 Bruce McKenty joined MOPH in 2002 and is a life member of Washington
State Chapter 407. Since joining, he has been the adjutant, finance officer and
service officer at the chapter and department levels, Department Commander for four terms and Commander Pacific Northwest Region III. . . . As a member, he discovered
one of his greatest passions is being a volunteer service officer for his local
chapter, assisting all veterans to receive their rightful benefits from the Veterans
Administration and other government agencies. He continues to perform these heart
warming duties to this day. . . . . He looks forward to working with the current
leadership to further advance the mission and goals of the Order. . . . . His military
career began in 1970 when he graduated from Texas A&M University where he received
a Bachelor of Arts degree and his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army
Field Artillery. Upon entry onto active duty he completed his Officer Basic Course
at Fort Sill, OK and then went on to flight school at Fort Wolters, TX, Fort Rucker,
AL and AH-1G Cobra transition in Savannah, GA in route to his first assignment,
Vietnam. He was assigned to F Troop, 1/9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division at Bien
Hoa as an AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter pilot. . . . . During his tour he was wounded
twice and has the unique distinction of being one of a small handful of Army helicopter
pilots that survived after being shot down with an SA-7 heat seeking missile. He
was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, Two Purple Hearts and
numerous Air Medals, with three being awarded for valor. Patriot McKenty went on
to spend 21 years in the Army serving in various command and staff assignments in
the Field Artillery and Aviation, and retired in 1991 as a Lieutenant Colonel. .
. . . During his Army career he earned a Master of Science from the University of
Southern California in 1984 and in 1986 graduated from the U.S. Army Command and
General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. . . . . After his retirement from
the Army Patriot McKenty was a general contractor in the greater Seattle/Tacoma
area until his final retirement in 2001. . . . . In 2004 he discovered another of
his volunteer passions as a volunteer at the local VA golf course. The American
Lake Veterans Golf Course located at the American Lake VA Hospital in Lakewood,
Washington lost all federal funding in 1995. That year, a group of volunteers petitioned
the VA to keep the golf course operating with volunteers and donations. It has not only survived but has blossomed into a beautiful facility and will only get better
through the help of volunteers like Patriot McKenty. He started and runs the golf
course marshal program, is on the Board of Directors and is the project manager
for the new 7000 square foot club house and future nine-hole addition, currently
being designed by Jack Nicklaus.
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