Honoring All Those Who Have Served on Veterans Day | Boyd & Jenerette, P.A.
November 11, 2021 by boydjenerette on News
On behalf of Boyd & Jenerette, we would like to pay tribute on this Veterans Day to the attorneys and administrative team members who have served our country with the profiles included in this article. We are very grateful for the sacrifices they have made, and we thank them for protecting our freedoms.
Honoring those who serve and have served our country is a priority at Boyd & Jenerette. Many of our firm’s members come from a family of service, which are also deserving of our gratitude and recognition for the unique challenges, resilience, and dedication.
With honor, respect, and gratitude to all our veterans, whether home or abroad, active duty, reserves or retired, we say thank you!
About Veterans Day
Veteran’s Day was originally called Armistice Day. Although World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, an armistice agreement was reached between the WW I Allies and Germany to end the fighting approximately eight months earlier on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. WW I was a multinational effort so many countries also celebrate their own veterans on November 11. The name of the day and how it is celebrated differs still though and many countries refer to it as Remembrance Day. Veteran’s day is not the same as Memorial Day. Memorial Day is designated to remember those who have lost their lives for our country and particularly those who died in battle or from wounds suffered in battle. Veterans Day honors all of those who have served our country in war or peace and whether alive or deceased.
Members of Boyd & Jenerette - Veterans, Active Duty Military, and Family
Nick McKenney, an attorney in our Savannah office, proudly served in the United States Army from 1998 to 2004. He was honorably discharged as an E-5 (Sergeant). During his time in the military, he was awarded two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, Korea Defense Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon.
Robert McManus, the firm’s IT Director, proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1985 to 1989. He was honorably discharged as a Non-Commissioned Officer (Sergeant). Robert’s job was Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Specialist, also known as a Crew Chief. He was the Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief for F-16 78-0090 assigned to the 311th Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Luke Air Force Base, Phoenix AZ.
Eric Stull, a legal assistant in our Orlando office, along with his father, Paul Stull are United States Army Veterans. Eric served in the Army from 2012 to 2021 and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal 2d Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army NCO Professional Development, Army Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, Overseas Service Ribbon, Operation Spartan Shield, Expert Badge Rifle M16, Expert Badge Hand Grenade, and Expert Badge Machine Gun.
His father, Paul Stull served in the Army from 1978 to 1984 when he was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant. During his time in the military, he was awarded the Expert Badge Rifle M16, Expert Badge Hand Grenade, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Korea Defense Service Medal.
Eric’s brother, SSG Jacob Stull is active-duty United States Air Force. He joined the Air Force in 2009 and has been awarded the Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, USAF NCO PME Graduate Ribbon, BMT Honor Graduate, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with Oak Leaf.
Adrian "Robbie" Robertson, grandfather of legal assistant Karlee Gordon, served as Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corp from 1958 to 1969, coming from a family of 12 siblings who had all served or dedicated their lives to the military. Tragically, in 1967, his entire platoon was attacked by Vietnam troops, making Adrian one of the only survivors. He was presumed dead and Marine Corp officials informed his wife of his passing that same day.
A few days later, he called his wife from a Vietnamese hospital to inform her that he was, in fact, still alive. He was shot once through the back and once through his leg, received two Purple Heart medals, and was medically discharged in 1969. After being a proud veteran for 47 years, he passed away in 2016.
Breanna Hunter, Human Resources Specialist in the firm’s Jacksonville office, is proud to honor her grandfather, Robert Cleon Hilton.
He was born in 1938 and passed away in 2011. Robert served in the United States Navy from 1955 to 1957 when he was honorably discharged at the rank of Airman. He spent time stationed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid as an aviation metalsmith.
Tara Crosby, a paralegal in the firm’s Orlando office, honors her father’s status as a veteran of the United States Army and soldier of active combat in Korea. His name is Marvin Bortnick (1933-2015) and he is interred at the South Florida National Cemetery.
