CHANGING HOW TREATMENT IS SOUGHT& ADMINISTERED
Our curriculum is tailored to suit each individual's needs, with a particular focus on veteran support. We provide our participants access to fully-trained service dogs for individuals needing round-the-clock assistance and holistic treatments for PTSD, including 1-on-1 counseling, Occupational Therapy, organized wellness retreats, sensory deprivation float tanks, and more. We’re building a new Florida headquarters to house all our services under one roof. Until then, we rely on our vetted provider network to offer a full spectrum of healing services for our warriors in need.
Rather than the current one-size-fits-all approach, our combat veterans are offered uniquely designed and individually tailored programs, including ample recreational opportunities, hobbies, and outdoor wellness.
Warriors Choice Foundation (WCF) also provides access to the incomparable Focused Cognitive K9 Rehabilitation (FCKR) program, which since 2018 has fast-tracked the process for those needing service dogs. If applicable to the veteran, this program offers an in-house breeding & training and remote handler programs for those transitioning personal pet dogs into working service dogs.
HEAR OUR STORIES
Executive Team
ANTHONY
LONGO
Anthony Longo, Founding President and Executive Director.
Anthony is a U.S. Marines Corp Combat Veteran who served multiple combat deployments in Fallujah, Iraq as an Infantry Communication Specialist. Following his enlistment Anthony pursued a career in Fire Rescue, and became a Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP). Anthony was presented with the opportunity to use his skills, and to continue serving his country as a contractor sub-contracted by the Department of State as a Tactical Medic, conducting diplomatic security operations in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Anthony began working with dogs while on R&R, where he began to craft his skill set through the tutelage of world-renowned competition trainers. He found himself at seminars traveling across the nation and the world to work with or listen to the best in the business. In 2017, after Anthony finished contracting, he dove head first into working and breeding dogs.
Since 2018 Anthony has provided over 40 fully trained service dogs and set up 26 retreats for Combat Veterans. These programs have been funded by 100% charitable donations he has personally raised.
Through his vast experience and unique qualifications, he has guided the Warriors Choice Foundation to help combat veterans suffering from PTSD and mental illness through his service dog program and wellness retreats. Anthony is dedicated to serving the underserved Combat Veteran community in his hometown of Jupiter, Florida, and throughout the Nation.
Board of Directors
DOUG
PAINTER
With degrees in Political Science and French from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Doug Painter served on the staff of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, from 1973 until his retirement in 2011. In 2002, he was named president and CEO of NSSF. At the same time, he was president of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Fund and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute. Following his retirement, Painter served as NSSF’s Senior Advisor and Trade Liaison. Currently, Painter is a consultant to Sporting Classics magazine and editor-in-chief of the Boone and Crockett Club magazine, Fair Chase. Through his efforts at NSSF, his writing and work as a widely recognized television personality, Painter has focused on increasing public visibility and acceptance of the shooting sports and promoting firearm safety education. He has been a board member of the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Trust, Wildlife Management Institute, the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance, Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation and a co-chair of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Steering Committee. A life-long hunter, shooter and an avid fisherman, Mr. Painter has written extensively on a broad range of shooting sports topics as well as on wildlife conservation.
DR. KEVIN BUFORD
Dr. Buford earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and subsequently completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at The University of California at San Diego. Dr. Buford then completed a post-residency fellowship in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Buford is a flight physician, PADI Divemaster, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Dive Medical Officer, Divers Alert Network (DAN) referral physician and previously served as the Assistant Medical Director of the Dive Accident Response Team (D.A.R.T.). The D.A.R.T. team is the only medical team in the USA which specializes in delivering on-site offshore emergency and hyperbaric medical treatment for commercial dive accidents. Above all Dr. Buford is a patriot and an avid supporter of US Military Veterans and the Warrior’s Choice Foundation.
BRICE CAMBAS, J.D.
