About Us
Who Is AVV
Welcome to the AVV website! Our mission is to help veterans and veteran supporters and ensure that your voices is heard through your vote at the ballot box. Our goal is to provide you with critical information so you can make an informed decision and impact how our country and state is run. AVV’s work is based on principles, beliefs, and a code of conduct that strongly support our Veterans, Service Members, and their families, our Constitution as authored and amended, and security for our Nation at home and abroad. All are welcome to join AVV who subscribe and live by those values.
American Veterans Vote (AVV) and American Veterans Vote Action (AVVAction) are two entities with two different functions. And both entities pursue mission accomplishment through different structures and capabilities. American Veterans Vote (AVV) is our 501c4 non-profit organization designed to educate and advocate for important Veteran issues, manage enterprise operations during and outside of elections cycles, and support all member activities.
American Veterans Vote Action (AVVAction) is a 527 Political Action Committee (PAC) that works to achieve change through the ballot box. While it does not coordinate directly with candidates or campaigns, it undertakes explicitly political activities and may endorse candidates who support policies that advance AVV goals and objectives.
There are two websites, each serves one of our entities. This website serves our 501c4 entity. Our other website, AVVAction.org serves the 527 Political Action Committee, American Veterans Vote Action (AVVA). Both websites are functionally interconnected when appropriate and share necessary information to ease coordinated activities.
Our Leadership
Chief Executive Officer
LTG(R) Bob Wood, US Army is the Chief Executive Officer for American Veterans Vote, a Veteran based advocacy group oriented on encouraging Veterans to understand and use their collective political voice. Prior to his present position, Bob was Executive Vice President for National Security and Defense for AFCEA International, a large 501(c)6 member-based trade association serving the National Security, IT, Cyber, and C4I communities. He served 36 years in the U. S. Army before retiring as a Lieutenant General. Throughout his career in peace and war, he commanded at all levels through Army Division and served in senior operations and staff positions at Army, Joint, and Coalition level. Bob also held a variety of positions focused on strategic planning, education, and innovation. He was a White House Fellow in the Reagan National Security Council. In his last job before retirement, he served as the Deputy Commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, in Norfolk, Virginia. Bob earned a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Chicago, a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences at the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and a Bachelor of Sciences degree from West Point. As an Army Strategic Studies Fellow, he attended Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Chaplain
Dr. Michael Hoyes, USAF has over 45 years’ experience (30 active-duty Air Force) in military operations with a full spectrum of experience as an aviator, instructor, operational test and evaluation member, flight examiner, Air Combat Command and United States Air Forces Europe staff officer/division lead, DESERT STORM air campaign planner and multiple commands. He has over 3,000 hours of fighter and trainer aircraft time, which in addition to combat, includes being a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School in the F-111, and an initial cadre instructor for the F-15E at the USAF Weapons School. Michael graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and is a proud member of the United States Air Force Academy Class of 1976, the “Spirit of ’76! He received his master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Embry-Riddle University and doctoral degree in strategic leadership from Regent University in 2014. He has authored one book, “Seeing Clearly—Principles, People and Purpose,” and has published several articles.
Chief Operating Officer
COL Mike Flanagan USA (RETD) is an independent consultant in the defense industry while also serving as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) for Virginia (South). Mike also serves on the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and represents the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) on Virginia’s Joint Leadership Council for Veteran Service Organizations (JLC VSO). He is a 1986 graduate of USMA and served 27 years active duty in the Army as an armor officer and later as an acquisition officer. He has been an active volunteer on GOP campaigns and committees since he retired from the Army in 2013.
Chairman / Director of Strategy and Planning
Paul Judge is a founding member and serves as the AVV Chief of Strategy. He spent 27 years on active duty as a flyer, planner, strategist, and leader. Since retirement in 2011, he has continued with the Air Force as a civilian and contractor. Hailing from upstate NY, he was an AF ROTC scholarship student and Varsity soccer player at the University of Miami. Paul is also an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH). He is married and has one daughter. The family moved over 20 times before landing Viginia’s 8th CD.
Director of Data & Integration
Arch Turner is a former Naval Aviator, with over fifty years of service in national security. Arch spent fourteen years flying carrier-based attack aircraft, and after retiring from the Navy, he worked in the defense industry as a consultant, and in government – accepting a position with DHS. He spent seventeen years in DoD/DHS science and technology. He is a graduate of the USNA with a BS in Aerospace Engineering and earned his Ph.D. from George Washington University, as well as an MS in information systems technology. He also earned an MS in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Director of Regional Operations
Rich Eagan retired in 1993, after a more than 25-year career in the US Army. He served as a tracked vehicle mechanic and progressed to Repair Control Supervisor and First Sergeant in non-divisional units, armored and infantry divisions in Viet Nam, Germany, and CONUS. As a CSM he created education and moral support programs and activities for the service men, women and their families while advising the commander and staff in training command, infantry, armor, and corps support units. In 1982 he was the first Combat Service Support soldier inducted into the 3d Armored Calvary's Old Bill Association. In 2001 he was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame. After retirement he accepted a position with a national medical supply company. After just two years his experience in logistics and information management reduced the overhead in that facility by 8% annually without dismissing any employees. Those programs improved customer service as well as company interpersonal communications and esprit. Rich is a lifetime member of the NRA, the Non-Commissioned Officers Association, and the 3rd Armored Calvary Association Museum. Rich is active in his church and volunteers for political, and community activities.