Linda Odom, a paralegal in the firm’s Jacksonville office, honors her father-in-law, William Eugene Guy, M.D. (Gene), who recently passed away August 23, 2021. After he graduated from Cocoa Beach High School in 1968, Gene joined the U.S Army where he served with the 1st Division Infantry, The Big Red One.
During his two tours he met and married his wife Kim Tu and started a family. For his actions during combat he received multiple honors, including the Bronze Star. Following his honorable discharge, he was able to complete his education and began practicing medicine in 1982. In the early 1990’s, he returned to serving his country as a Captain in the National Guard’s Medical Corp. Returning from Saudi Arabia, he resumed family medicine until retiring in 2020.
Benjamin Holmes, marketing coordinator in the firm’s Jacksonville office, is proud and honored of his father Stephen Holmes’ status as a veteran.
Stephen served for 24 years in the United States Navy as a Medical Service Corps Officer from 1975 to 1999, and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was deployed four times with most of that time stationed aboard the USS Saratoga during the Persian Gulf War as Hospital Administrator.
Paralegal Lisa Bates’ husband, Retired Corporal Jeffrey Bates, served in the United States Army from 2009 to 2014.
He was a wheeled vehicle mechanic with a 12-month tour of duty on the Eastern Afghanistan border in 2010 to 2011.
Attorney Marisa O'Connor's mother, Margaret Leigh O'Connor served in the United States Navy Reserves from 1964 to 1968. She was stationed at NAS Dallas Texas.
Margaret was an E3 (Hospital Corpsman), who gave shots/immunizations to Marines before they deployed to Vietnam.
Partner, Suzanne Villa’s husband, Captain Jiancarlo (call sign Pancho) Villa, served in the US Navy over 30 years from 1987 until 2018. Jiancarlo enlisted in the military at the age of 17 where he worked as a Nuclear Machinist mate. With goals of becoming an officer, Jiancarlo was accepted into the BOOST program, a program that gives scholarships to enlisted persons to attend college, with the goal of getting a commission as an officer in the Navy. Jiancarlo was sent to Jacksonville University, where he majored in Marine Biology, graduated in 1993 and was commissioned as an Officer in the Navy.
Jiancarlo rose through the ranks quickly as a Naval Flight Officer and mission commander on the P3 Orion. Jiancarlo was sent to the Naval War College in Rhode Island where he received a Master’s degree in Strategic Planning in 2003. Throughout his career, Jiancarlo has flown missions over Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa. He also flew drug interdiction missions over the Caribbean. Jiancarlo was the Commander of VP-8 (the Fighting Tigers) at NAS Jacksonville in 2010. Jiancarlo retired as a Captain in 2018.
His awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Air Medals (Strike/Flight), Navy Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other campaign medals and unit awards.
He currently is the Naval portfolio manager for Aptima, Inc., an engineering firm that specializes in the artificial intelligence (AI) – human connection, maximizing human performance in mission critical environments. Suzanne and Jiancarlo have three boys, Mateo (age 23), Marcos (age 20) and Antonio (age 17).
Associate attorney Kelly Gillis’ husband, Lieutenant Commander Richard Gillis, is currently serving in the United States Navy. Richard attended the Naval Academy from 2005 to 2009, then continued on to flight school in Pensacola, FL.
Following flight school, he went on to fly H-60s and transitioned to C-130s in 219, which is what he currently flies. He is stationed at NAS Jax. Kelly and her husband have two kids, Bennett (age 2) and Reagan (age 5) who he usually gets to facetime with even when he’s on deployment.
James D. Hanapel, son of Kim Hanapel, a paralegal in our Jacksonville office, is currently active duty in the United States Air Force in Security Forces.
James joined the Air Force in January 2020 and is currently stationed in South Dakota.
Robert E. “Bo” Schrader, IV, son of Bobby Schrader, a shareholder in our Jacksonville office, is currently active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
Bo graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2021. While on active-duty status, he is currently obtaining his master’s degree at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