Brice Cambas is an avid proponent of veterans’ issues. Brice founded and currently serves as the CEO of BC1 Partners, a group of current and former leaders from multiple sectors, which provides a range of services to support specific initiatives, projects, and companies having a nexus to U.S. National Security. Brice is a Charter Member and President-Elect (2021-2022 term) of the Downtown Rotary Club of Houston—the fastest-growing Rotary Club in the World (2018, 2019). Brice earned a B.A. from Rhodes College (2008) and a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law (2011).
Board of Trustees
DR. KELLI DAVIS
Kelli Davis, originally from North Carolina, graduated from UNC Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. She then went on to Columbia University in New York, where she graduated with a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. Following graduation, she further specialized her skills by obtaining Geriatric Certified Specialist (GCS) and Certified Exercise Expert in the Aging Adult (CEEAA) through APTA as well as becoming a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). Prior to attending Columbia University, she had an extensive sports background with collegiate soccer and she has been performing CrossFit for over 12 years. She is able to utilize her background to analyze body mechanics and community re-integration, to assist with technique as well as assist in modifying movements for those who are injured to continue to promote health and wellness. Kelli’s knowledge of the healthcare system and the body as a whole will assist with Warriors Choice’s alternative approach to Mind, Body and Spiritual Healing. Through her passion for sports as well as the aging adult, she began her career in North Carolina managing several therapy clinics and currently acts as Vice President for a Rehabilitation company where she manages the operations for over 200 facilities in the state of FL, TX, GA, SC, PA and MA. Her leadership background in operations, finance, and the world of insurance/survey as well as health and wellness will assist the holistic approach of Warriors Choice achieve its Performa goals.
PETER ANGELO CAVICCHIA II
Pete is a retired U.S. Secret Service Senior Executive who earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History and Labor Relations from Upsala College in 1966, where he played football and was a member of the Rho Alpha Phi fraternity. He worked as a grammar school teacher upon graduating but was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in October 1966. In 1967 he was deployed to Dầu Tieng, Vietnam, where he served with the 25th Infantry Division, 25 Th MP Co. In 1968 he fought in the TET Offensive, was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and received the U.S. Army Commendation Medal. Mr. Cavicchia began his thirty-year career with the United States Secret Service (USSS) in 1970. During his first decade of service, he received the Secretary of the Treasury Honor Award for his undercover investigation into one of the most prolific counterfeiting rings in the U.S. From 1986 to 1998, he served as Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) of the Newark, New Jersey Field Office of the USSS and the Philadelphia Field Office from 1998 to 2000. There, he planned, managed, and directed USSS criminal investigations in financial crimes, counterfeiting, computer forensics, credit card, and bank fraud, as well as Protective Intelligence investigations pertaining to persons and/or groups that would threaten the safety of the President of the United States and other protectees of the USSS. He was also responsible for planning and directing the executive protection of the President and Vice President and other USSS protectees during their visits to the New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware geographic districts. Most notably, he was the architect of the security for major events such as Pope John Paul II’s visit to Northern New Jersey in 1995, and the 2000 Republican National Convention held in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Cavicchia was behind many notable and fruitful USSS investigations. Since retiring from the Secret Service in 2000, Mr. Cavicchia has been president and chairman of the security consulting firm Strategic Services International LLC, headquartered in Sparta and Randolf, New Jersey. He advised the U.S. Department of the Army in counterterrorism training and interdiction, executive protective, and intelligence investigative procedures worldwide after the World Trade Center attack on 9/11. After 9/11, he was recruited as an intelligence agent on the U.S. Army Anti-Terrorism Interdiction Task Force. He traveled internationally in his role in these U.S. Army programs, serving in Central Asia, Mid East, and Africa. In 2012, he became a Special Investigator in the Diplomatic Security Service Office of the U.S. Department of State, where he conducted background and due diligence investigations on U.S. Department of State personnel who held or sought sensitive positions within the State Department that required security clearances of all levels. He is currently a specialist at the Powhatan Group, a safety and security consulting company based in Delaware. Mr. Cavicchia is the grandson of Peter Angelo Cavicchia, the first Italian-American Congressman. He is the grandnephew of Dominic Cavicchia, who served as Speaker of the New Jersey State Assembly in 1944 and was also the New Jersey Deputy Attorney General for Alcohol and Beverage Control. His son, Peter Cavicchia III, also a former U.S. Secret Service agent, responded as an EMT to the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He received the agency’s highest honor, The Medal of Valor, for his courageous actions at the WTC on that day. He has supported various organizations and causes, including Marist College, the Republican National Committee, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the Wounded Warrior Project, Vietnam Veterans of America, and the Warriors Choice Foundation, Inc. In 2007, he volunteered to share his Vietnam War experience with the Veterans History Project. He served as a senior security executive for the Republican National Convention in 2012 and 2016. Pete is also a certified cold case investigator for the National Center of Exploited and Missing Children; he has recovered two children.
