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Earle comes from a military family, and he has been working with the Department of Defense for twenty-two years. He graduated from Park University with a bachelors of science degree in management / computer information science. Earle is a chess expert and plays tournament chess when time permits from his busy work schedule.
Earle’s father was a Marine Corp veteran of the Korean War. He changed service branches to the Army, and he retired as a Lt. Colonel. In addition, he served in his home town as a commander of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Mr. Wikle’s grandfather was a staff sergeant in WWII. He was also in the Army Air Corp, and he was shot down flying a bombing mission over Germany. He was captured and interned as a POW before his release after the Great War ended.
Earle is an avid supporter of American troops, and he has a special passion for the care of veterans. As a young man, he watched as his grandfather struggled with receiving his disability benefits from injuries he sustained in battle. Those memories left a lasting impression on him and helped to mold how he believes our veterans should be treated.
“I have worked to help support our military for much of my life, and I love helping and supporting veterans. Our troops and veterans deserve our appreciation and support because of their dedicated service to our great country.”
-E. Wikle
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Mr. Hall worked in advertising, during his off time, while serving with the Army in Europe. He received several Army medals for “Attention to detail uncommonly found in soldiers.”
In 1984, Mr. Hall participated in the ARTEP Training exercise at Fort Hood, Texas. This was one of the largest military training maneuvers in history. Numerous divisions participated in the exercise that included 1/48 Infantry and 3/5 Air Defense Artillery. Mr. Hall was his company’s top supply specialist, and his company relied on his dedication to make sure that the company was battle ready. During the exercise, John suffered a major falling injury. Mr. Hall worked hard to recover, and he pressed on.
After arriving in Germany, Mr. Hall took his company through the most demanding inspection in the entire military: the Command General Inspection. The 3rd Armored Division was transitioning from the M60 main battle tank to the new and eagerly anticipated M1 Abrams MBT. After torturous preparation and pressure from a tough and demanding commander, Mr. Hall passed the grueling inspection with no deficiencies—a feat that has only been accomplished one other time in the history of the European Command.
The injury to Mr. Hall’s lower body eventually caused him to succumb from a vigorous work schedule. Mr. Hall sought out the support of the VA hospital. Doctors told Mr. Hall that unless he received critical rehabilitation, he would be wheelchair bound before he was fifty years old. Medical treatment helped him regain his confidence and vigor for life. It took vigilant pursuit for the VA’s benefits division to adjudicate his injuries. Eventually, he won the battle. After leaving the military, he studied sociology at the University of Akron in Ohio.
