Board of Directors
Robert Slaughter, President, First Command Educational Foundation Board of Directors
A native Texan, Bob Slaughter is a Senior Integrated Logistics Specialist for the C/MV-22 Osprey at Bell Helicopter in Hurst, TX. He is responsible for site integration and supportability for both the Marines and Air Force operational transitions. His prior work experience includes 23 years of military service, positions as Area Manager and Regional Training Director for a large sporting goods store, and a Senior Integrated Logistics Specialist for Siemens Dematic Postal Automation.
Slaughter joined the Air Force in 1970 and completed undergraduate pilot training at Webb AFB, TX. Assigned to the 9th Special Operations Squadron at Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, in 1971, he completed 206 combat missions flying UC-123 K aircraft. He flew missions in Thailand and Guam as well.
A highly decorated Command Pilot with more that 5000 flying hours, Slaughter also is a graduate of Squadron Officers School, Air Command and Staff and Air War College and has received an advanced degree from the Canadian Maritime Warfare School. His civilian flying career includes over 2000 hours as pilot and instructor in several aircraft.
Slaughter’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Arts from North Texas State University and a Masters of Science in Operational Management from the University of Arkansas. He has also completed all course work and is working on his dissertation for a Doctorate in Applied Training, Technology and Development from the University of North Texas.
His hobbies include golf, flying, water sports, and coaching.
Vincent W. Patton, III, Ed.D.
Vice President
Vincent W. Patton, III, Ed.D., Vice President
Dr. Vince Patton became a member of the First Command Educational Foundation Board of Directors in January of 2007. Dr. Patton has over 30 years of military service with the U. S. Coast Guard. He became the Eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in May 1998, the highest-ranking enlisted position of the Coast Guard, until his retirement in November 2002. His illustrious career included staff and operational assignments throughout the country, both afloat and ashore. His numerous military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest peacetime military award.
After retirement from the Coast Guard, Vince attended Graduate Theological Union seminary in Berkeley, CA, graduating with a Master of Theology in applied religious studies, and became an ordained Unitarian minister, specializing in community service chaplaincy. While attending the seminary, he was also an adjunct professor at University of California at Berkeley, teaching ‘Philosophy of Ethics’. As executive director for the ‘Halley’s Comet Foundation,’ a nonprofit organization founded by noted actor, John Amos, focusing on urban area ‘at-risk’ teens around the country, Vince uses seamanship and sailing skills as elements to help these teens learn life skills and responsibility.
In addition to his theology degree, Vince also received his doctorate of education degree from American University, a master’s degree in counseling psychology at Loyola University at Chicago, a B.S. in social work from Shaw College and a B.A. in communication from Pacific College.
Dr. Patton is Director of Community Outreach for Military Advantage, a division of Monster Worldwide and the world's largest military membership organization, Military.com. In this role he is responsible for executing grassroots outreach marketing and public relations program, senior program manager for Department of Defense projects, oversight of the military installation ambassadors program, and maintaining a close liaison with contacts at all levels in the military community. He joined the organization in September 2002, first serving on the company’s advisory board, then in full time capacity in November 2004.
He is a member of the National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors, and serves on the editorial advisory board of the U. S. Naval Institute.
Vince is married to Joyce Aivalotis, a US Coast Guard officer and resides in Alexandria, VA. He has two children, son, Nick (US Army veteran, 82nd Airborne), who is a disaster response claims examiner for FEMA, and daughter Amberleigh, a liberal arts major in her junior year at California State University East Bay, Hayward.
Michael F. Morrison, Treasurer
CFO and Executive Vice President Financial, Administrative and Banking Services, joined what was then USPA & IRA as Accountant in the Financial Services Department in May 1995. In January 1997 he was promoted to Director of Financial Accounting, and then Director of Financial Services in February, 2001. He was promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President Financial Services in July 2005. During his tenure with Financial Services, he developed the professional staff of the department from a single CPA to six CPA’s and four professional accountants. He was instrumental in instituting a department cost accounting structure and activity-based management system. He also orchestrated taking First Command from a public to a private company, and eventually to a 100% owned ESOP. In January 2006 he was promoted to the position of Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President Financial and Administrative Services, which added the Human Resources Department and the Support Services Department to his group. In January 2007, he was promoted to his present position of Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Finance, Administrative and Banking Services, which added Meetings & Events, Tax Services, and First Command Bank under his expertise.
Morrison joined First Command Educational Foundation as Treasurer April, 2006. He was then voted to the Board of Directors June 4, 2007.
Morrison started in bank analysis and management in 1978 with Texas American Bancshares, held the position of Senior Vice President Financial Reporting and Planning, and was responsible for all public and internal reporting and planning for this $6 billion organization.
Morrison graduated from University of Texas in Arlington with a BBA degree in Accounting and became Certified in Public Accounting the same year.
Mike, along with his wife of 25 years Linda, and son Geof, play a lot of recreational hockey. Mike and family are long-time hockey fans and enjoy going to the Dallas Stars hockey games. Mike is also an avid tennis player.
