"I get a big boost just knowing that although I have now been retired for 17 years, my efforts up in Iceland, to this day, are still saving lives.” - Conrad, MSgt, USAF ‘82- ‘04, Resident of Air Force Academy Military Communities

Conrad served in the Air Force and fondly recalls his assignment at the 56th Rescue Squadron at Keflavik Iceland from 1992 to 1994. During his time at this station, Conrad was tasked with repairing four Jolly Green rescue helicopters, one at a time due to a limited number of maintenance resources on the island.  

He spent his time slowly growing relationships with item managers in the U.S. and ensured a fully stocked bench by the end of his term. Conrad later discovered that everyone was saved by his unit due to his long-standing effort to keep repairs running smoothly and well-stocked at the Keflavik station. 

“As a veteran of the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, I’m reminded about the sacrifices that all veterans have made for this country to protect our freedoms.” — Larry, U.S. Army Military Police Corps, ‘86-’96.

 Larry served as a part of the U.S. Army Military Corps for 10 years. He feels forever impacted by his role during his active duty in Panama, helping other police officers to re-establish peace, and to train new police officers in the area. To this day, Larry feels a sense of accomplishment, knowing that he played a crucial part during his mission. Larry now serves as Post Commander for the American Legion, and feels an even deeper appreciation for veterans serving abroad to protect the U.S. and its liberties.

“Do the right thing when nobody’s looking” - Jim Curtis, U.S. Marine Corps, ‘80 -’07, National Director of Maintenance & Safety of Hunt Military Communities 

Jim Curtis has a story of his own to share! During his active years, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps for over 27 years as a Master Gunnery Sergeant and retired in 2007.

After his retirement from the Marine Corps, Jim knew he wanted to continue dedicating his life to helping the U.S. Military —particularly with military families. That’s why he decided to work for Hunt Military Communities. His personal mission is to continue helping families in the best way he can and to foster meaningful connections with fellow service members in his day-to-day operations.

“What serving means to me is pride, honor and integrity. My service is a part of my life I am exceptionally proud of.” - Bonnie, U.S. Navy Reserve, ‘93 - ‘14, Resident of Mid-South Family Housing Community

Bonnie grew up surrounded by the Navy; Her dad had served 23 years of submarine service and had retired a Chief Petty Officer. She was always in awe of how the other Sailors called her father “Chief.”  

David Cuff, a World War II veteran and grandfather to Mandy, an employee at  Hunt Military Communities, still has vivid memories of his service in the U.S. Air Force. 

To read more about David’s amazing story of service, check out his feature in the Stoughton Courier Hub here: https://bit.ly/3m1v9Cb

“Serving our country and supporting our military families has been a satisfying and rewarding opportunity.” — Jeff and Joe Mueller , U.S. Air Force, Retired 

Jeff and Joe Mueller remember when they first enlisted with the U.S. Air Force in 1976, and celebrated their 18th birthday together during basic training. Both brothers traveled to various bases across the U.S during their storied careers — Jeff eventually served 12 years of active duty split over two rounds in the U.S. Air Force as a part of the civil engineering squadron, while Joe dedicated 20 years of active service in the U.S. Air Force in the Missile Maintenance Squadron. 

The Mueller brothers can distinctly remember a moment of tension in their family: in 1980, news broke of a missile silo explosion with reported injuries and one death in Damascus, AR, where Joe was stationed at the time. With little to no means of communication between family members, the Mueller Family sat in uncertainty until finally hearing that Joe was uninjured and helping with the recovery efforts. 

After retiring from active duty, the Mueller brothers both knew their unique life experiences had prepared them to become a part of Hunt Military Communities. Jeff has worked for Hunt Military Communities for 14 years and is currently the Safety Director for Hunt Military Communities. Joe has worked for Hunt Military Communities for 8 years and is currently the Maintenance Supervisor at Navy Mid South. To this day, the Mueller brothers are proud to continue dedicating their lives to maintaining and supporting the safety of military families.

