Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs

06/08/2026

🇺🇸Veteran of the Week🇺🇸
USMC First Sergeant (Ret.) Todd Messina

From joining the Marine Corps at age 17 to serving in combat operations in Iraq and continuing his commitment to veterans through more than two decades with the Marine Corps League, First Sergeant (Ret.) Todd Messina has dedicated his life to service, leadership, and community. His distinguished career, unwavering commitment to fellow Marines, and continued advocacy for veterans make him a deserving Veteran of the Week.

Born in November 1965, First Sergeant (Ret.) Todd Messina began his military journey at just 17 years old when he joined the United States Marine Corps in February 1983. He attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, graduating in December 1983, before completing Supply School at Camp Johnson in March 1984.

His first duty assignment took him overseas to Camp Courtney in Okinawa, Japan, where he served from 1984 to 1985. During this time, he competed in the Far East Rifle and Pistol Matches and earned designation as an 8531 Marksmanship Instructor. An exceptional marksman, he once held a rifle range record score of 248 out of 250, a testament to his dedication and skill.

In 1985, First Sergeant Messina was assigned to Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron-2 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he developed extensive logistics and supply expertise while supporting aviation operations. His outstanding performance earned him a meritorious promotion to Corporal. He later transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Belle Chasse, Louisiana, where he trained Marine Reserve units and was meritoriously promoted to Sergeant.

Selected for one of the Corps’ most demanding leadership roles, he received orders to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in 1989 to become a Drill Instructor. After sustaining a serious stress fracture during training, he transitioned to Recruiter School, graduating as an 8411 Marine Corps Recruiter. Assigned to Recruiting Substation Baton Rouge, he quickly distinguished himself, earning Recruiter of the Month honors three times and winning one of only three Non-Commissioned Officer swords awarded during a recruiting competition conducted by Recruiting Station New Orleans.
Following active duty service, First Sergeant Messina continued his commitment to the Marine Corps through the Marine Corps Reserve. Beginning in 1994, he served with Marine Forces Reserve as Supply Chief for the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, overseeing logistics support for 91 reserve supply units. While serving in a billet typically reserved for a Master Sergeant, he advanced through the ranks to Staff Sergeant and Gunnery Sergeant.

In April 2003, he was activated and deployed as Supply Chief for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in Kuwait. The following year, he was promoted to First Sergeant and assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines. Within days of joining the unit, he was mobilized for combat operations in Iraq. During his deployment, he participated in several major combat operations, including the Battle of Hit, Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Operation Silent Night in Ramadi, and Operation River Blitz in Hit.

After returning home in June 2005, First Sergeant Messina concluded a distinguished military career and retired from the Marine Corps in September 2006, having served his country with honor, courage, and commitment for more than two decades.

Retirement did not mark the end of his service. For more than 24 years, he has been an active member of the Choctaw Detachment of the Marine Corps League in Baton Rouge and has served as its Commandant. His continued dedication to veterans and the Marine Corps community has earned him numerous honors, including Marine of the Year (2022) for the Choctaw Detachment, Devil Dog of the Year for both the City of Baton Rouge and the State of Louisiana, and Honor Dog of the Year in 2024.
Among his greatest sources of pride is his family, including his daughter, an honor-roll student at Louisiana Tech University.

USMC First Sergeant (Ret.) Todd Messina's life exemplifies leadership, perseverance, and selfless service. From training Marines and recruiting future generations of warriors to leading troops in combat and serving veterans in his community, he has dedicated his life to the values of the Marine Corps and continues to make a lasting impact on those around him. Semper Fidelis.

Thank you, First Sergeant Messina, for your service and for continuing to make a difference in Baton Rouge and beyond. Semper Fidelis, and we Salute you!🇺🇸🇺🇸

06/03/2026

2026 La Legislation for Veterans, links to each one in the comments. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

HB 436- Provides for certain Veterans to work as Park Rangers.

HB 682- Provides for certain veterans to work as school guardians at public schools.

HB 450- Provides relative to points awarded to veterans in competitive fire and police civil service employment.

SB 51- Creates the crime of fraudulent representation of military service or awards.

SB 180 - Authorizes the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran with a service connected disability who receives an expanded property tax exemption to transfer the exemption under certain circumstances.

06/01/2026

🇺🇸Veteran of the Week 🇺🇸
SFC William Louis “Mac” McInnis
United States Army (Ret.)

Inspired from a young age to serve his country, Mac graduated from Central high school in 1998 and pursuit his dream of joining the United States Army. What followed was a lifelong commitment of service and sacrifice.

