 Robert
Haltiner joined MOPH in 1999 and is a member of Chapter 0072 in Oregon.
He served as Finance Officer, Junior Vice, Senior Vice and Commander in his
Chapter and Adjutant, Senior Vice, and Commander in his Department. This is the
second time that he’s been elected as National Commander Region III. He was born
and raised in Oregon (farm boy), joined the US Army in January 1967 and went to
Basic Training at Fort Lewis and Advance Infantry Training at Fort Polk, (Tiger
Land). In June 1967, he was assigned to First Infantry Division, 2/28 Infantry
(Black Lions) in Vietnam, but later was transferred to 2/2 Mech. Armored
Personal Carriers as a machine gunner and then driver. On February 2, 1968,
during an early morning mission, our group was ambushed and we lost 2 of our 4
APCs. He was burned severely and spent a month in a burn center in Japan.
Patriot Haltiner received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star and then was sent to
Korea to serve out his remaining time in the service. He was honorably
discharged in October 1968. After his military service, Haltiner spent over 30
years in the sheet metal trade, installing rain gutters and metal roofing and
later specializing in copper gutters and roofing. After two major surgeries, he
then performed general maintenance and janitorial services at the Disabled
American Veterans Bingo Hall in Portland for over ten years while serving
veterans, retiring in June 2011. Patriot Haltiner served on the Oregon
Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) Veterans Advisory Committee Board for 8
years and is on the board of the Veterans Care Centers of Oregon (VCCO). He also
chairman for two other veteran groups - United Veterans Groups of Oregon (UVGO)
and Veterans Charities, Inc. He volunteers once a week at the Portland VA
Medical Center. Robert and his wife Karen (Past National President of LAMOPH)
have three grown children – two daughters and a son. His son is in the Oregon
National Guard, has served one tour in Iraq and is an Associate Member of MOPH
Chapter 0072. The Haltiners have five granddaughters, who are all members of the
Ladies Auxiliary. Robert spends his free time doing woodworking and fishing and
being with his granddaughters. The Haltiners enjoy traveling and spending time
on the Oregon Coast. |