“I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the men and women of the United States Air Force, for whom I aspired to follow their lead.” - Henry, U.S. Air Force ‘68 - ‘72, Senior Project Manager with Hunt Military Communities. Henry grew up hearing stories about his father and three uncles’ service in the U.S. Military in WWII and remembers being enthralled by their missions in the Pacific Theater as he listened to their tales as a young boy. In the footsteps of his family members before him, Henry joined the U.S. Air Force in 1968. During his post at Tuy Hoa AB,RVN, Henry was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for his courage in combat. He has devoted 47 years to serving the country through active duty and military support and continues to dedicate his life as a Senior Project Manager with Hunt Military Communities.

Greg served in the United States Navy for four years aboard the USS Carl Vinson as an Aviation Ordnanceman. He now serves as the Maintenance Director at Barksdale Family Housing. Thank you, Greg, for your service and dedication to Hunt Military Communities!

“Serving our country was truly the highlight of my life and has made me the person I am today.”- Ken, USAF ’94-’14, Maintenance Director of Ohana Navy Family Housing Hawaii

Ken served in the United States Air Force as an Executive Flight Attendant, supporting our nation’s leaders, including presidents, vice presidents and congress members. During his 20 years of service, Ken traveled to six of the seven continents and more than 75 countries. 

Two days after the attacks on September 11, 2001, Ken assisted in transporting the FEMA director to New York City. He still recalls the eeriness of approaching the New York airspace and seeing the smoke billowing up from the site where so many innocent people lost their lives. This memory reminds him of why he dedicates his life to service.

Ken joined Hunt Military Communities to give back to the men and women who are currently serving our country by providing them and their families with a safe place to call home.

“Serving in the military is one of the best things a young man or woman could do. I truly believe that giving yourself for the benefit of others is priceless.” - Rodney, U.S. Air Force & Marine Corps

“I can’t listen to Pomp and Circumstance without melting. I have a deep connection with the military through my husband and my job.” — Kamron Ibarra, Training Manager at Hunt Military Communities. Kamron is no stranger to making service to this country a central part of her life. Kamron’s husband, John, is a U.S. Army veteran. John served as a Tanker and a Tank Commander for more than 26 years and was deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and twice in Korea during his active duty. Kamron has a very deep connection with the military, not only being married to a veteran but also through the work she does at Hunt Military Communities. As a Training Manager for HMC, Kamron is responsible for training more than 950 people across all positions. She takes pride in her hands-on approach to her work and her unique experiences as a military spouse helps her connect with many of HMC’s residents on a personal level.

“As a veteran, I believe my service in the Army has helped me to appreciate the opportunity and freedom we have in our country. ” — Dan, U.S. Army Reserve, Retired. Dan is grateful for the lessons he learned from serving in the U.S. Army Reserve — He learned to accept challenges and provide leadership in his job and home. He learned how to stand up for what he believes in. Most importantly, he learned to value his family, colleagues, and his country above his own needs.

Jack Tuttle joined the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and proudly served our country for 20 years before retiring as Gunnery Sergeant. Throughout his years of service, Jack was sent to several different countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In 1944, he was severely wounded in Saipan, Marianas Islands and was later awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his heroic actions in Saipan. As an expert marksman, Jack was assigned to travel all over the world to inspect and teach fellow Marine's how to use and repair flamethrowers. His final tour was spent in Thailand where he trained the Royal Thai Marines on weapons and warfare prior to the Vietnam War

“As a veteran myself I understand the sacrifices service members and their families make to protect America.” — Kevin, Community Director at Langley Family Housing. In his role, Kevin is often reminded of the diverse and storied lives of the veterans he serves. He can recall a memorable interaction with a resident, a Senior Master Sergeant, who had spent years in service as an Air Force Pararescueman. The resident shared moving stories of his time in active duty, including the times he had survived a helicopter crash and a facial bullet-wound during combat. Kevin remembers feeling awestruck by the Sergeant’s stories, and thanked him for his service. Kevin feels honored to be able to serve these service members and their families every day of his career.

