I would like to recommend Deonty Eastmon for the Veteran of the Year award. Deonty has been instrumental in engaging and uniting student Veterans in the Office of Military and Veteran Services (OMVS) and bringing life back to the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) at our institution. The SVO had lost key leadership and involvement, until he took over as President. Within the last two years, he’s been instrumental in implementing programming; connecting students with pivotal resources; executing social engagement opportunities to unify the military-affiliated population on campus; and creating partnerships with university and local community organizations to best support student Veterans and their family members. In addition, he’s assisted with fundraising events to ensure the SVO scholarship is feasible to award. Even with all of that on his plate, Deonty continues to serve his community by being a volunteer firefighter and first responder for his community. He is dedicated to serving those in his community and ensuring that those who served are fully supported as well. As a former Soldier, Deonty has carried the Army's core values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage into his service for assisting others in the region. Those foundational elements, as well as Deonty's leadership abilities, helped build a foundation of trust and strength within all organizations he's a part of, and our Veterans and communities have never been better served and supported. Deonty's determination, servitude, and tenacity embody the characteristics of a true professional, and I don’t think you’ll find a better candidate for the Veteran of the Year award than Deonty.
As a high school dropout, education was still important to me. Living on and off the streets of San Antonio, Texas, I attempted to attend a business school to earn a GED and an associate's degree in business administration. When that didn't work out and homelessness became an even bigger issue, I enrolled in the Gary Job Corps of San Marcos, Texas. Completing the GED and Certified Nursing Assistant program, a short period after I joined the Army. After my retirement, I returned to school, where I recently earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Preparedness.
I am a veteran of sixteen years of service. Initially raised in the high desert of Southern California, I now call Missouri home. Like many others, I didn't have a perfect life growing up, but I learned from every mistake enough to become a leader in the military and carry that leadership into college and now, as a city Alderman. I always strive to be transparent and prioritize the concerns of others.