Director of Digital Services
Allen LeBoeuf is a founding member of AVV and serves as the Director of Digital Services. A veteran supporter, Allen comes to us from the industrial sector, having served in various technical, specialty equipment applications, project management and business executive capacities. Project work included support for DOE and DOD endeavors at various facilities, as well as industrial nuclear, refining, petrochemical, chemical sites and engineering firms. Allen has a BS-IT from University of Massachusetts - Lowell and an MBA from Northeastern University - Boston.
Advisor
James S. Gilmore III was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 1971. After a three-year tour as a U.S. Army counterintelligence agent in West Germany, he entered the University of Virginia Law School, graduating in 1977. He worked for a decade in community service and as a lawyer in private practice, after which he was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney in his home county of Henrico in 1987 and 1991. He was elected Virginia Attorney General in 1993 and Governor in 1997. He cut income taxes for military personnel living in Virginia, lowered college tuition by 20 percent, and eliminated Virginia’s tax on prescription drugs. A noted leader on technology, he created the nation’s first secretariat in technology, established a statewide technology commission, and signed into law the nation’s first comprehensive state Internet policy.
Advisor
David Norcross is retired from practicing law. He has long been active in the Republican Party. He was Chairman of the New Jersey GOP, and a Member of the Republican National Committee for twenty years. He also served as General Counsel, Chairman Rules Committee, and was Chairman of the 2004 NYC Nominating Convention Committee, where he was also Counsel to the Chairman. David served as a CPT JAGC 1962-1965.
Advisor
Michael Maibach is a seasoned professional in global business diplomacy and civic engagement. He is a Distinguished Fellow at Save Our States, focused on sustaining the Electoral College. In 1983 he established Intel Corporation’s Government Affairs Department. From 2003 – 2012, he was the President & CEO of the European-American Business Council. Michael has earned degrees from Northern Illinois University, California State University, American University, Georgetown University, Ashland University, and the Institute of World Politics where he now serves on the Board of Trustees. While a college student, he was elected to the Dekalb County Board (Illinois), becoming the first person elected to public office under 21 years of age in US history.
Advisor
Governor McDonnell began his career in public office representing the 84ᵗʰ District in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served seven terms from 1991 to 2006. He was elected Virginia Attorney General in 2005 and was inaugurated January of 2006. In November 2009 he was elected the 71ˢᵗ Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia with the most votes of any candidate in history at the time, serving from 2010 to 2014. He also served 4 ½ years of active duty in the United States Army and 16 years in the United States Army Reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1997. After active military service, he worked for the Fortune 500 Company American Hospital Supply Corporation as an operations manager. He began his legal career in 1990 as a Virginia Beach prosecutor, and was later a partner with the law firm of Huff, Poole, and Mahoney. Currently, he teaches law and government at Regent University and Liberty University as a Distinguished Professor. Additionally, he is the president and founder of the McDonnell Group, a firm that focuses on consulting and business development. He has rejoined the Virginia Beach law firm, Poole, Brooke, Plumlee PC. He is also a regular contributor on Newsmax T.V., and a member of the Board of Directors of Delta Star, Inc.
JOIN US
American Veterans Vote (AVV) welcomes all Veterans and Veteran Supporters who wish to join our organization. Thank you for your interest in becoming part of this remarkable team. We value the talents and perspectives you bring to AVV.
The collective political power of Veterans, when united and actively engaged, is a powerful voice for change through the ballot box. As a member, you can help AVV achieve such changes at local, state, and national level by ensuring Every Veteran, Every Vote gets to that ballot box!
When you become a member, we do require you to read and acknowledge the American Veterans Vote Code of Conduct.
I am an American Veteran or Veteran Supporter continuing to
lawfully honor my allegiance to the Constitution of the United States,
the US Flag, and the Republic for which they stand.
I will never forget the sacrifices of those who came before me. I will
never do anything to bring dishonor to them, my fellow Veterans, or
their service to the nation.
I will always treat others with dignity and respect, honoring the
unique contributions that they bring to the strength of our nation.
I will be informed; I will vote; and I will encourage others to engage
in the civic life of their community to preserve our Constitutional
Republic.
I will never forget that I am an American Veteran or Veteran
Supporter responsible for my actions and dedicated to the principles
and institutions which made my country free.
I will trust in my God and in the United States
of America.