Members

Meet the Post Officer – Senior Vice Commander Joe Bell

Born in 1955 at Jamesport Missouri to Harold and Dorothy Bell. Joe graduated High School 1973 and started working as a welder, after 3 months he had enough and decided to enlist in the US Army on 23 August 1973. Joe enjoyed boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. Upon graduation as a O5 Hotel, signal Intelligence, he was assigned to Ramasan Thailand, after one year he transferred to Field Station South Korea. As his career progressed, he was stationed at Fort Bliss Texas and bounced around in the far east from Hawaii, Okinawa and back to Korea, the life of a 05H. In 1984 Joe elected to go to flight school as a Sergeant First Class E-7 and graduated as CW-2. Joe was then assigned to 101stBn Screaming Eagles in Fort Campbell Kentucky flying UH1H the venerable Huey. While assigned to the 101st he spent time in various countries in South American from Honduras, Panama, Columbia and Peru, with time also spent in Egypt with a peacekeeping mission in the Sinai. In 1987 he was instructor pilot for the 507th Medical Company, “Dust Off”, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Next stop was once more to the ROK assigned to 501st Aviation Bn., after Korea Joe was assigned to Fort Belvoir Virginia, flying VIPs from the Pentagon. Once again assigned to Honduras for a year he returned to CONUS to Fort Rucker Alabama to transition to CH 47D Chinooks in 1994, moving to Hunter Army Airfield in Savanah Georgia, with various deployments all over the world. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joe Bell retired for the Army after 24 years and 8 months. Joe has earned numerous awards and medals including but not limited to the following, Mertious Service Medal 7 th Award , Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal 6th Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary 3rd Award, Humanitarian Service Medal 2nd Award plus numerous others.

Once out of the Army Joe moved to Houma, Louisiana working for Petroleum Helicopters Inc, flying Bell 407s transporting supplies and personnel to off shore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico for 3 years. Moving to Houston, Texas he started setting up new bases as lead pilot for EMS supporting emergency transport to various hospitals until 2004. Joe then was recruited to fly for Saudi ARAMCO based out Ras Tanura Saudi Arabia. Joe flew for 13 years flying various models of helicopters, accumulating 14,030 hours flying rotary wings with over 200,000 landings, majority of them on and off oil platforms, with zero accidents and mishaps. In 2017 Joe retired to Cape Coral, Florida with his lovely wife Janis, and became a professional beer drinker, boat driver and bait boy. Joe joined the VFW in 1993 letting his membership lapse while in Saudi Arabia. While making a fishing trip to Pine Island he had a tire blow out on his boat trailer and met Tom Ferguson who helped him replace his tire. It wasn’t a few months later that Joe became a Life Member of the VFW and within two years Joe begin to become involved in the inner workings of the VFW and supporting the mission as Senior Vice Commander. Joe is a fixture at the “V” and can be found helping with various projects and learning the duties as Senior Vice and maybe one day Commander.

Born in Biloxi Mississippi at Keesler Air Force Base, November 30 1962, to Staff Sergeant Jack and Rita Ferguson. He traveled to many duty stations with his family during his fathers 20 years of service. Finishing High School at Colonial Heights Va in 1980 he had joined the Marine Corps on his 17th birthday and left for Parris Island SC for bootcamp. He reported to Camp Lejeune Charlie Battery ,1st Battalion, 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division as a Basic Field Artilleryman 0811. He quickly learned all the aspects of his MOS, and was chosen to be the ComSec clerk for the Battalion and later became S-1 chief as a Corporal. During this time, he was on various floats aboard the USS Austin LPD -4 and the USS Trenton LPD-14. Accepting an assignment to Sea Duty, Sergeant Ferguson was attached to the USS Independence CV-62, as Sergeant of the Guard leading 65 marines in providing security for the carrier. Participating in Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada, and the peace keeping mission in Beirut. He earned the Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary, Armed Forces Expeditionary, National Defense Medal and Rifle expert 3rd award and Marksman pistol award.  He has worked at Clayton Homes, SeaRay Boats, Food Lion Warehouses, and retired from Dupont/Teijin Films in Chester Virginia.