This week, we proudly recognize Sergeant First Class William Louis “Mac” McInnis, a Baton Rouge native whose life has been defined by service, leadership, and dedication to his fellow Soldiers and Veterans.
Mac’s desire to serve began at a young age after watching classic military films and television series that highlighted the courage, sacrifice, and brotherhood of America’s armed forces. Inspired by those stories, he graduated from Central High School in 1998 and immediately began pursuing his lifelong dream of joining the United States Army.
Over the course of a distinguished 20-year Army career, SFC McInnis served as an Airborne Infantryman with several highly respected units, including the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division, and 25th Infantry Division. Throughout his career, he held numerous leadership positions ranging from Rifleman and Squad Leader to Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, Drill Sergeant, and Operations Noncommissioned Officer.
His military service took him across the world, including assignments in North Carolina, Louisiana, South Korea, Colorado, Georgia, and Hawaii. During his deployment to South Korea, his unit later deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he would later deploy again in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Mac describes serving as a combat leader alongside his Soldiers during those deployments as one of the proudest moments of his military career.
SFC McInnis earned numerous awards and decorations in recognition of his valor, leadership, and service, including the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart💜 , Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for Valor, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, and multiple airborne qualifications, including Canadian and German Jump Wings.
Following his retirement from the Army in 2018, Mac continued his mission of serving others by joining the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs as a Veterans Assistance Counselor, helping fellow Veterans obtain the benefits they earned through their service. Through hard work and dedication, he advanced to his current role as Training and Development Program Manager for LDVA, where he helps develop programs and initiatives that positively impact Veterans and their families throughout Louisiana.
In addition to his professional work, Mac continues advocating for combat-wounded Veterans as the Senior Vice Commander for the Department of Louisiana Military Order of the Purple Heart and remains active with both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
For Mac, being a Veteran means being willing to defend the freedoms and way of life we cherish as Americans, even at great personal sacrifice. His advice to the next generation is to stay involved, find purpose, and continue building connections through service and community.
Proud of his roots, Mac says Baton Rouge will always be home, the place that shaped his values, friendships, and foundation for a lifetime of service.
Thank you, SFC McInnis, for your extraordinary service to our nation and your continued commitment to Louisiana’s Veteran community. We Salute You!

05/29/2026

🇺🇸🇺🇸 We would love to tell the stories!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸

05/26/2026

🇺🇸🇺🇸 Veteran of the Week 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Dan Clark Godbee

Colonel Dan Clark Godbee devoted an extraordinary 47 years of service to the United States Army, serving from 1976 to 2023 in both enlisted and commissioned roles. His military career reflects an unwavering commitment to service, leadership, medicine, and the defense of the nation.
Inspired early on by a desire to become part of the elite Army Special Forces, Colonel Godbee pursued one of the most demanding and diverse military careers imaginable. During his 24 years as an enlisted Soldier, he served as a Special Forces Explosive and Demolition Sergeant, Combat Diver, Special Forces Medical Sergeant and Dive Medical Technician, Arabic Linguist, Operations and Intelligence Sergeant, and ultimately as a Special Forces Team Sergeant, achieving the rank of Sergeant Major before receiving his commission as an officer.
As a commissioned officer for an additional 23 years, Colonel Godbee served as a Medical Officer in a Combat Support Hospital, with the 2nd Infantry Division, and as a Battalion and Group Doctor within the 20th Special Forces Group. Throughout his distinguished career, he was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Georgia; Gulfport, Mississippi; Florida; and Alabama, with deployments spanning the globe, including Iran, the Sinai Peninsula, Sudan, Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Among his many experiences, Colonel Godbee especially valued his service in the Sinai Peninsula and Afghanistan, reflecting fondly on the people, mission, and camaraderie that defined his decades in uniform.
His remarkable service earned numerous military honors, including three Legion of Merit awards, three Bronze Stars, five Meritorious Service Medals, eight Army Commendation Medals, eight Army Achievement Medals, and many additional service and campaign recognitions.
Following retirement from military service, Colonel Godbee has continued dedicating his life to caring for others. He currently serves the community as an emergency physician and as the Medical Director for East Baton Rouge Parish EMS. His passion for emergency medicine and public service remains as strong today as it was during his military career.
Colonel Godbee describes being a veteran as “a great honor and privilege, and some of the most fun I’ve ever had.” He encourages younger generations to consider military service, believing it to be one of the most important, developmental, and rewarding experiences a person can undertake.
Although he originally came to Baton Rouge expecting to stay only a short time, the community and its people profoundly impacted his life. Today, he proudly calls Baton Rouge home and plans to remain here for the rest of his life. He credits the city and the people he serves alongside in EMS and City-Parish government as a continuing source of purpose and fulfillment.
We proudly recognize Colonel Dan Clark Godbee for his exceptional military career, lifelong service to others, and continued dedication to the Baton Rouge community.

For your service and sacrifice Sir, we Salute you.🇺🇸

05/18/2026

🇺🇸 Veteran of the Week 🇺🇸
Frank J. Muscarello
United States Marine Corps

Frank J. Muscarello, Jr. served in the United States Marine Corps from 1967 to 1969 and attained the rank of Corporal (E-4).

Frank J. Muscarello, Jr. proudly served in the United States Marine Corps from 1967 to 1969, attaining the rank of Corporal (E-4). During his military service, he worked as a keypunch operator, mainframe computer operator, and aviation maintenance data specialist. Following boot camp in San Diego, California, he was one of only seven Marines promoted to Private First Class. He served at Marine Corps Base Twenty-Nine Palms, California, where he also served on the funeral honor guard rifle squad, and later at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. There, his leadership and innovation earned him a meritorious promotion to Corporal after successfully restructuring the aircraft maintenance analysis section.

