CAPT HAL PIERCE AWARDS - 2021

Fran Barber-Bruyn

• Fran Barber-Bruyn has distinguished herself by her exceptional support and dedication to our local veterans community.  Fran has been one of the most energetic  champions of our veterans, enthusiastically supporting a number of organizations and projects.  Chief among these was serving as Vice President and Secretary of the Veterans Memorial Recovery Team, an organization that is recovering and restoring hundreds of veteran burial sites at the Historic Oaklawn Memorial Cemetery. Additionally, she has written grants to raise funds for the Oaklawn project, photographed and recorded the progress of the cemetery cleanup, and posted photos and videos on Facebook and the cemetery restoration website. 
• As a member of the South Alabama Veterans Council, Fran has supported that organization in numerous ways, including creating the CW4 Mike Novosel nomination packet for the naming of the 5th State of Alabama Veterans Home and providing photos and other input for the South Alabama Veterans Council monthly newsletter.   She has also supported the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission in various ways for many years, including photographing the Patriot of the Year and Veterans of the Year, making a parade video, and producing other media products. Whatever job needed to be accomplished to support our veterans, Fran brought to it an unbounded initiative, versatility, and enthusiasm.   Fran Barber-Bruyn has and continues to display the same spirit of service, patriotism, love of community, and love of country that Captain Hal Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.

Julius Powell

• Julius Powell has truly stood out with his exceptional support and dedication to our veteran’s community.  His vibrant involvement in numerous veteran organizations and projects over the years has been a sight to behold.  
• Chief among these was serving on the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Committee that brought the memorial to Mobile Memorial Gardens in April 2001, where thousands of people were able to visit the wall that heals.  Additionally, as a member of the South Alabama Veterans Council, Julius has been the Director of Automation and has been responsible for creating and managing the Council’s Webpage.  He has also been the primary organizer of the annual Veterans Day Week Flags of Glory celebration for the past nine years, and he has helped raise more than $36,000  in support of veterans.
•  Equally important has been Julius organizing the display of flags lining the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park entrance road.  Julius and his team place fifty flags on each side of the road every Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, and many other days when requested by the Park staff.  In addition to these extremely important contributions to our veterans, Julius is also the Director of Special Projects for Mobile Memorial Gardens, where he organizes projects like the Annual First Responders Program and other special events supporting veterans.  Julius Powell has and continues to display the same spirit of service, patriotism, love of community, and love of country that  Captain Hal Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.

This award is presented in the name of Captain Hal Pierce who was a driving force in supporting the military and veterans in the Mobile Bay Area. Captain Hal was also known as "The Sea Lord of Mobile". The award is presented to deserving members of the community for their spirit of service, patriotism, love of community and love of country that Captain Hal Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.

CAPT HAL PIERCE AWARDS - 2023

Colonel Frank J. Calagaz, Jr.

• Colonel Frank J. Calagaz, Jr. has distinguished himself by exceptional support of and dedication to our local veterans’ community. Frank served our country in the US Marine Corps and the Alabama Army National Guard for more than thirty-four years and was the recipient of the Alabama Distinguished Service Medal. After his military career, Frank continued to serve his country, his state, and his community through numerous veteran activities. Chief among these was serving in several positions of great responsibility in the South Alabama Chapter of the Military Officers association of America. He was also a life member of American Legion Post 3 and worked tirelessly for the resurrection and renovation that that historic Mobile post. Frank also served on the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission and was the Vice President responsible for the Patriot Dinner, an important part of Mobile’s commemoration of Veterans Day. Frank was proud of his military service and he was proud to be a veteran. He would do anything necessary to help a fellow veteran and his passing in December 2022 has left a giant hole in our veteran’s community

Lynne Price, Mobile Council Navy League

• Lynne Price has distinguished herself by exceptional support of and dedication to our local veterans' community. Lynne has been one of the most energetic champions of our veterans, enthusiastically supporting numerous organizations and projects. As the Administrator of the Mobile Council of the Navy League, she does the planning for every Navy League event and ensures all logistical and operational support is provided. As a former USS Alabama Crewmate, Lynne has managed the Crewmate program for almost twenty years. This wonderful program is for young women to learn about the heritage of Alabama. Lynne plans all Crewmate activities which include, participating in the annual Veterans Day Parade, Flag Parade, Blue Star Salute, and visits to the William F. Green State Veterans Home.
• This year she took them to participate in the Governor's Inaugural Parade in Montgomery. Lynne is a member of the Executive Women International and has been a member of the Alabama Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals. Whatever job has needed to be done to support our veterans, Lynne brought to it an unbounded initiative, versatility, and enthusiasm.

CAPT HAL PIERCE AWARDS - 2025

Jennifer Caldwell Byrd

• Jennifer Byrd has distinguished herself by exceptional support and dedication to our local veteran community. She has been one of our most energetic champions of veterans, enthusiastically supporting them in numerous organizations and projects. Among these projects are: Joining the Veterans Disability section of the law firm Gardberg and Kemmerly where she was accredited by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. She also serves as a member of the National Organization of Veteran Advocates (NOVA). As a NOVA member, she assists veterans and their families, and particularly veterans with disabilities, to obtain their earned benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a NOVA member, she also serves on the Congressional Testimony Committee. In this capacity, in March 2024, she served as a lobbyist representing veterans by with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in support of veterans, namely the Guard Act. She will return to Capitol Hill in 2025 to continue advocating for veterans. On November 5, she will be admitted into the Bar for the United States Supreme Court. 
• Jennifer is an Associate Member of the P.L. Wilson Detachment of the Marine Corps League, where she supports their many veterans’ projects. Additionally, she is a member of the South Alabama Veterans Council (SAVC), where she serves on several committees, and she is the Vice President of the Sponsorship Committee on the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission. For Armed Forces Day 2023, Jennifer was the chairperson for the Blue Star Memorial 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run for Alabama’s Fallen Heroes.
• Jennifer is the proud mother of a daughter and a son, with her son serving on active-duty in the United States Navy.
• Considering all of these accomplishments supporting our veterans, Jennifer Byrd has displayed the same spirit of service, patriotism, love of community, and love of country that Captain Hal Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.   

Ms. Nancy Raia

  

• Ms. Nancy Raia has consistently distinguished herself by exceptional support of our local veteran’s community. She has been one of the most energetic champions of our veterans, enthusiastically supporting several organizations and projects.
• Chief among these have been fifteen years of service teaching art to hundreds of veterans at the William F. Green Veterans Home in Bay Minette. She has also worked with University of South Alabama students interning as recreational therapists, working with the William F. Green veterans. She works to adapt art lessons to fit their needs (Whether they are visually impaired, missing a hand, or have some cognitive impairment) she helps others find a way to reach everyone through art as a form of expression and calming time of relaxation.
• Additionally, Nancy has engaged veterans with her art programs at the Eastern Shore Art Center and the United States Sports Academy. Another example of her successful veteran programs was the Poppy Project where 3000 clay poppies were made and placed on the Henry George Bluff in Fairhope. On that project Nancy invited local high school students to partner with veterans on a project that was very successful. 
• Nancy states that her dad was a veteran and her husband’s father was also a veteran and a Prisoner of War in WW2.  She says, “It was instilled in me that you always salute the flag and honor the military for their service, as we have the greatest country to live in, thanks to their service!”
• Her spirit of volunteerism, vision, and dedicated support to our military veterans has been truly inspirational and has achieved successes of which she can be justifiably proud.
• Nancy Raia has and continues to display the same spirit of service, patriotism, love of community, and love of country that Captain Hal Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.