Martha Elizabeth Gray
Secretary
Martha Elizabeth "Cisy" Gray, Secretary
Martha Elizabeth ‘Cisy’ Gray was born in Houston and called Texas home until she and her family moved to Missouri when she was a freshman in high school. Following graduation from high school, she attended the University of Arkansas for two years prior to transferring to the University of Texas at Austin, where she met and married US Army LT Clyde “Skip” Gray.
The following twenty-five years included assignments in Colorado, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Connecticut, and Korea, as well as several assignments in the Washington DC metropolitan area. During those years, the Grays had two children, Curt and Nancy.
Gray completed her degree, receiving a BBA from Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport CT. While her children were young, Gray was involved in numerous volunteer activities including Red Cross, Army Community Services, and Cub Scouts, in addition to various church and garden club activities and offices.
She became interested in personal financial management while working in an administrative capacity at a local First Command (then USPA&IRA) office in Fairfax, VA. After Gray’s husband’s retirement from active duty, the family returned to Texas. Gray began a career with First Command at their international headquarters in Fort Worth.
Over the next two decades Gray participated in and helped develop customer service at First Command. She rose through the ranks from administrative assistant to customer service representative, supervisor, and deputy director to Director of Client Services, the position she held for several years prior to her retirement in March 2004.
Gray’s husband is an active volunteer for the First Command Educational Foundation’s Speakers Bureau.
Kurt Anderson
Kurt Anderson is a new member of the First Command Educational Foundation Board of Directors as of January 2008.
Anderson enjoyed a highly successful career in the US Air Force, reaching the rank of Major General. During his career, he served in a variety of senior command positions ranging from commanding multi-national forces engaged in air, land and sea operations that enforced United Nations resolutions against Iraq to command of the Air Force’s Recruiting Service. He culminated his career as Commander, 19th Air Force, an organization of 35,000 personnel and 1,600 aircraft that conducts the Air Force’s aircrew training operations.
Following retirement from the Air Force, Anderson joined First Command Financial Planning in July 1999 as Director of Personnel and Administration. He was quickly promoted to Senior Vice President and assigned as Director of Support Operations. In that position he was responsible for human resource management, Financial Advisor support, training, corporate administrative and logistics support as well as guiding the company’s strategic planning program. In January 2006, he advanced to Director Field Manpower and Training and established the Financial Advisor Recruiting Department. He retired from First Command Financial Services in December 2007.
While with First Command Financial Planning, Kurt was instrumental in partnering with the Foundation to provide a FCEF-developed 11-part education series on money management for the First Command employees He also helped FCEF establish relationships with local Fort Worth businesses, fostering additional community acceptance and donations to the Foundation.
Anderson is a graduate of South Dakota State University, Brookings, received a Master of Arts in business from University of Northern Colorado, Greely and attended the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
Jim Chapman
Jim Chapman is a new member of the First Command Educational Foundation as of January 2008.
For the past six years, Jim has served as a managing partner and director of tax services for J. Taylor & Associates, LLC, a mid-size public accounting firm. Elected as a partner in 2002, he serves on the firm’s executive management committee.
He has over thirty years experience as a senior executive and financial professional with broad based experience in various industries.
Prior to joining J. Taylor and Associates, he was Vice President and CFO for a privately held multi-entity group of companies. He was responsible for financial reporting; bank relationships; MIS; tax planning and compliance; risk management and benefit plans. Prior to this position, Mr. Chapman was a tax manager in the Fort Worth office of Ernst & Young.
He is also a member of the Texas Society of CPAs, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Financial Executives Institute. He has served as past president and board member of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Financial Executive’s Institute. He has served on the boards and in leadership roles for many non-profit agencies, including Cancer Care Services, the Salvation Army and First Texas Campfire.
Jim enjoys traveling with his family and playing golf.
Donaldson D. Frizzell
A native of Baltimore, MD, Don Frizzell joined the U.S. Air Force in 1955. With a long and distinguished career, he retired as a colonel in 1981. During his career, he served in flying, training, and staff positions with Air Training Command, Pacific Air Forces, Tactical Air Command, and Air University. He also was Director of Strategy and Doctrine and Director of Research Studies, and he served as Dean of Faculty and Students at the Air War College.
Frizzell earned a Bachelor's Degree in Dairy Husbandry from the University of Maryland and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from The George Washington University.
After retiring from active duty, he joined USPA & IRA, (the original First Command Financial Planning) as a financial planning and investment professional. He was Director of Investments specializing in financial services to military professionals. Frizzell also distinguished himself in this field, growing the assets accumulated by clients of the firm from less than $1 to over $17 billion.
From February 1, 2001 to December 31, 2005, Frizzell served as President of First Command Educational Foundation.
A research and career highlight came in 1976when Frizzell co-authored The Lessons of Vietnam, with Professor W. Scott Thompson. This was the first book on the Vietnam War by actual participants in the conflict. The American Historical Society awarded it runner-up honors for Book of the Year in 1977. The journey that led to this achievement started with tours of duty in Southeast Asia in 1965 and 1967-68. The book came as a result of his work with the co-author while serving as a U.S. Air Force Research Associate at Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Frizzell enjoys golf and travel. He and his wife, Pattie, have four children and six grandchildren.
