Ken Greenberg, National Executive Director, Jewish War Veterans of the United States

Bio: Mr. Kenneth Greenberg is the National Executive Director of Jewish War Veterans of the United States. Prior to that appointment, Mr. Greenberg served as Director of Policy at VetsFirst, United Spinal Association as well as first the Deputy Director and then Director of Veterans and Military Policy at TREA: The Enlisted Association. During a 33-year tenure with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Ken has a proven history of achievements and strategic communications expertise, including receiving the Secretary’s Distinguished Career Award in January 2013, for significant and outstanding contributions during his VA career.

His eight plus years of experience as Director of Operations, Executive Secretariat, Office of the Secretary (OSVA) at the Department and as a Director for five years in VA’s Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) and ten years in the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) underscores his exhaustive knowledge of Congress, the legislative process, regulations, and the intersection of public and private constituencies.

Additional responsibilities included serving on the Veterans Health and Veterans Benefits Administrations SES Performance Review Boards and serving as a Keynote Speaker at Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonial events. Ken’s tenure also included positions in VHA’s Office of Facilities and Office of General Counsel.

Serving in these progressively responsible senior positions at VA Headquarters provided Mr. Greenberg with a comprehensive understanding of VA’s programs and organizational structure. Ken is passionate in advocating for quality services and benefits for veterans and military members. TREA welcomes his leadership in representing and in communicating with Congress, VA, DOD, other Federal agencies and Military and Veterans Service Organizations.

Ken can be reached on email at kgreenberg@jwv.org.

Bob “Shoebob” Carey, Chairman of National Defense Committee

Bio: Captain Bob “Shoebob” Carey, US Navy (Ret) is Chairman and President of the National Defense Committee, with which he’s been associated since 2006. Bob also served as Executive Vice President for Advocacy and Strategy for The Independence Fund, setting up its first Washington, DC office to run its government affairs and field advocacy operations.  Prior to The Independence Fund, Shoebob served as the Director of Military and Veterans Engagement for the Republican National Committee, providing national support for State and campaign committees in reaching military and veteran voters on the issues most important to them, and in assisting those campaigns and voters in navigating the complex military voting process.

Shoebob was previously President of Abraham & Roetzel, LLC, a bipartisan, full-service government affairs and issue management firm, which he joined in May 2012. Prior to Abraham & Roetzel, Shoebob served in the Senior Executive Service as Director of the Department of Defense’s Federal Voting Assistance Program, which helps military and overseas voters exercise their right to vote, raising military voter participation 21%.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985, Bob was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy and reported to USS Comte de Grasse (DD 974). After earning his Surface Warfare Officer designation, he reported to Pensacola, FL, earning his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1989. After additional training, he reported to Attack Squadron 85 (“The Bombing Buckeyes”) onboard USS America, flying the A-6E Intruder through two deployments, including 37 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. Shoebob left active duty in 1995 after serving on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations.

In 1995, Shoebob joined the staff of newly elected Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI), serving as his Military Legislative Assistant, Senior Legislative Assistant, and Legislative Director. In 2001, Shoebob moved to serve as first Legislative Director to Senator George Allen (R-VA), also assisting the Senator in his roles as Assistant Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate High Tech Task Force.
Soon after the 9/11 attacks, Shoebob was mobilized from the Reserves to active duty, again to serve on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. Upon his demobilization in 2002, he was appointed a Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, serving as Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the Department’s $14 billion energy, science, and environment programs.

In 2004 Shoebob left government service to form Empire-Capitol Strategies, a strategic planning and policy development consulting firm. He also served as Executive Director of the National Defense Committee, establishing the Alliance on Military and Overseas Voting Rights, and consulting the Pew Center on the States’ Military/Overseas Voting Initiative.

Shoebob served as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy and the U.S. Naval War College, and served six times as Commanding Officer of various U.S. Navy Reserve units. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Air Medal (two individual awards with Combat “V”, and two Strike/Flight awards), Navy Commendation Medal (four awards, two with Combat “V”), the Navy Achievement Medal, as well as numerous unit commendations and service medals.

He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the Naval War College and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Georgetown University, the Center for Financial Management Studies at the University of London, and the Keenan-Flagler School of Business at University of North Carolina.

The origin of his callsign “Shoebob” is still publicly unknown, but apparently can be decoded with beer or whiskey.