Serving Our
Fellow Veterans

Our Mission

At Faithful Service for Veterans, we are passionate about raising awareness for mental health and the crucial role that service dogs can play in preventing suicide. Our mission is to lead the service dog community by advocating for veteran services and bringing attention to the power of these remarkable animals.

 

Our founder is a courageous voice, sharing candidly about the challenges of post-deployment reintegration into civilian life. Through our work, we aspire to show the world that life can improve on the other end of the leash. With gratitude for the sacrifices made by our military, we remain committed to ensuring that they are never forgotten.

 

Join us in our mission to make a difference in the lives of those who have given so much. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to support our efforts in providing leadership and training to new and existing service dog teams.

Marine standing proudly behind the USA flag and Marine Corps flag, symbolizing patriotism and dedication to service.

Semper Fidelis

Founded by Navy Cross recipient Scott Montoya following his unsuccessful attempt at navigating existing “Canine battle buddy” focused charities, he passionately recruited fellow Navy Cross recipients, JD Lehew and RJ Mitchell, along with Tom Brown, Joe Mauthe, Tom Peck and Joe Preis as trusted servants of our cause.

The Navy Cross is our nation’s second-highest award for Valor in Combat - Second to the Medal of Honor. Scott, JD, and RJ’s award citations can be found at the following links, respectively.​

our board

Our entire Board is focused on “giving back” to contribute to our Nation’s promise of leaving “no man behind” on the battlefield or the life that follows for those veterans who struggle with isolation and despair following combat service.

Scott is a veteran of Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he earned the Navy Cross during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He served ten years in the United States Marine Corps on active duty and in the reserves and retired after 20 years in Law enforcement as a Deputy Sheriff.

He is the President of the 1st Marine Division Association – Orange County California Chapter (as of the date of this publication) and an AKC-certified evaluator. He has completed a lengthy service dog handler’s course. Scott’s “Canine battle buddy” is the “World’s greatest” German Shepard named Schatzi. He is the President and founder of Faithful Service for Veterans.

Tom is a former infantry officer of the Marines. He recently retired after over 28 years of service as an FBI agent. Tom’s son followed in his footsteps into our Corps – and is currently serving in Hawaii. He is a husband and father of three, and his “Canine battle buddy” is a Terrier/Daschund mix named “Blackjack.”

JD is one of the most highly decorated Marines alive and retired as a Sergeant Major in 2018. He is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993, and multiple tours during the War on Terror in Iraq between 2003-2010. He was awarded the Navy Cross and Bronze Star (with “V”) for valor in combat in Iraq in 2003 and 2004, respectively.

 

During his 31-year career, he served as the enlisted head of the United States Marine Corps Training and Education Command, served in the Assault Amphibian, Infantry, and Reconnaissance fields, and as a Drill Instructor and Chief Academics Instructor. JD currently serves (as of the date of this publication) as the Chief Operating Officer for the World’s most successful private MIA search and recovery organization, History Flight.

He is also the current Junior Vice Commander of America’s oldest military service organization, The Legion of Valor, comprised of recipients of America’s highest award holders for valor in combat. There is also an obstacle named after him which all Marine recruits must master in boot camp, called “LeHew’s Challenge.” He is happily married, a father and a grandfather, and his “Canine battle buddy” is a gorgeous German Shepherd name “Koda.”

Joe is a former Sergeant of Marines, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California, and a member of the American Institute of CPA and the California Society of CPA and holds a master’s degree in Taxation. He had a distinguished 32-year career with Deloitte Tax, LLP, serving in various national leadership positions, including overall responsibility as Strategic Partner and Managing Director for acquisitions in the U.S. tax practice.

 

Joe is now on the Board of Directors for organizations that support military veterans, climate change, and child advocacy. He is also an Advisory Board Member to the College of Business Administration (CBA) at Loyola Marymount University. He provides career advice to students as they enter the job market.
Joe also started a scholarship foundation in 2007 to bridge the gap between what the original GI Bill paid and what college costs.

RJ is a recipient of the Navy Cross for valor at the Battle of Fallujah as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, three purple hearts, and numerous other awards. During his four-year enlistment, he deployed twice to fight in Iraq. RJ and his family later moved to Arizona, where he studied and received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) and now works as a Mechanical Engineer (power generation) for the Arizona Public Service Company. He was also an active volunteer at the Pat Tillman Veteran’s Center at ASU. He is happily married, the father of two, and his “Canine battle buddy” is a beautiful Belgian Malinois named “Athena.”

Joe is a former Sergeant of the Marines. He enlisted right out of high school in 1990. He served through 1994 and again from 2002 to 2005 (reserves), including service in Operations Desert Storm (Persian Gulf), Fiery Vigil (Philippines), and Continue Hope, Show Care, and More Care (Somalia). After leaving active service in 1994, Joe attended college and law school and re-enlisted in the Marine Reserves following the attacks on 9-11. He formerly practiced law at a large international law firm before breaking away and forming Godes & Preis, LLP in 2010.

 

Active in the community, Joe has served on numerous charitable boards and is the co-founder and president of the Soldiers of the Sea, Band of Brothers, Inc., an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between Southern California’s business and military communities. He is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the Military Order of the Carabao in Washington, D.C. He is happily married, a father of six, and his “Canine battle buddy” is a handsome French bulldog named “Vito.”

Tom is a 1989 United States Naval Academy graduate and former United States Marine Corps officer, where he had a distinguished career inclusive of operational and headquarters assignments. He is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (Persian Gulf) and Operation Sea Angel (Bangladesh). His support for veterans is unwavering.


In addition to serving on the board of Faithful Service for Veterans, he has also been CFO and Treasurer for the Veterans Park Conservancy (VPC) — a Los Angeles-based non-profit focused on advancing causes for the 85k veterans that use the 400-acre campus. Tom is a recognized technology executive and a member of the Chief Information Officer Hall of Fame. He is the Executive Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Officer for Sysco – a Texas-based global food distribution company with a 2020 revenue of $52B. He is a father of three, and his “Canine battle buddy” is the coolest American Staffordshire Terrier – American Bulldog mix named “Talulah.”