Dr. Janine Kraus
Dr. Janine Kraus, the newest member of the Board of Directors, brings a wide variety of experience in advancement to First Command Educational Foundation.
She recently was named Director of Annual Giving for Texas Christian University (TCU).
As Director of Annual Giving, Dr. Kraus is responsible for administering a comprehensive annual giving program to include annual solicitation appeals, programs and projects. Prior to this assignment, she served as the director of student and young alumni programs for TCU.
Prior coming to TCU, Dr. Kraus spent more than four years in alumni relations at the University of North Texas where she focused on volunteer management, operations, events, and student involvement.
Dr. Kraus served in the U.S. Army for six years. While in the Army, she served in the 282nd Army Band in Fort Jackson, SC and the 389th Army Band in Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. She earned her undergraduate degree in management from University of Maryland. She earned her master’s of education and doctor of philosophy degree in higher education administration from the University of North Texas.
Dr. Kraus enjoys reading, golfing and exercising as well as spending time with her family. She also continues to enjoy music.
Paul Smith
Paul J. Smith is, a new member of the First Command Education Foundation Board of Directors as of January, 2008.
Smith graduated from Florida State University and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. He served in various staff and command positions in the AF Office of Special Investigations and Air Training Command over a 26 year career. He is a graduate of the Air War College and earned his Master’s degree in Operations Management through the University of Arkansas.
Smith was an investment advisor and platinum producer with First Command Financial Planning in 1993 through 1999 in the Montgomery, Alabama office. In 1999, Paul was selected to be the Director of Insurance at First Command's corporate headquarters in Fort Worth. He became a Vice President in the same position in 2000. In 2002, he was offered the position of Director of Agent Development and traveled throughout the field as a motivational speaker and field agent mentor/trainer. Paul retired in October of 2002.
Smith was born in Goldsboro, NC and traveled extensively with his Air Force parents. Married to Nancy Susan (Heflin) for 39 plus years, they have two children, Jay (deceased) and Laurie, and three active grandchildren. When their son, “Jay” perished in a commercial aircraft accident in 1996, Paul and his wife created a scholarship fund in memory of their son’s accomplishments. They have been active in administering the First Lieutenant Jay Smith ROTC Scholarship and Excellence Foundation. The Smiths recently dissolved their charitable foundation and transferred the assets to FCEF so that Jay's memory will continue in perpetuity under the Jay Smith ROTC Scholarship and Excellence Fund.
Smith and his wife, Susan, are enjoying their home in Miramar Beach, Florida. Paul is an avid tennis player and gardener and he sings with a trio as well. He also is a volunteer with the Family Assistance Foundation (FAF) where he is on the Advisory Board. FAF is an organization that assists in transportation disasters. Paul also serves in his church’s Stephen Ministry Program.
William Stringer
William (Bill) A. Stringer is a new member of the First Command Educational Foundation Board of Directors as of January 2008.
Bill has a diverse career ranging from nonprofits to quality management for a major hotel chain. He spent time in the Army Reserves from 1965 to 1977. In 1970 he began working for Hilton Hotels in Houston, Texas, reporting directly to Barron Hilton. In 1978 he took up the occupation of residential and commercial interior design as a partner in the firm. From 1987 through 1989 Bill was Supervisor of Group Homes for Wesleyan Youth, Inc. of Oklahoma City. He followed that stretch with five years in quality assurance, budget management and marketing for Motel/Hotel Management, Inc., also in Oklahoma City.
Bill has extensive background with a variety of nonprofit organizations, and in 1995 he became Director of Research and Quality Assurance for Alcoholic Services of Texoma, Inc. (The House of Hope). He was Executive Director of AIDS Resource Center of Texas from 1997 to 2007 until March of that year, when he joined Results Consulting as a Senior Consultant. Having served on numerous boards, Bill brings a wealth of experience and insight to the Foundation.
A specialist in quality management, Bill has talents in grant proposal writing, training, developing policy and procedure and budget management. He describes himself as “project-oriented and results driven.”
Doris M Terrell
A native Texan, Doris Terrell began her career as an investment advisor with First Command Financial Group (formerly USPA&IRA) in 1986 in the Fairfax, Virginia office. In 1989, she transferred to a First Command office in San Antonio, TX, where she continued working with clients as an advisor until 1999. Terrell served on the Board of Directors for First Command Bank from 1997 to 2000. In 2000, she was offered the position of Deputy Director of the Client Services Department at First Command’s corporate headquarters in Fort Worth. She retired from that position in December of 2004.
After attending the Lindenwood College for Women in St. Charles, Missouri and the University of Texas in Austin, Terrell graduated from the University of Houston and went to work for IBM in Houston. Before joining First Command Financial Group, Doris also worked as a teacher, a medical secretary at Texas Tech University School of Medicine, and manager of the Pediatric Orthopedic Department at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Terrell currently is active in the Fort Worth Women’s Club. She enjoys gardening and spending time in the Terrell’s second home in Red River, NM. The Terrells have two children and three grandchildren.