Our Founders
Roger Pipkins || Co-Founder
Roger joined the Army in 1962serving in Vietnam. After leaving the military, he worked in the medical profession and went into business distributing orthopedic implants as an independent distributor. He retired in 1994, and is 100% service connected. He and John McGill formed Straight Scoop for Vets in July 2013 which morphed into Forward Flag with a grant awarded to “raise awareness of the high rate of suicide among veterans and offer preventive measures” in rural southeastern NM for his fellow veterans. 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 then worked for Yellow Freight Systems and retired as a supervisor 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