Contributors
From the Editor
Elias@AmVetsMag.com
/// ELIAS WEISS
704-999-2529
T HE ANCIENT GREEKS KNEW HOW TO WRITE about their heroes. They did so constantly. Uniquely, in an era defined by the ethos of profound piety toward a pantheon of almighty gods, classicists note heroes were always mortals. To be a hero, your life had to be on the line. Today, millennia later, that part hasn’t changed. But something else has — as a society, we don’t write about our heroes like we used to. Veterans all around Arizona are doing incredible things, and they all have a story to tell. I imagine a world where I’m able to tell them all. And that’s why I've helped create American Veterans Magazine — to document the stories of our heroes and those who serve them. In this inaugural issue, you’ll find many such stories. I’m excited to share them with you. Let's start with the hero on our cover. Here’s a man who not only beat death at the hands of his enemies in combat, but who also beat death by his own hand. A man who slayed the demons lurking in his mind; a man who had everything taken
ELIAS WEISS is the grandson of a late Army veteran who
away from him, but he never stopped giving back. You'll also read the stories of brave veterans from our state taking their causes to Capitol Hill. Whether it's passing legislation to build a mental health retreat or taking the fight against predatory diploma mills to the Department of Education, these local heroes triumph in the battles they face after service. Then, there are the anti-heroes. Military imposters who lie, cheat and transgress written and unwritten rules for their own selfish gain. We’re exposing three unsettling cases of stolen valor in this magazine. Some stories will make you smile, some will get you fired up and others might jerk a poignant tear. I hope they’ll all leave you saying, “I learned something today.” Please enjoy this inaugural edition, reach out to me with your feedback and let me know what hero’s tale we should write next.
Publisher SCOTT BARTLE
served in Korea. Since earning a
Managing Editor ELIAS WEISS
JEFF BARTLE grew up in the Army. The son of a World War II veteran, Jeff was an ROTC student at Indiana University before he was assigned to the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command in Detroit, where he worked in the logistics area for critical items used in Vietnam. His cousin, twice a POW, was a highly decorated airborne hero of World War II and the Korean War. His son was a Navy TOP GUN F-14 RIO and his brother flew Cobra helicopters in the Army. JEFF CHEW has worked for many publications since graduating from Arizona State University’s journalism school more than 45 years ago, including the Dallas Times Herald, Contra Costa Times and daily newspapers in Colorado and Washington, where he covered military installations like the Naval Weapons Depot on Indian Island and Naval Submarine Base Bangor.
SUZANNE JAMESON has been involved with the publication since its early days as National Veterans Magazine . Suzanne is a Phoenix-based writer who helps advocacy groups increase their visibility, including veterans’ groups, a personal passion as the proud mother of an Army veteran.
BRYAN MORDT is a Navy veteran who discovered his passion for photojournalism during boot camp in 1984. Since then, he has honed his skills capturing everything from military moments to community events, breaking news situations and live sports.
journalism degree from the University of Arkansas, he has worked at daily newspapers in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest as an investigative reporter and editor covering veterans’ issues since 2018. He has broken several blockbuster investigations about stolen valor and G.I. Bill scams in Phoenix New Times and InMaricopa Magazine .
Advertising Director VINCENT MANFREDI
Advertising PATRICK MCCOBB TAWNI PROCTOR
Writers JEFF BARTLE JEFF CHEW
SUZANNE JAMESON MONICA D. SPENCER
Photographers ROB MAINS BRYAN MORDT MONICA D. SPENCER
MONICA D. SPENCER never left the Southwest. She was born in Gallup, N.M., and grew up in Mesa before attending Arizona State University. After college, she worked as a photojournalist for The Arizona Republic , where she covered Luke Air Force Base.
Designer CARL BEZUIDENHOUT
ROB MAINS is a Phoenix- based commercial and event photographer. Capturing fleeting moments, telling stories and bringing smiles keeps him striving to produce that next special image. He's the guy behind the lens for Scuderia Southwest, Ferrari Club of America Desert Region, Ferrari Club of America Annual Experience, Concours in the Hills, Arizona Concours, Challenge Cup Golf, The Toy Barn Luxury Garages, Ford GT National Rally XIII and many more.
Volume 1, Issue 1 American Veterans Magazine 9624 E. Clinton St. Scottsdale, AZ 85260 480-980-6800 Tel News@AmVetsMag.com Advertising@AmVetsMag.com
Published advertisements are not an endorsement of products or advertising claims by American Veterans Magazine . No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of American Veterans Magazine . Copyright 2024.
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AMERICAN VETERANS Summer 2024
Summer 2024 AMERICAN VETERANS
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