Following his honorable service, Frank built a remarkable life centered on family, leadership, and community service. He has been married for 27 years and is the proud father of one son and a stepdaughter, with seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Professionally, he retired from Albemarle Corporation after 33 years in the Information Technology Department and also operated his own business, Riverside Computers, LLC, for 15 years.

Frank’s commitment to public service extended far beyond his military career. He served for 20 years on the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission and volunteered for many years at the St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Shelter. He also dedicated more than 30 years to the choir at St. Aloysius Catholic Church and spent over five years as a graduate assistant with the Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking and Human Relations.

A devoted advocate for veterans, Frank has been a member of American Legion Post 38 for 42 years, serving as 3rd Commander and currently as Financial Secretary. He has also been an active member of the Marine Corps League Choctaw Detachment for 15 years, serving in numerous leadership roles including Commandant, Senior Vice Commandant, Adjutant, and Paymaster. His dedication has earned him the Detachment Marine of the Year Award in 2016 and the State Marine of the Year Award in 2022, along with honors including The Excalibur Club Certificate of Recognition and the prestigious Chapel of Four Chaplains Award.

Reflecting on his service, Frank believes that being a Marine Veteran carries a lifelong responsibility to lead, defend others, and remain faithful to fellow Marines and country. He describes “Semper Fidelis” not simply as a motto, but as an absolute way of life rooted in dedication, integrity, and service.

Originally from Hammond, Louisiana, Frank moved to East Baton Rouge Parish in 1969 after leaving active duty and has continued to serve his community ever since. Today, he and his wife, the lovely Dawn Muscarello, devote much of their time to volunteer work, especially supporting veterans in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

For Frank, some of the most meaningful moments come from honoring veterans with American flags and patriotic songs such as “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful,” ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten.

For your commendable service and sacrifice, we Salute you!🇺🇸

05/16/2026

We alway honor and show respect for our amazing military 🇺🇸🇺🇸

05/14/2026

Save the date and come out and have a great Flag Day; free music with Phat Hat, free jambalaya and white beans, patriotic events, bouncy houses, train rides for the kids, and a fun parade!!! Grand Marshall is Dept of Veteran Affairs Secretary Colonel McGinley! 🇺🇸

05/13/2026

05/11/2026

🇺🇸 Veteran of the Week 🇺🇸
Sergeant Johnny Joubert
La. National Guard
United States National Guard

Sergeant Johnny Joubert served in the Louisiana Army National Guard in February 1987 and, at 17, deployed during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, transporting critical military supplies across the Middle East.

Johnny Joubert’s story is one of duty that began locally and quickly expanded to a global stage. He enlisted in the Louisiana Army National Guard in February 1987, driven by a desire to serve his community. Within just a few short years—and at only seventeen years old—he was called to active duty and deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Serving as an 88M Motor Transport Operator, Johnny operated M915 14-ton semi-tractors—22-wheelers responsible for moving the lifeblood of military operations. Stationed at King Khalid Military City in Saudi Arabia from October 1990 to August 1991, he transported critical supplies including water, ammunition, food, and communications equipment across Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Johnny’s military training took him from Fort Polk, Louisiana (now Fort Johnson), to Fort Dix, New Jersey for Advanced Individual Training, and later to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where he completed NCO School—building the leadership foundation that would carry into his civilian life.

His service earned him numerous honors, including:
• Army Achievement Medal
• Southwest Asia Service Medal (with two bronze stars)
• Kuwait Liberation Medal
• Saudi Arabian Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait
• Louisiana War Cross
• Louisiana Veterans Honor Medal
• National Defense Service Medal and more

After exiting active duty in 1993 and completing his service in 1995, Johnny continued his mission of service at home. He attended LSU and earned his law degree from Southern University Law Center before founding Joubert Law Firm in Baton Rouge in 2002.

Today, Johnny represents individuals in serious personal injury cases, bringing a unique perspective shaped by his experience driving heavy military vehicles—particularly in truck accident litigation. He is also a strong advocate for veterans, working to ensure prior service-related injuries are not unfairly used against them in insurance claims.

His commitment to service extends well beyond his profession. Each year, his firm hosts a Veterans Day Flag Giveaway—distributing hundreds of American flags (650 last year alone) while creating space for veterans to share their stories. He serves on the board of the Louisiana Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), supports scholarship initiatives, mentors future attorneys, and participates in veteran-led efforts like the Legion of Mars Mardi Gras parade honoring those who serve.

Recognized as a Super Lawyers honoree for eight consecutive years and an LSU100 honoree for business excellence, Johnny remains grounded in what matters most—service, integrity, and community. He is also a devoted husband and proud father of three college students.

From the deserts of the Middle East to the courtrooms of Louisiana, Johnny Joubert continues to live a life defined by service.

For your continued service Sir, we Salute you! 🇺🇸