“These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman.” - Abigail Adams

David is a Navy veteran that spent his service time with the Naval Construction Battalions (Sesbees) from 1984-1989, homeported in Port Hueneme, California. He also served in the Naval Reserve from 2001-2003 with the Reserve Seabees Battalion out of Detroit, Michigan. He came to North Carolina to advance his career in prosthetics and orthotics and has special interest in assisting veterans of all ages with regaining their mobility and understanding their rights and benefits under the VA guidelines. Before joining Post 539, he served as the Finance Officer for Post 43 in Kinston, NC. David is married to Eloisa and they have six children and two grandchildren.

Virginia is an Army Nurse Corps Veteran CPT (1993-1998) who served at Ft. Bragg Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and 28th CASH Port Au Prince, Haiti. Before military service, she was a licensed Practical Nurse and owner of a retail florist, and after the military, she served in health care management at what is now ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. After retiring from nursing, she owned Carolina Creations in downtown New Bern. Along with the American Legion, she is active in God & Country Christian Alliance, Twin Rivers Paddle Club, Sisters on the Fly, and Sisters Corps. Virginia is widowed with two married daughters and four grandchildren.

Dick served as a SSGT in the U.S. Army Headquarters and XVIII Airborne Corps, Ft. Bragg from 1960-1963 and also served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1964-1966. He is a founding member of Post 539 and has served for many years with the American Legion in various roles to include Commander American Legion Post 539, Vice Commander District 6, Commander District 6, Vice Commander District 9, Department of Internal Affairs, Department of Corporate Council, and Board of North Carolina Boys State. 

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Rachel is a 10-year Marine Corps veteran who served as a Satellite Communication Technician before spending three years as a recruiter in Dallas, TX. From New York, to Texas, to Eastern North Carolina, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her new husband and bonus daughter. She is wildly passionate about serving the community and if you'd like to start a new program or outreach, you can count on her to be there for support. Rachel currently resides in Newport, NC and is an active real estate agent/investor while also supporting Marine Corps Cherry Point FRC-East as a logistician. She is also involved in the Young Professionals of Craven County and the New Bern Military Alliance. 

Coming soon...

Coming Soon...

Chaplain Roberts entered the Army in February 1967 and after completing 24 weeks of Armor OCS, was commissioned a 2LT. He left active duty in June 1972 to attend Virginia Theological Seminary and after graduation, returned to Connecticut to serve two churches and work for the Admissions Dept. at West Point. His military awards include Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Award, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal. Chaplain Roberts is married to Mary Lamar Simpson and together they have two children and seven grandchildren. He retired in 2004 and currently resides in New Bern with his wife.

Destry is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief with over 30 years of dedicated service. He served as an Aviation Maintenance Technician with experience on the Sikorsky H-60 helicopter and the Dassault HU-25 Falcon jet, and accumulated over 2,000 flight hours as a dropmaster conducting law enforcement and SAR missions throughout the Pacific NW, SW Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Central America. Destry is the former President of the Chief Petty Officer Association (CPOA) Elizabeth City Chapter and is a current member of the Crystal Coast CPOA Chapter. He currently resides in New Bern and is the President and Co-founder of Triphibian Aerospace & Leadership Academy.

Ed is a retired Army veteran who has been serving our community for many years. This service includes the Employment Security Commission, Veterans Employment Consultant (Ret.), New Bern Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the New Bern Military Alliance Board of Directors. He is also a lifetime member of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. 

Dave is a native of Minnesota and joined the Marine Corps in 1963. After 27 years of active duty, which included two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, he and his wife Kathy settled in New Bern. He has been active in the community serving on the Green Briar GPOA Board, co-chairing the 2017 Purple Heart Dinner, and serving on the 2020 visiting Vietnam Wall committee. Dave joined Post 539 in 2011 and has been the Service Officer, First Vice, and the Post Commander from 2015 to 2017. He is currently the advisor and committee chairman for Boys and Girls state. 

Coming soon...

David is an Eastern North Carolina native and Army veteran who served as a Sergeant with the 514th Military Police Co. from 1999-2005. As a father to three amazing kids and husband to Samantha, the love of his life, he is self-employed in the insurance industry helping business owners while providing benefit platforms and other business ventures. He enjoys the outdoor, nature, and people, specifically learning the customs and cultures of others. His other memberships include the Veteran Business Collective, VFW, NC Masons, Sudan Shriners, and Chamber of Commerce.

Dick served as a SSGT in the U.S. Army Headquarters and XVIII Airborne Corps, Ft. Bragg from 1960-1963 and also served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1964-1966. He is a founding member of Post 539 and has served for many years with the American Legion in various roles to include Commander American Legion Post 539, Vice Commander District 6, Commander District 6, Vice Commander District 9, Department of Internal Affairs, Department of Corporate Council, and Board of North Carolina Boys State. 

Information is needed in order to update our website and newsletter. Please send any and all information (along with pictures) that our great post does for our members and the community to Destry at the email listed below. Also, if you have any events that you think our members could benefit from, please send him any and all details so he can add that to our calendar of events. Thanks for supporting our veterans and the community.

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Email: destry.witthaus@gmail.com