Derrell D. Jordan proudly served in the United States Army as a Drill Sergeant, traveling overseas to Germany and Korea, and also serving stateside at Fort Dix, NJ. His daughter, Freddie Jordan James, is a Community Director at Keesler Family Housing and she is grateful that her father raised her the Army way. #30Days30Families #HMCProud

Colonel John Linn proudly served in the United States Air Force for 25 years, during the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. John's daughter, Adrianne, fondly remembers growing up as a military brat and moving around the country every few years and believes it molded her into the person she is today. Adrianne is now a part of the HMC family, working as a Community Director at Barksdale Family Housing, where she lived with her family three times while her father served. #30Days30Families #HMCProud

"I joined the Air Force in 1964. I was just 17 years old and the Vietnam War was on and joining and serving meant duty, honor, and bravery to me.”

Mike Whitelaw was in the 91st Bomb Wing. His proudest accomplishment in the USAF was receiving two Vietnam Service Medals for my Bomb Wings, two tours serving over Vietnam, and being awarded the Presidential Outstanding Unit Citation. He was also the only one in my Squadron who earned the Expert Marksman Award. Mike learned to be a Computer Programmer while in the Air Force. That experience and knowledge molded his future life. He worked for the U.S. government in the military and civil service for 36 years before proudly retiring as a GS-15 as the Director of the Army's Logistics Systems Support Center in St. Louis, Missouri, with more than 300 civilians and 150 contractors working for me. He continued to work as a government contractor for 13 more years before ending his 49 year career of government service in 2013. #30Days30Families #HMCProud

Kimberly Centers knew she wanted to serve her country because it was a family tradition that she so proudly wanted to carry on. After her grandfather and aunt had both served, Kimberly knew she wanted to carry that tradition out while doing something that made her country proud. One of her proudest moments was when she made Second Class Petty Officer after studying for months to make sure she did well on the test. The fondest memory she has is when she was stationed in Guam and her mom worked for a nursing home where all of the residents made her Christmas Cards from all of the neighboring facilities in different states and thanked her for her service.

Before joining HMC as a Maintenance Manager at Air Force Academy, Robert Ryman served for 10 years on the Abrams tanks. He was deployed to Bosnia and Korea before returning stateside and finishing his career as a recruiter in Anchorage, AK. Robert enjoys working with Hunt because he feels it enables him to give back to our troops #30Days30Families #HMCProud

“I am proud to have served in the United States Navy. It changed my life forever.” - Peter, U.S. Navy ‘65-’67

In October 1965, 21-year-old Peter was drafted by the U.S. military during the height of the Vietnam War —  he decided to join the Navy, where he served for two years.  

Some of Peter’s most vivid memories of his time in the Navy were of the connections he made with fellow draftees, as they were put through an accelerated boot camp of only five weeks against the average 18-week program. He remembers the pride he felt as he listened to Anchors Away at his graduation day. 

Immediately after boot camp, Peter was stationed at Naval Degaussing Station in Charleston, SC., where he remained for the full two years. To this day, Peter is grateful for the camaraderie he built with his fellow base members, and the chance to earn his bachelor's degree before the end of his service. 

Of all of the opportunities, however, he is most grateful for the chance to meet someone who would become his future wife: a Charleston native living nearby the base. After active duty, they remained in South Carolina to start a family and they now have two sons who have since begun to grow families of their own. 

