Vernis & Bowling celebrates Veterans Day

Vernis & Bowling celebrates Veterans Day by honoring our staff members and their immediate families who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

Andrew Bray (Attorney/Department Head), US Army, Staff Sergeant. Andrew was recently selected to serve as Board Secretary of the Green Beret Foundation. This organization provides Special Forces Soldiers and their families with emergency, immediate, and ongoing support.
James W. Bowling (Attorney/Founder), US Army and US Air Force Intelligence, Corporal.

Brenda Casten (Paralegal), son, Sergeant Matthew Casten is currently serving in the US Army.
Jacqie Montgomery (Director of Compliance, Efficiency and Training), her father Robert Eddy was in the US Navy and served during the Korean War.
Rick Bouker, spouse of Tammy Bouker (National Director of Client Services), US Air Force, Senior Airman. Rick was a photographic interpreter (he analyzed satellite images) for the National Intelligence Office.

Anthony Michael Stanko IV, spouse of Jennifer Stanko (Paralegal), US Air Force, Senior Airman
Wendy Valentine (Paralegal), spouse of US Army Specialist 4th Grade
Kellie Berg, (Legal Assistant) Widow of Air Force Sergeant, Shannon Jude Berg. Served 8 years and was considered a Cold War Veteran. Passed away 11/29/15 age 57 from complications from diabetes.
Hope Rising-Massaro (Paralegal), spouse served in the Navy on the USS John Hancock for five years and was an E-4 MS3 when he was honorably discharged.

William Kratochvil (Attorney), US Marines, Corporal
Shantel Jilani (Paralegal), father Fredrick “Joe” Young, was in the US Army, E-5, Specialist 5th Class. He served in Vietnam in flight operations, re-supplying the outlying locations in III and IV corps. areas with food, mail and ammunition. They were also responsible for transporting the replacement troops and picking up those returning home.

Leah Maurer (Law Clerk), United States Coast Guard, served active duty at USCG Station Islamorada, FL for 4 years. E-3 (FN Maurer), Enlisted

Kristina Foley (Paralegal), my father John Settle serviced with the US Army from 1973 through 1977. My dad’s rank was PV2. He drove 18 wheelers for the army delivering fuel to all the tankers. He was stationed Germany.

Jerry Sanders (Attorney), US Army Vet, 27 years of service including one year of combat in Vietnam and two deployments in the Middle East, retired at permanent grade of Colonel, 0-6. Military Specialty was Judge Advocate General’s Corps. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with the oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal and numerous service and campaign medals.
Irene Kerns (Paralegal), father & son both served in the Marine Corps; MSgt William F. Festing, Jr., USMC, Retired (my father) who served in WWI and Korea and Corporal James M. Kerns (my son) who is also a decorated Iraq war veteran.

Len Hackett (Managing Attorney), Lieutenant, US Army, participated in and was decorated for his performance during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
Howard Rothwell (Paralegal), served in the US Army in Vietnam. Discharged in 1972 as a Specialist 5, E-5.

Joseph Shakibanasab (Attorney), served as a Corporal in the Marine Corps Reserves.
Victoria Randall (Paralegal), father was US Marine 1st Sgt. Victor J. Schwartz, Jr. He served in the Korean War, the Vietnam War and in peacetime as a recruiter, instructor and organizer for the Toys for Tots program.

Jeff Raasch (Attorney, Department Head), served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps from 1983 to 1988. I was an attorney who Court-Martialed Air Force members at Langley Field in VA for two years and spent three years doing the same thing at Hahn Air Base, West Germany attached to a NATO/German fighter wing.
Ashley Maconeghy (Attorney), husband, Sgt. Devin K. Maconeghy (Sergeant E-5), US Marines.
Tekla McPhee (Paralegal), served in the Navy from 1979-1999. My tour included: Boot camp in Orlando, FL, YN”A” School in Meridian, MS, Mt. Clemens, MI, Chief of Naval Reserve/Chief of Naval Surface Reserve, New Orleans, LA, Naval Air Station Alameda, Alameda, CA, SIMA San Francisco, Alameda, CA, Naval Reserve Center, Terre Haute, IN, Retired from Naval Air Station Atlanta. At the time of my retirement YN1.
Patty Bakmaz (Regional Director of Client Services), father was a WWII Vet as well of most of my uncles. They served in the Army, Air Force and Marines.
Dean Gunnells (Paralegal), I was in the Navy NJROTC (Petty Officer) for several years including the gun team, color guard and academic team.