About
Veterans Lodge is a subsidiary of Veterans Holdings, Inc., a 501(c)3, and is committed to honoring and empowering America's veterans. Our mission is to provide a healthy environment in a serene setting where veterans and their families can come to rehabilitate through predictive health, innovative education, and transformational research. Veterans Lodge is ideally positioned to respond, in concert with the VA, to the major national health crisis affecting our returning veterans and to make a landmark impact on their health, well-being, and quality of life. Veterans Lodge represents an innovative solution and will provide a template for expanding quality care to veterans throughout Florida and beyond.
Veterans are our mission. They served us now, we will serve them. Our goal is to ensure that all veterans get the best treatment and rehabilitation possible so that they may become the most successful and well-adjusted in our nation's history.
Collaborating for a Cause
The Lodge benefits greatly from a depth of knowledge and decades of related expertise of our staff. Team members include experts within the veterans' healthcare system, university research, hospital management, financial industry, utility sectors, planning and engineering, as well as construction and operations. Connections and relationships have been formed across the nation to bring better care to veterans.
Our medical resources and connections from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Florida State University Medical School and University Medical Center will bring critical expertise and knowledge in the field of long-term medical care, clinical research, and trauma rehabilitation. The Lodge will create a unique environment where medical professionals and researchers can come together and collaborate about how to best rehabilitate our veterans.
Meet the Team
The mission-driven people working to restore, honor, and empower our veterans.
Julie Smith
Julie's professional career was comprised of real estate brokering between some of the biggest purchasers in the United States. Personal experiences with wounded veterans inspired her to create a place of love, healing, and support for servicemen and women and their families, and building that became her personal mission and life passion. For the last several years, Julie has turned her boundless energy and relentless efforts towards aiding returning and retired veterans. She conceived Veterans Lodge as an environment where veterans can safely begin transitioning back to civilian life.
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Sam Brasfield
Sam Brasfield is a retired U.S. Navy Captain whose 36½-year career spanned from enlisted Aviation Electrician's Mate to senior Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer and Commanding Officer of multiple high-impact units, including the Naval Diving & Salvage Training Center and NATO's Standing Mine Countermeasures Group One. He led sailors and joint forces across combat zones, diving and salvage operations, mine countermeasures missions, and strategic international partnerships around the globe. After retiring, Sam completed a five-month Appalachian Trail thru-hike, using the journey to pray, reflect, and seek clarity for his next chapter of service. Today, he is the Partners Relationship Coordinator for Veterans Lodge. He also leads Brasfield & Associates LLC, consulting in leadership, EOD, diving, and complex maritime operations. Sam remains driven by a lifelong commitment to serve others, build strong teams, and leave a legacy of mentorship, purpose, and integrity.
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Marius van der Riet
Marius established his career as an officer in the South African army before serving as a defense attache for his home country in Washington D.C. Relocating to the United States from South Africa in 1994, Marius successfully entered into the business arena; first in cross-cultural commodity companies and later transitioning into defense contracting through his self-built enterprise Reed International Inc. Marius's company grew from six contractors to over 2000 employees and have won multiple contracts worth hundreds of millions with the US government, UN, and several middle eastern countries.
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Lupton Pittman
Pittman began his professional career by enlisting in the US Navy after graduating from UNC. After his service, Pittman formed the defense corporation, Ballistic Solutions Technologies, and has since grown the company to meet the needs of American servicemen worldwide. Pittman helps to supply the wounded vet organizations surrounding Ft. Bragg with necessary equipment to deliver their services. In 1996, he formed the Old South Marlin Club which hosts events for wounded veterans as well as sponsoring fishing trips for servicemen including participation in the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. Additional sponsorships include those for servicemen into Hope for Warriors trips and the Ken Onion Bear Hunt for wounded vets. Throughout his career, he has prided himself on creating lasting relationships with soldiers currently serving and veterans. Lupton has always had compassion for our servicemen and veterans, which led him to take his current role at the Lodge in hopes to heal our wounded and save the lives of those who need it the most. He sees the need for Veterans Lodge today, more than ever.
Read moreOur Partners
BOTI Architecture
BOTI is a design firm that brings together a diverse team of planners, architects, engineers, and interior designers, to help you develop customized solutions.
Killian Construction Co.
Killian Construction Co. is a nationally recognized leader providing excellent construction services in our target markets.
EDSA
EDSA Inc. is a planning, landscape architecture, and urban design firm founded in 1960. The company is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with offices in Orlando, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland, and Shanghai, China.
In the News
Veteran's Lodge in the local and regional press.