Our Founders
Roger Pipkins || Co-Founder
Roger joined the Army in 1962. After leaving the military, Roger worked in the medical profession and then went into business distributing orthopedic implants as an independent distributor. He retired in 1994, but remains 100% service connected. He and John McGill formed Straight Scoop for Vets in July 2013 with a grant awarded to “raise awareness of the high rate of suicide among veterans and offer preventive measures” in rural southeastern NM. Roger holds the following current certifications:
- Certified Peer Support Worker (CPSW) and instructor
- Advanced QPR suicide prevention trainer
- WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) facilitator
- CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) trainer
EMAIL ROGER || roger@forwardflag.org
John McGill || Co-Founder
John McGill joined the Marine Corps in 1964 and served one tour in VietNam. After four years of active duty he transferred to the Marine Corps reserves, retiring in 1989. John retired as a supervisor from Yellow Freight Systems in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In July 2013 John and Roger Pipkins formed Straight Scoop for Vets with a grant awarded to “raise awareness of the high rate of suicide among veterans and offer preventive measures” in rural southeastern NM. John is a Certified Peer Support Worker (CPSW) and instructor
Our Staff
GIL MORALES || CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Gilbert (Gil) E. Morales, a former Intelligence & Psychological Operations Officer (AIRBORNE), is a proud native New Mexican where he was born and raised. He currently resides in Albuquerque, NM where he first joined the US Army Reserve December of 2009 after fulfilling his duties as an International Contracting Officer specializing in non-proliferation activities for his civilian career with Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). He subsequently accepted the Team Lead position for Advanced Microsystems Business Operations with SNL. He is a 2003 graduate of the University of New Mexico (UNM) with his BBA in Finance Summa Cum Laude and was additionally awarded the UNM Clauve Award (top graduate). He received his MBA in 2004 from UNM in Finance, Organizational Behavior/Human Resources, & Policy and Planning with a 4.0 GPA. Additionally, he holds business certificates from both Harvard and Yale Universities. In 2014 he was forward deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan with the 647th RSG as the Director of Security and Intelligence (DSI) for US Garrison Command Operations where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his collective intelligence related efforts.
EMAIL GIL || gil@forwardflag.org
Ellen Agyres Martinez || Director of Operations
Ellen joined Straight Scoop for Vets in 2017. Ellen started out as a volunteer and when the position became available her passion and abilities made her a perfect fit. Since joining the organization she has attended the National Veterans Court Conference to gain more knowledge in the services available to veterans. Ellen graduated with a Business Degree from UNM, a JD from Western State College of Law and is an attorney of law.
Brian Swanhart || Master Trainer
Brian was inducted into the US Army in 1968. He served in the Republic of VietNam (1968-69) with the 9th Infantry Division. Retired from the US Census Bureau in 2007, Brian joined Straight Scoop for Vets in 2013. He is a certified as a:
- Peer Support Worker and Instructor
- QPR Suicide Prevention Trainer
- CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) Trainer
EMAIL BRIAN || brian@forwardflag.org.