DR. SCOTT LOVE
From a family with great military presence, I fully support Warriors Choice Foundation in their efforts to promote education, integration, and alternative wellness for combat veterans suffering from PTSD, and other related disorders. My family boasts a strong military background with four (4) family members with combat experience. One (1) family member spent 16 months as a prisoner of war (POW) during the Korean War. Growing up, I did not understand the debilitating mental trauma they experienced due to lack of post combat care. Warriors Choice Foundation provides an excellent program of this kind of care. For this reason, I have chosen to volunteer to serve the Warriors Choice Foundation. Scott Love PT, DPT, DHS, MPT University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Assistant Professor Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
JOHN HAMILTON
Leaving the military can be challenging for many. I saw the ups and downs throughout the years of many friends coming and going to experience a new life; from retirements, separations, and injured warriors, every experience is unique. When I decided to pull the trigger after a serious injury, I knew my fading months in the military would be crucial in setting myself and my family up for success. Since I was a young man, I knew I had a passion for business and wanted to set up my future for passive income. During my transition out of the military, I had the opportunity to learn more about Real Estate, get my license, and support my wife in her growing business. At the time, we had a new baby on the way, and I knew how important it was for us to make sure ends would meet. My passion and drive coming from the Special Operations community translated to business so precisely. I applied the strategic level hierarchy and planning mixed with the team room culture to develop a rapidly growing business. I'm grateful for the time I spent, the things I learned, and the values I can implement in life and business to help make a small difference for many people and families. There is life outside the military, and it’s up to you to embrace it! I believe in the Warriors Choice Foundation's mission which is tailored specifically to each veteran and not a one size fits all approach. That is why I have joined the fight alongside Warriors Choice Foundation to assist combat veterans on their transitioning journey home to their families after honorably serving their nation.
MIKE
GRIDER
Operations Director - K9. Mike started his law enforcement career on 11/14/1994, entering the Florida Highway Patrol Academy 88th recruit class. After graduating in 1995, Mike reported to Bradenton and focused on DUI enforcement, earning the MADD 100 DUI Club Award in 1996. In 1996 Mike became a member of the FHP Criminal Interdiction Unit, transferring to Ft. Myers, where he was partnered with K-9 handler Daniel Hinton. Mike graduated from the Florida Highway Patrol SWAT school in 1999, winning top gun honors. In 2001, Mike won the accuracy accelerated 3-gun match in Florida and a 3-gun national title in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1998, Mike was selected as a K-9 handler in Ft. Mvers and issued K-9 Bama. Mike and K-9 Bama successfully completed the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Canine Patrol School and the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Drug Detection School. After certifying in patrol and drug detection, Mike and K-9 Bama worked as a team with 11 criminal tracking apprehensions and over 10 million in contraband and assets seized until K-9 Bama retired in 2005. In 2005, Mike selected and trained his next K-9 partner, Jackal. The team had 19 criminal apprehensions and approximately 12 million in contraband and assets seized until Jackal’s retirement in 2015. Before Jackal’s official retirement date, Mike was selected to attend the FHP Canine School with K-9 Saban in 2014. Under the tutelage of a Statewide K-9 instructor/evaluator, Christopher Porter, Mike, and K-9 Saban completed the patrol and drug training school. In 2018, Mike was selected as an adjunct instructor for the 2018/2019 FHP K-9 Academy in