Coalition of More than 100 Arizona Veterans Announce Support for Joe Biden

Endorsement Follows Atlantic Story Where Trump Called Veterans “Losers” and “Suckers”

More than 100 Arizona veterans and their family members launched Arizona Veterans and Military Families for Biden. Made up of men and women who proudly served our country in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, the group is endorsing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The news comes days before Mike Pence is set to visit Litchfield Park for a “Veterans for Trump” event.

Joe and Jill Biden have often said that as a nation, we have many obligations, but we only have one truly sacred obligation — to prepare and equip those we send into harm’s way, and to care for them and their families, both while they are deployed and after they return home. They know what it’s like to send a child off on a deployment — they know what that last hug feels like.

As President, Joe Biden will:

• Provide veterans with world-class health care to meet their specific needs
• Drive progress to eliminate veterans homelessness and bring down suicide rates
• Create meaningful employment and educational opportunities
• Improve VA management and accountability.

“The women and men I led as an Air Force colonel aren’t ‘losers’ and ‘suckers’ — they’re the very best of our American heroes. They deserve a president who will treat them like nothing less. Joe Biden not only respects our military forces, but understands the weight of their sacrifices. No one can serve us better than those who know what it means to serve our nation, that’s why I’m endorsing Vice President Biden,” said Hollace Lyon, U.S. Air Force (ret).

“As the child of a military family, the importance of serving your country is something that was instilled in me at a very young age. Now, as a veteran myself, I understand what service means firsthand — both for veterans and our families. Joe and Jill Biden have always had our families’ best interests at heart. It’s absolutely critical that Arizona sends him to the White House in November,” said Signa Oliver, a U.S. Army veteran.

Arizona Veterans and Military Families for Biden builds on a number of high-profile endorsements Joe Biden has received from veterans in the state, including Congressman Ruben Gallego, who served as a U.S. Marine in Iraq in the Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment and is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, a Vietnam veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart and the 2001 Disabled American Veterans’ Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year Award for his service.

The following Arizona veterans and military family members announced their support for Joe Biden:

• Evert Adams, U.S. Air Force (ret.), Sun City West
• Michael Ahola, U.S. Army Veteran, Mesa
• Bruce Alvers, U.S. Navy Veteran, Gilbert
• M Sylvia Andersh, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Tucson
• State Representative Richard Andrade, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Phoenix
• Jerry Anthony, U.S. Coast Guard Veteran, Sun City
• Terry Araman, U.S. Army Veteran, Payson
• Mike Bader, U.S. Navy (ret.), Tubac
• John Barwell, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Scottsdale
• Bridget Bellavigna, U.S. Navy Veteran, Chandler
• Robert Bernhardt, U.S. Army Veteran, Sedona
• Thomas Bethea, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.), Oro Valley
• Joe Borquez, U.S. Army (ret.), Phoenix
• State Senator David Bradley, U.S. Navy Veteran, Tucson
• Donal Brock, U.S. Army Veteran, Surprise
• John Bruyere, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Scottsdale
• Virgel Cain, U.S. Navy Veteran, Cave Creek
• Amber Cardenas, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Goodyear
• Fmr. State Representative Mark Cardenas, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Carrol Cathey, U.S. Navy Veteran, Gilbert
• Margaret Cathey, Military Family Member, Gilbert
• John Chiazza, U.S. Merchant Marine (ret.), Gilbert
• James Cook, U.S. Navy Veteran, Fountain Hills
• Frank Cota, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Chandler
• Dennis Crump, U.S. Army Veteran, Cave Creek
• Mary Ellen Cunningham, U.S. Navy Veteran, Scottsdale
• Former U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini, U.S. Army Veteran, Tucson
• Janis Dodson, U.S. Army Veteran, Sierra Vista
• Farrell Eagleman, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Maricopa
• William Ford, U.S. Navy Veteran, Buckeye
• Felicia French, U.S. Air Force (ret.), Pine
• Troy Friedman, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Phoenix
• State Representative Randall Friese, U.S. Navy (ret.), Tucson
• U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Phoenix
• Jana Granillo, U.S Air Force Veteran, Tempe
• Lewis Green, U.S. Army (ret.), Paradise Valley
• Jerry Greenberg, U.S. Air Force (ret.), Chandler
• Alex Grinenko, U.S. Navy Veteran, Chandler
• George Halvorsen, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Mesa
• Corey Harris, U.S. Army (ret.), Phoenix
• Michael Harris, U.S. Navy (ret.), Buckeye
• Caleb Hayter, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Tucson
• Sandra Heater, Military Family Member, Tucson
• Danny Hernandez, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Phoenix
• Michelle Hernandez, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Rona Homer, Military Family Member, Scottsdale
• Charles Houy, U.S. Navy Veteran, Tucson
• Comer Hudgens, U.S. Navy (ret.), Mesa
• Alexander Humphrey, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Chandler
• Brett Hunt, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Steven Jackson, U.S. Army Veteran, Scottsdale
• Kathleen Ketchem, Military Family Member, Payson
• Jason Kornetsky, U.S Air Force Veteran, Scottsdale
• Hillary LaFever-Ceja, U.S. Army Veteran, Mesa
• Fmr. State Representative Jonathan Larkin, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Glendale
• Lloyd Lawrence, U.S. Navy Veteran, Surprise
• David Lucier, U.S. Army Veteran, Tempe
• Sue Lunt, U.S. Army Veteran, Mesa
• Hollace Lyon, U.S. Air Force (ret.), Saddle Brooke
• Aaron Marquez, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Carol Maas, Military Family Member, Sun Lakes
• Esther Massimini, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Phoenix
• Shirley McKean, U.S. Army Reserves Veteran, Tempe
• Miguel Medrano, U.S. Army Veteran, Scottsdale
• Cecilia Mendoza, U.S. Army Veteran, Prescott Valley
• JoAnna Mendoza, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Red Rock
• Priscilla Mendoza, U.S. Navy (ret.), Tucson
• Louis Molina, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.), Mesa
• Celia Mopkins, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Douglas Malcore, U.S. Army Veteran, Gilbert
• Deborah Morrow, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Steve Muratore, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Scottsdale
• William O’Brien, U.S. Navy Veteran, Tucson
• Michael O’Connell, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Tucson
• Kurt Ohlrich, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Oro Valley
• Signa Oliver, U.S. Army Veteran, Goodyear
• Vivin Paliath, U.S. Army National Guard Veteran, Chandler
• Brian Patrick, U.S. Army (ret.), Casa Grande
• Cristian Payan, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Steven Peralta, U.S. Army Veteran, Gold Canyon
• State Senator Jamescita Peshlakai, U.S. Army Veteran, Cameron
• Vic Peterson, U.S. Air Force (ret.), Buckeye
• Richard Provencio, U.S. Army Veteran, Superior
• Kathy Rank, U.S. Navy Veteran, Chandler
• Ricardo Reyes, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Phoenix
• Bill Roe, U.S. Air Force (ret.), Tucson
• Fmr. Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Scottsdale
• Anthony Saucedo, U.S. Navy Veteran, Phoenix
• Kathryn Smith, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Chandler
• Stuart Snedecor, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Phoenix
• Tom Solnit, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Phoenix
• Ryan Starzyk, U.S Air Force Veteran, Phoenix
• Joanna Sweatt, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Chandler
• Linda Temple, Military Family Member, Mesa
• Dan Toporek, U.S. Army (ret.), Phoenix
• Stacey Travers, U.S. Army Veteran, Phoenix
• Henry Trejo, U.S. Army Veteran, Tucson
• Sarah Tyree, U.S. Army Veteran, Surprise
• Kathy Upchurch, Military Family Member, Glendale
• Ann Voght, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Goodyear
• Theresa Walsh, U.S. Army (ret.), Sierra Vista
• Jim Walt, U.S. Army Veteran, Rio Verde
• Joanna White, U.S Air Force Veteran, Prescott
• Travis Witke, U.S. Army Veteran, Scottsdale
• Lucy Wong, U.S. Navy Veteran, Gilbert
• Reggie Yates, U.S. Army (ret.), Phoenix

The deadline to register to vote in Arizona is October 5, and the last day to request a mail-in ballot is October 23. Early voting begins in the state October 7. Make a safe and secure plan to vote by visiting IWillVote.com or VoyAvotar.com.