Rick Scott Honors 200 Veterans with Governor’s Veterans Service Award

Gov. Rick Scott awarded 200 Florida veterans the Governor's Veterans Service Award in Tampa on Monday.

It is an honor to kick off our Florida Veterans Service Award tour by presenting 200 Tampa veterans with the Governors Veterans Service Award," said Scott. "Our veterans have selflessly fought to defend our freedoms, and it is our responsibility to take every opportunity to thank them for their sacrifice and service to our nation.

Scott was joined by Florida National Guard Leader Col. Perry Hagaman, and Alene Tarter, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs director of benefits and assistance.

The ceremony was held at the American Legion Post 111. During the ceremony, Gov. Scott highlighted the service of two Florida veterans and brothers, Martin Marty Mount and Arnold Arnie Mount.

Martin Marty Mount is an Army veteran who saw multiple combat tours in Vietnam. While serving in Germany, Marty Mount distinguished himself by stopping a foreign agent covertly trying to enter his base. Following his military service, Marty secured employment with GTE, and later with Verizon, using skills acquired in the Army to provide communications services to the Tampa-St. Petersburg area for 32 years.

Arnold Arnie Mount is a 25-year Navy veteran who was stationed in Okinawa and served in Vietnam in 1970. After becoming a radioman chief petty officer, Arnie Mount was commissioned under the Limited Duty Officer program in 1981. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander, and attended law school in Orlando. Later, Mount taught criminal justice and criminal investigations at Everest University in Orange Park.