A long time American Legion member, he was involved in the Boys State and Oratorical Programs, and as an Executive Committee member at one of the largest posts in the Legion. Joining the VFW in 2001 he became active after the sudden death of the Post’s adjutant, working his way up through various offices to eventual Post Commander. Serving 3 years as Post Commander for Robert E Lee Post 2239 he learned the finer points of the VFW Mission. The Post became one of the leaders of the Department of Virginia winning numerous awards including All State and All American twice, Membership Awards, Hospital Awards and others. He was also District 3 Commander in Virginia, a State Officer and was State Honor Guard Captain for 5 years. Upon retiring he moved to Saint James City with his wife Jacqueline Bryan. Tom has two children Coty and Lindsey who both served in the Air Force, son Coty made numerous deployments to Iraq and served in Korea and Germany. They both reside in Virginia with their families.



Tom was fervently recruited to become Commander of VFW Post 4353 and accepted the challenge and boy has it been a challenge. Under his leadership the post has grown and moved in a positive direction , became All State and All American, making Tom one of the few Commanders in the VFW to accomplish that at two different posts. He enjoys boating, fishing and fixing things. Say hi to the Commander and be proud as he is of our post.   

Meet the Member – George Edward Bailey MSG US Army Ret.

Born July 3,1950 in Jefferson City, Missouri to Guy and Lucy Ann Bailey. George enlisted in the Army, July 1968 as 11E Tanker. He began the tanker life as a loader on M-48A3 Patton, 9th Infantry Division. He was shipped off to Vietnam early 1969, Quang Tri, and Dong Ha. Assigned to B Troop, 3rd of the 5th (Mech), tank 28. As a result of a mine explosion and a medevacked driver, George assumed the driver position, a job he enjoyed immensely, on the command tank. “Beetle” was the lead tank and trailblazer for the rest troop. While in the A Shau valley they provided security for the bulldozers doing jungle clearing, when night fell they set up in perimeters used to secure the artillery. After a 12-month tour in Vietnam then 18 months in Carlsruhe Germany, George ended his first stint in the Army. After 9 years as a civilian, Beetle once again donned his Army Green as a E-2 Private, in ordnance as a tank turret repairman, Army Proving grounds Aberdeen Maryland, with rotations of 3 years to Germany during a 12-year period. Beetle was involved in a court directed program for troubled youth (JAWS) that introduced structure into these teenagers’ lives, he has fond memories of this formative time at Yuma Proving Grounds as an SFC. George’s second combat deployment was to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm. As a platoon Sergeant for a fuel tanker unit, he supported the armor thrust into Iraq. Upon completion of Desert Storm, he was transferred to Panama to run the operations of a program that involved community outreach, Hearts and Minds, and frequently traveled all over Central and South American, ensuring that equipment from various National Guard units were maintained and serviceable. Learning of his father’s death George said good bye to the US Army for the last time and retired in 1999, as a Mater Sergeant with 21 years of service, his awards include the Legion of Merit, Mertious Service, Army Commendation 5th Award, Good Conduct 5th Award, National Defense, Vietnam Service, South West Asian Service plus many other medals and awards.

 Beetle moved to Pine Island in 2012 with his lovely wife Susie Bailey. He quickly became involved in the VFW and the American Legion. He has held the office of 1st Vice Commander at the American Legion Post 136 for the past 5 years and at various times Senior Vice Commander and Trustee at Greater Pine Island VFW Post 4353. Everyone knows George as the voice of “Show Me the Money” at the Legion and “Bango” at the V. He also was Legion Honor Guard Captain for 10 years and is still a member preforming various ceremonies and also being a resource for all things ceremonial. We are all honored to know George (Beetle) Bailey and if you see him say hello and thank him for his service and his involvement in the Legion and the VFW, guys like George make us all better and I am proud to count him as my friend.

