On October 22, 2022, the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted the Inaugural ODA 595 Horse Soldiers Reunion at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. Ted Corcoran, CEO of the FWB Chamber, was Master of Ceremony.
Below is a replay video of the event. If you have a Smart TV, search for and install the VidFlow app to watch this video on your big screen TV. This video player also also you to select chapter points to specific speakers and presentations.
Ten of the original 12 members of ODA 595 were in attendance for this inaugural reunion event.
Captain Mark Nutsch – Detachment Commander
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bob Pennington – Assistant Detachment Commander
Master Sergeant Paul Evans – Team and Operations Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Andy Marchal – Intelligence Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Steve Kofron. – Weapons Sergeant
Staff Sergeant Mike Elmore – Weapons Sergeant
Staff Sergeant Chad Jacklet– Engineer Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Steve Bleigh—Medical Sergeant
Sergeant First Class Vince Makela – Communications Sergeant
Staff Sergeant Will Summers– Communications Sergeant
Not in Attendance:
- Staff Sergeant USAF Steve E. Tomat – Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)
- Staff Sergeant USAF Joseph Matt Lienhard– Air Force Special Operations Combat Controller from Special Tactics Squadron
Several prominent guest speakers included Florida House District #4 representative Patt Maney, former CIA Directorate of Operations officer Alex Hernandez, former USAF Chief of Staff for a Theater Special, retired Col Glenn Thomas, and the son of Doolittle Raiders Col Dick Cole, Richard Cole.
A special commemorative canteen cup was created by the Bohlin Company and presented to each member of ODA 595 in honor and recognition of their heroic actions in America’s first response against the Taliban after the 911 attack.
If you are interested in learning more about ODA 595 as well as other stories about America’s 1st response to the 911 attacks, check out these sources:
First Casualty by Toby Harnden
Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton
Swords of Lightning – Green Beret Horse Soldiers and America’s Response to 911
12 Strong – The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers
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Billy Bowlegs Torchlight Parade 2021
The 2021 Billy Bowlegs Torchlight Parade took place on May 3, 2021 on Eglin Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Hosted by the FWB Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Step One Automotive Group.
0:00 – Opening
2:19 – Police Department of City of Fort Walton Beach
3:51 – Mayor of the City of Fort Walton Beach
4:25 – City of Fort Walton Beach City Council
4:51 – Fire Department of City of Fort Walton Beach
5:40 – Northwest Florida Track Club
6:11 – Step One Automotive Group
6:45 – Fort Walton Beach Library
7:12 – Ft Walton Beach Women’s Club
8:05 – The Rescued Rescuers Dachshund & Friends
9:31 – Fort Walton Beach Buccaneers
10:37 – Hot Head Burritos
11:14 – Star Wars 501st Legion
12:52 – Emerald Coast Elite, Inc
13:59 – Distinguished Young Women of Okaloosa County, FL
14:40 – Rye-Land Lawncare LLC
15:13 – FRIOS Emerald Coast
15:31 – Step One Automotive Group
17:40 – Okaloosa Republicans
21:11 – Miss Okaloosa County
23:58 – T-Mobile
24:15 – A Touch of Class Homecookin’ & Events
24:34 – Krewe of MAGnificent Space Pirates
24:59 – JVC Broadcasting
25:38 – Second Breath Styles
26:16 – Mardi Gras Club of FWB
28:42 – Navarre Krewe of Jesters
29:14 – Dippin’ Dots
29:41- Step One Automotive Group
30:24 – Krewe of Karibbean
31:07 – Krewe of Bowlegs
32:31 – NPM LLC Home Improvements
33:48 – Delivery.com
34:43 – Emerald Coast Parrot Head Club
35:32 – Golds Gym Fort Walton Beach
36:03 – Xtreme H2O Sports
36:43 – Step One Automotive Group
37:04 – Krewe of Bowlegs
38:18 – Krewe of Airship Pirates
39:34 – Krewe De Yak
39:59 – St Paul Vulcans
40:33 – Krewe of Dominique Youx
42:33 – Krewe of Bowlegs
44:42 – ClosingProduced by Emerald Coast TV
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Our Emerald Coast Community – Wounded Warrior Christofer Curtis
On this episode of OECC, our co-host Martha Laguardia Kotite interviews Christofer Curtis, a local Wounded Warrior airman stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida, about his tragic combat related injury, his road to recovery and to fly again, and about the support from family, friends and veteran related organizations such at the Fisher house.
Produced in the Emerald Coast TV Studios at the Landmark Center in downtown Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This episode aired on Cox Cable Ch6 in May 2019.
Martha, a retired US Coast Guard Captain, served for 29-years at sea and ashore, a TED talk and motivational speaker, she is an author of 5 books including the award-winning, So Others May Live: Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, Saving Lives and Defying Death.For more information, www.martha.kotite.com -
Official 2017 Billy Bowlegs Torchlight Parade
Watch the 62nd Billy Bowlegs Torchlight Parade, sponsored by Windcreek Casino & Hotel at Atmore, and hosted by the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
The parade took place on June 5, 2017 and ends a weekend of fun with the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, which takes place every year on the 1st weekend of June and features the Krewe of Bowlegs, as well as other Krewes from the local area to as far as Minnesota.
If you have an event you would like to be available for online viewing, contact Emerald Coast TV at 850-244-7100.
