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

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