Join us as we pay our respects to the men and women who have served to protect our country and her people. For one day, we stand united to honor those who made a difference, to thank them for their courage, strength and valor. It is their dedication and love that keep us safe and make our nation great.

PURE is proud to offer military personnel and their spouses free membership. The PURE opportunity is a perfect match for members of the Armed Forces. Building a PURE business takes leadership, discipline, organization and a passion for wellness. PURE gives everyone the opportunity to grow themselves, build character and relationships, create wealth, and help others achieve their dreams and goals. Learn more at livepure.com.

We are blessed to have the opportunity to honor those Independent Business Owners who served in the Armed Forces. We are thankful for their service and we share their military experiences with you below.

Josh Hall, Silver Independent Business Owner, has been to Jordan, Kuwait, Dubai, Oman, Yemen, Djibouti, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, he spent most of his time in the Helmand Province, searching for improvised explosive devises in a route clearance platoon. He traveled to other countries to help train their armies to help fight the war in Operation Endurance Freedom.

Philip Holifield, Silver Independent Business Owner, was deployed as an Airman First Class during Operation Iraqi Freedom from September 2004 to January 2005 and again as a Senior Airman from May 2006 to September 2006. Philip received the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon and Outstanding Unit Award. He also received the Iraq Campaign Medal. From January 2011 to May 2011, Philip was deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a Staff Sergeant. He received an Air Force Achievement Medal. From July 2015 to February 2016, he was deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, as a Tech Sergeant. He received an Air Force Commendation Medal.

Brian and Michelle Jones, Gold Independent Business Owners. Brian is a retired Sergeant Major with 21 years of service. He spent time in Special Operations Command and experienced a lot of combat.  Michelle spent 13 years in the Army, enlisted for 5 years in Military Intelligence, and spent the remainder as an officer in the Transportation Corps.  She also had combat time as the Company Commander of a truck company in Iraq for over a year. Currently, Brian and Michelle own a 1200-acre special operations training facility in the Florida Everglades.

Tom Satterly, Sapphire Independent Business Owner, retired from the U.S. Army after serving 25 years, most of them in Special Operations. His first four years were spent as a combat engineer in the 54th Engineer Battalion in Wildflecken Germany. When Tom re-enlisted, he went through Special Forces Qualifications, passed, and joined the 5^th Special Forces Group, stationed in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. The life of an elite Green Beret did not satisfy him, so he applied for even more elite schools, specifically the Selection Course for the Operator Training Course (OTC) – the training for what we know as the “Delta Force”.

Patrick Parnell, Diamond Independent Business Owner, retired from the Army and Air Force. He was deployed extensively around the globe with the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy. Locations included Central and South America, North Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Scandinavia. His wife, Alexis, is also a military veteran. They have four children, one of which is a Combat Army veteran. Both Patrick and Alexis have an extensive lineage of family veterans including their parents and siblings. Patrick and Alexis are both proud to have served this great nation and thank God for the opportunities they have been provided.

Dr. John W. Buckner, MD is Chair of the PURE Wellness Advisory Board and an Independent Business Owner. He served in the Air Force Reserves until June of 2000 when he resigned his commission. The events of Sept. 11, 2001 compelled him to sign up for the United States Army Reserves. During the past 10 years, Col. Buckner has been deployed 3 times to Iraq. The first, with the 1^st Armored Division as a part of the 924^thForward Surgical Team stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. During that first deployment, Col. Buckner was awarded the Combat Medics Badge for providing care to injured soldiers while under enemy fire. The second Deployment was with the 344^th Combat Support Hospital at Camp Bucca, Iraq, and his third and final deployment was with the 325^th Combat Support Hospital in Tikrit, during the peak of the surge that secured Iraq and broke the back of the insurgency of Al-Qaeda. Dr. Buckner’s last deployment was in 2010, when he served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 101st Airborne. As a member of the 934^th Forward Surgical Team, Dr. Buckner was stationed at Forward Operating Base Sharana in Eastern Afghanistan. He received the Meritorious Service Medal, 4 Army Commendation Medals, 2 Army Achievement Medals, Expert Field Medics Badge, National Defense Medal, Army Reserve Medal, Army Overseas Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, NATO Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the coveted, Combat Medics Badge for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Britten Warren, Silver Independent Business Owner, was enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2007. He graduated from Infantry Training Battalion as an Honor Graduate and earned the MOS 0331 (Machine Gunner). In October 2007, Staff Sergeant Warren reported to 1st Battalion 2d Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In July 2008 he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In March 2010, he was deployed to Nowzad, Afghanistan where he was meritoriously promoted to Sergeant in August 2010. He held the billets of machine gunner, machine gun team leader, fire team leader, and machine gun squad leader. In February 2011, he reported to Basic Recruiter Course, San Diego, California. Upon completion, he received orders to Recruiting Station Montgomery, Alabama, Recruiting Sub Station Tupelo, and Permeant Contact Station Oxford, Mississippi. He held the billet of canvassing recruiter.  In April 2014, he attended Sergeant’s Course and graduated in May 2014.  In July 2014, he reported to 2d Battalion 3d Marines, Company E for duty as a Machine Gun Squad Leader. In June 2015, he deployed to Okinawa, Japan, where he participated in exercise Korean Military Exchange Program 15-13. He was promoted to his current rank in November 2015. He held the billets as a machine gun squad leader and Weapons Platoon Sergeant with Echo Company. In January 2016, Staff Sergeant Warren reported to Infantry Unit Leaders Course, Camp Pendleton, CA. Upon completion of Infantry Unit Leaders Course, he was transferred to Golf Company, 2^nd Platoon, Platoon Sergeant billet.  In December 2016, he deployed in support of Forward Deployed Forces (FDF) to Okinawa, Japan. His personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “V” and 3 Gold Stars in lieu of 4 award. He is married to Ashley and has two children.

Today, be sure to tell someone how much you appreciate their service. Ask them to share a story with you — a story about what they did, what they are proud of, and what they learned from their experience. They will be more than happy to share with you how they made a difference.

Most of all, show them the greatest respect.

We are People United Reaching Everyone