Respectfully,



Tom Ferguson Commanding

Meet the Member – Chris Rogers

Segreant Chris Rogers is a native of Vancouver, Washington, and enlisted in the Army in August 1987. He attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training as a Fire Support Specialist (13F) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After completing Airborne Training in Fort Benning, Georgia, Rogers was assigned to 1st Armored Division, 2/78 Field Artillery in Bamberg, Germany. During his time in Germany as a Forward Observer he participated in numerous joint forces training operations with German, French, Spanish and British forces, the most memorable exercise being the last full scale REFORGER in 1988. Rogers left active duty in October 1990.

After the events of September 11, 2001 Sgt. Rogers transferred from the active reserves at Fort Knox, Kentucky to active duty April 2003. He was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy. When Rogers arrived at Caserma Ederle most of the brigade was deployed down range to Iraq. Two months later Rogers joined the 1/508 PIR in Kirkuk, Iraq as a forward observer for Alpha Company, 2nd Platoon.

On November 30, 2003 Alpha Company was conducting a routine cordon search of two villages south of Tuzla, Iraq when insurgents attacked 3rd Platoon with small arms and RPG fire. As 2nd Platoon was heading to 3rd Platoon’s location to provide support Rogers’ vehicle took an indirect hit from an RPG. Everyone in the vehicle, including Rogers, were wounded and continued in the fight. Later that night a vehicle drove through a TCP and ran directly into Rogers’ vehicle. Rogers and his RTO were MEDEVACed to Balad, Iraq with serious injuries.

After convalescing for two months, Rogers was assigned to the Southern European Task Force (SETAF) to support the commanding general’s staff. On June 15, 2005 Rogers was medically discharged from the Army due to his injuries from Iraq.

Rogers’ military education includes Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare Advance Training, Tac Fire Training, and NCO Primary Leadership. He is a graduate of Airborne School and Combat Lifesavers Course. Rogers holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration.

His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal (2nd award), National Defense Service (2nd award), Iraq Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary. He has earned the Parachutist badge, 173rd ABN Combat Patch, and the Combat Action Badge plus many others.



Rogers and his wife Chrystal reside in Bokeelia, FL with their dog Cooper. Chris is also one of the newer additions to the post and can be seen helping around the post with various constructions projects. It is members like him that will keep us moving forward long into the future. VFW Post 4353 is fortunate to have Chris as a member and many others like him.

Meet the Member – Mark Eugene Bethel

Born December 7, 1947 in Harrisburg Illinois, from Lee and Viva Bethel. Little did young Mark know at that time that he would be drafted into the Army at the age of 19, he began his service July 11, 1967 as an 11 Bravo Basic Infantryman.

After basic training at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri, then on to Fort Polk for advanced training before shipping out to the Republic of Vietnam, arriving December 7 1967, and assigned to the 25th ID, 1st of the Wolfhounds as a Private. Mark served 25 miles south of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. Sometimes he had to “hump” in the jungle and other times he was given the ride of his life in a Huey mere feet off the deck. PFC Bethel carried an M-16 and 200 rounds for the M-60. His main job was to check the various holes and tunnels by virtue of his small size, he ran across many creatures in these tunnels from snakes, scorpions and occasionally “Charlie”. 

During a battalion sized operation after approximately 45 days in country, Mark Bethel was wounded by RPG fire that had hit his bunker, blinded by the explosion PFC Bethel continued to provide suppressive fire in the direction of the enemy. Medevacked to Chu Chi then on to Japan, returning to the United States to Great Lakes Naval Hospital, regaining his sight and still showing the after effects of the explosion. Six months later when released and transferred to Fort Hood in Texas as a newlywed. Getting married to his first wife while at Great Lakes Naval Hospital, Rita Bethel, they spent 38 years together. Mark then met the love of his life Faye who he still misses to this day, she passed on Feb 19 2019. 



Mark is a fixture at the American Legion, Moose and he calls the VFW his home. He is a life member at the majority of the clubs. His awards include the Vietnam Service medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Purple Heart among others. So, if you see a truck parked in the Purple Heart space it is most likely U.S. Army Sergeant Mark E. Bethel, come on in say hi and listen to his stories.