Tallahassee. In 2019, Mike was again selected as an adjunct instructor for the 2019/2020 FHP K-9 Academy in Jasper, Florida. Mike received the following awards from FHP: Top Dog drug detection award in 2013. Heroin Case of the year award in 2013. MDMA Case of the year award in 2013. Top Case of the quarter award in 2015. Top dog drug detection award in 2016. Top dog patrol award in 2017. K-9 patrol apprehension case of the year award in 2017. Patrol Award second place in 2020. Drug Detection award second place 2020. Patrol Case of the Year 2021. Mike and K-9 Saban are still on patrol in the Fort Myers district. Mike first learned about the Warriors Choice Foundation in 2018, hesitant to hear a close friend was getting a Malinois as a service dog. Upon evaluation of the puppy Kiro, he was taken by surprise to see a Malinois with that much balance and drive. From that point on, Mike has assisted the organization by volunteering for events and giving back to those who’ve sacrificed for their country. Mike is excited about the WCF K-9 program because it is unlike any other organization out there. The WCF is creating service dog teams and maintains a standard between the handler and dog.
FREDRICK “FRED” TRAMUTOLA
Fred was born November 18th 1954 in Staten Island, NY, and graduated from Ralph R. McKee Vocational & Tech High School in 72’. He pursued some college at State Island Community College and began working on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange NYSE in December of 72’. In 79’ Fred married his beautiful wife Mary-Lou, and they relocated to Freehold, NJ, to start their new life together. Fred worked a few additional jobs on his way up to becoming the Managing Director and Partner of RPM Specialist Corp, from 85’ into retirement beginning 01’. During Fred's tenure on Wall St., he sat on different committees involved in developing and implementing an automated delivery system, NYSE floor official overseeing various rules and regulations, and several NYSE committees. Fred and his wife went on to have two children, who’ve supplied the family with three (3) beautiful grandchildren thus far. Fred and his family have been Jupiter residents since ‘06 and resided at The Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter until 2018, when they relocated to Sonoma Isles. Fred remains a member of the Loxahatchee Club and is also a member of the South Florida Shooting Club in Palm City, FL. Fred provides the Warriors Choice Foundation with tremendous knowledge through a vast range of experience in the professional sense through trading, company communication, administrative responsibility for staff and calendars, education, discipline, and risk management. Fred has also served on boards of: Members Handicap Children Fund Special Olympics and a proud supporter of: Society for Prevention of Teenage Suicide, Buffalo Bill Center of The West, and Homes for Troops.
AVE M. WILLIAMS
Avé moved to South Florida in 2014 from New York, and graduated from Palm Beach State College with an Associate of Arts degree in Business. Her interest in the hospitality industry led her to find a position with a prominent hotel within the Opal Collection, Jupiter Beach Resort, where she worked for five years, gaining customer service and administrative experience. The Warriors Choice Foundation is near and dear to her heart as the founding president, Anthony Longo, is her older brother. Because of a 12 year age gap, Avé was only six years old when Anthony joined the Marine Corps and deployed. While difficult to have a close relationship, Anthony still made sure she never felt forgotten, even though he couldn’t come home for her birthdays, school plays, or holidays. Although Avé could never personally relate to the experiences of a combat veteran, Avé has battled health issues as an epileptic from an early age. As a result Avé has endured her first hip replacement at 25 years of age, and believes in the holistic approach to alternative medicine that has helped her regain her grip on a healthy lifestyle. While Avé continues to learn and educate herself, she is honored to be a part of the Warriors Choice Foundation’s mission.
