitalManagement, Inc.

Branch: US Marines

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Private (E-1). Major (O-4)

Service Dates:  1977 – 2003

Work you did: Attack HelicopterCommander, Forward Air Controller, Air Traffic Controller

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: In 1987, my FAC team was heli-dropped at the summitof an Italian forest to control supporting air. At the conclusion,we force marched to battalion command post, about 1 mile (directline of site). In reality, it turned about to be closer to 5-6miles because of 2-3 additional summits between us and commandpost. The entire route was through thorn briars!

At the third summit, the last between us and command, was alarge clearing. We looked at the clearing with relief, thinking wecould get out of the thorns. As we approached the clearing, wenoted a single bull, who clearly was not in a mood to share hisclearing with us. After being charged at three times … andretreating back into the thorns, we circumvented the clearing. Wearrived at the command post about 5 hours after starting, over fourhours longer than we were expected to arrive. We arrived with allour uniforms shredded, with countless cuts bleeding trying toexplain why we were chased off a hill by a bull. Not as funny atthe time as it sounds now

Jeffrey W. McClure

Title/Company: President and CEO / The PersonalWealth Coach

Branch: US Army

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  2LT – CPT(P)

Service Dates:  1971 – 1983

Work you did: Armor, Armored Cavalry,Combat Aviation, Military Intelligence

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime:  While stationed inUnterfranken (Northern Bavaria) in Germany, our family developedclose relationships with German locals that have endured now formore than 40 years. Our lives and theirs were forever changed as wegrew to know each other as people.

Abigail Rosen

Title/Company: Partner and Wealth Advisor /RegentAtlantic

Branch: US Navy

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Ensign, Lieutenant

Service Dates:  1999 – 2005

Work you did: Surface Warfare Officer,Navigator, Weapons Officer, Force Protection Officer

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: My first ship, the USS LaSalle (AGF 3), was theSixth Fleet Command ship and was based out of Gaeta, Italy. We werein port Gaeta when 9/11 happened. We immediately were required toget underway and that meant leaving a lot of unfinished business athome. I remember vividly the sense of community of the localItalians and Americans pulling together to support us.

Jeffrey Blum

Title/Company: Vice President, Investments /Raymond James

Branch: US Air Force

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  A1C – Sgt

Service Dates:  1982 – 1986

Work you did: Aerial Recon

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Flew 83 combat missions and received four AirMedals. Received a Letter of Commendation from the Commander forintercepting a MIG -25 targeting us while on a mission near Libya.Due to our action we were able to get out of harm's way intime.

Frank Cape

Title/Company: President / Cape FinancialGroup

Branch: US Air Force

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Airman to Sergeant

Service Dates:  1978 – 1983

Work you did: Bomb-bay on the B52

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime:  No one person stands outthe most to me. I had joined the Air Force after flunking out ofcollege. The Air Force turned my life around where I found my wifein Minot, North Dakota, and went on to get my degree. Had I notjoined the service I am not sure where I would be. I extended forone year so I served five years.

Richard Bergeron

Title/Company: Financial Consultant / MCBFinancial Services

Branch: US Army

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Private First Class to Major

Service Dates:  1983 – 1998

Work you did: Officer, Field Artilleryand Signal Corps

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Serving as a Captain in charge of communications andcoordination for an M1A1 armored battalion deployed from Europe toOperation Desert Storm, it was 8:05 AM local time on February 28th,1991 and my unit was positioned on the northern border between Iraqand Kuwait. Though we were aware that a cease-fire had been called,we had not yet heard anything official. It was at that moment thatI turned on my short wave radio (a Christmas gift from my family)to the BBC and heard President George H. W. Bush addressing theworld and sharing the great news that the war was over and ourobjectives had been met. The emotions that rushed through me as Ilooked to the east and saw tremendous destruction and the oil wellsburning was quite memorable even to this day over 28 yearslater.

Randall R. Wall

Title/Company: Owner/Manager / Penn CoveFinancial, LLC

Branch: US Navy

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Seaman, Chief Petty Officer

Service Dates:  1979 – 1998

Work you did: Electronics Technician,Command Financial Specialist

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: Rather than share a story, I'd like to remind youthat Memorial Day is about honoring those who paid the ultimateprice. This piece would better be done on Veteran's Day.

Chung Wong

Title/Company: Branch Manager / Raymond JamesFinancial Services, Inc.

Branch: US Army

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Sergeant E-5

Service Dates:  1986 – 2001

Work you did: Aircraft Electrician,Paratrooper

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime:  As a veteran and businessman from Jupiter,Florida, I was selected to participate in the tribute honoring the75th anniversary of D-Day, which took place June 6, 1944. I believeit's the opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of history andhonor the brave soldiers of the D-Day invasion. This June, amassive tribute will take place in the skies over Normandy, France,and I'll be among 250 paratroopers from around the world selectedto participate in Daks Over Normandy, which will recreate thejourney and harrowing mission of paratroopers for the D-Dayinvasion.

I'll travel to the United Kingdom on May 30, where I'll connectwith fellow participants, then a few days later board one of 35C-47's to cross the English Channel and ultimately recreate thehistoric D-Day jump into Normandy. During the tribute, paratrooperswill be dressed in World War II style uniforms. Having theopportunity to participate in this tribute is an incredible honor.The paratroopers – and all of the soldiers who were part of D-Day –gave so much for our country, with too many making the ultimatesacrifice. It is important that we honor them and remind the worldwhat the greatest generation did to protect our freedom.

I enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating high school in1986, and was a paratrooper with the XVIII (18th) Airborne Corps,serving in the Persian Gulf War in 1990-91. Given that it has beenmore than 25 years since I served as a paratrooper, I've beentraining at the National Parachute Testing Center in Dunnellon,Florida, with over 100 fellow paratroopers from around theworld.

Dennis Bailey

Title/Company: Investment Representative/RetireWell

Branch: US Army

Rank held at beginning of service and atend:  Lieutenant

Service Dates:  1971 – 1973

Work you did: Adjutant GeneralCorp

Brief story that stands out from your servicetime: The Army has acronyms for almost everything. Duringmy basic training, at Fort Knox, Kentucky, I did something that theDrill Sergeant didn't like. I don't remember what I did but almost48 years later I still remember what he yelled at me one inch frommy face! He screamed "Bailey! I'm going to hit you in the head witha BFR! I screamed back "what is a BFR Drill Sergeant!? He replied"a big f***ing rock!"

(Check out ThinkAdvisor's AdvisorsWho Serve(d) page to read stories by advisors fromprevious years.)