Gary Moore served in the United States Air Force for 29 years before joining HMC as a Maintenance Manager at Barksdale Family Housing. During his years of service, Gary traveled all over the world, from Western Europe to Southeast Asia. Gary is proud to have served among some of America’s best doing things that helped keep our country safe. His experience in the USAF allowed him to amass many “old war stories,” some of which he enjoys sharing with friends and colleagues when the opportunity presents itself. #30Days30Families #HMCProud

Even at a young age, Nancy Tillman wasn't sure which direction her life was going to take but she knew that she had to do something to make her daughter proud! When she walked into the first open office door at a recruiting station, she never looked back. It was in the army that Nancy found her direction and passion in life. 

"The Army taught me that everything is possible and I’m as strong as I push myself to be." Nancy's daughter grew up traveling the world with her and experienced an education in Baumholder Germany at a DOD school and even learning German. By the end of her career Nancy had three beautiful children and a ChowChow pup! All her children grew up living on Military bases and housing and now her daughter, Freddie Jordan James, is part of the Hunt Housing Community at Keesler Air Force Base serving as Community Director #30Days30Families #HMCProud

Ian Lange never thought he'd be interested in joining the Navy, even though he grew up exposed to that lifestyle, as his father was a Naval Academy graduate who served for 30 years. He joined the Navy ROTC in order to attend a university of his choice and it was then that he realized how much he enjoyed being a part of something so wonderful. Armed with an engineering degree, Ian went on to serve with the Civil Engineer Corps for 20 years. 

Ian's fondest memories from his time in the military include the comradery and friendships he shared with his shipmates. His proudest moment was meeting his wife while stationed in Long Beach, CA, and raising their family together while moving together to duty stations around the globe.

Ian highly recommends military service to anyone eligible, noting that what you learn and experience while serving your country in the military cannot be replicated in any other existing workplace environment. Ian now serves as Regional Director of Maintenance at Ohana Military Communities. Thank you, Ian, for your years of service #30days30families #HMCProud

Patrick Scott proudly served in the USAF for 12 years before joining the property management team at HMC. For Patrick, serving in the USAF was an experience he will never forget. It was a journey that took him to unbelievable places. It taught him the value of what is precious in life: freedom and family. He recounts his service as a humbling experience. Patrick believes his connection to the military brought him full circle to join the property management team with Hunt Companies, fueling his desire to serve those who now serve our country to keep and maintain our freedoms. #30Days30Families #HMCProud

The Fuentes brothers exemplify the spirit of service and sacrifice that make our soldiers so heroic. David Fuentes (top left) was the eldest of 16 children and the first to enlist in the USMC. All eight of his younger brothers followed in his footsteps and enlisted in a branch of the armed forces. Thank you David, Ezequiel, Israel, Richard, Ismael, Rudy, Alfonso, Enrique, and Marcos for your dedication, service and commitment to our country. #30days30families #HMCproud

Dreamer Wood, Community Manager at Barksdale Family Housing, had the privilege of growing up as a military brat. With both her father and brother serving in the USMC, Dreamer believes her core values were instilled by being a military child: strength, understanding, respect, compassion, flexibility and most importantly, family #30Days30Families #HMCProud

Sergeant Fabian Eloy Rios Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, was called to service during the Vietnam War. It would go without saying that any veteran, regardless of their branch or what era they served in, possesses a strong sense of devotion to their nation. This is something that was evident with Sergeant Rios, who continued to stand for his country’s flag even when the toll of his illness made it physically unbearable to do so. In 1967, he was drafted and called to service, and trained for three short weeks in Fort Polk, LA, before getting sent off to Chu Lai and then trekking into the heart of Vietnam. Despite being stricken by fear and uncertainty, he accepted his responsibility to answer his nation’s call, being subjected to the trials and tribulations of being a soldier during his years of deployment. He toiled through the dense jungles of Vietnam, and survived the Tet Offensive, returning home in 1969 to a changed nation. Sergeant Rios knew that freedom isn’t free; it comes at the expense of the sacrifice and perseverance of those who see it a worthy endeavor to defend it. Even after experiencing the tragedy of war, he always expressed that he would gladly do it all again, because there was nothing that he wouldn’t do for his country.