Pete is a retired Veteran having
served 24 years of service in the Army
and Air Force combined.
During his Army career, Pete worked in support of the 82nd airborne division at Ft. Bragg, NC. There he directly supported communication/signal operations in Granada, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Germany as a Power Generation Technician from 1983 to 1987. After 4 years of active duty in the Army, Pete joined the USAF Reserves Civil Engineering Squadron (440th Tactical Air Lift Wing) in Milwaukee, WI. As Senior Master Sergeant and Superintendent of the Power Production section in Baghdad, Iraq, Pete was responsible for leading his team in the restoration and establishment of three prime power plants at the Baghdad International Airport in 2003. Pete’s civilian career included working as a high performance project leader in research and development for over 20 years testing engines, generators, associated systems and components within a test lab environment and out in the field.
Ben is Owner and President of Kraft Music LTD, a musical instrument retailer and e-commerce company located in Franklin, Wisconsin.
Kraft Music specializes in the marketing of digital instruments, as well as guitars, and has been recognized as one of the Top 200 Music Retailers in the United States while serving customers in all fifty states. In addition, Ben served as a Director at NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants), an organization that promotes the pleasures and benefits of making music and strengthens the global music products industry.
Lee Flemming started his Amazon career in September 2018 as a Military Pathways Manager at SAT2 in San Marcos, Texas.
Lee Flemming started his Amazon career in September 2018 as a Military Pathways Manager at SAT2 in San Marcos, Texas. He joined Amazon after serving in the Military for 28 years in the Army as an Infantry Officer where he commanded at every level from platoon to an echelon above brigade. Lee launched an Amazon facility in Dallas in March 2020 as a Senior Operations Manager, and subsequently returned to San Marcos and SAT2 in April 2021 for six months prior to launching a new facility in Pflugerville in October 2021. In Pflugerville Lee served as the Assistant General Manager, Site Lead and General Manager until returning to San Marcos in March 2024. He is passionate about mentorship and has published articles discussing his experience transitioning from the military to Amazon. Additionally, Lee published a book in 2023 called Boots2Amazon highlighting the same, and has subsequently published a second book entitled Beyond Excellence as a guide for workplace managers. Lee is married, has a daughter and a young granddaughter. He is an avid reader, blogger and an experience amateur poker player.
Anthony Paolino served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force, including deployments to Kuwait, Qatar, Germany, and Afghanistan.
Anthony Paolino served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force, including deployments to Kuwait, Qatar, Germany, and Afghanistan. After his military service, he founded the Rhode Island Student Veterans Organization (SVO) and the Rhode Island Military Organization (RIMO), focusing on military families. He served 3 years as RIMO CEO and later worked as Military & Veterans Affairs Liaison for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
In 2015, Anthony joined General Dynamics, where he led Military & Veterans Affairs for Electric Boat and later managed communications and strategic outreach at General Dynamics NASSCO. Since 2021, he has held leadership roles including Associate Dean of Students at Golden Gate University, COO at Student Veterans of America, and as president of a business strategy consulting firm.
Anthony is passionate about higher education and student veterans, also serving as an adjunct professor. He holds an A.S. in Business Management, a B.A. in Leadership Studies, and an MPA from Brown University (16’). He lives with his partner Lissa and their 3 year old son Luca.
Joan Doble is the co-owner of Explorium Hospitality Group, a Milwaukee-based company that owns and operates five breweries and restaurants. Drawing on a passion for community, service, and hospitality, Joan plays a key role in shaping the guest experience and operational strategy across all locations.
Joan Doble is the co-owner of Explorium Hospitality Group, a Milwaukee-based company that owns and operates five breweries and restaurants. Drawing on a passion for community, service, and hospitality, Joan plays a key role in shaping the guest experience and operational strategy across all locations.
Before entering the hospitality industry, Joan enjoyed a distinguished 25-year career in education, serving as a middle and high school teacher, vice principal, principal, and director of admissions. Her leadership in education reflected her commitment to student development and academic excellence.
Joan is the proud wife of an Army veteran and the mother of two grown children, including a recent graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. She is deeply committed to supporting military service members, veterans, and their families—both personally and professionally.
Joan brings to the board a unique blend of leadership, operational expertise, and a heartfelt dedication to community and service.
Ché Bolden is a seasoned leader whose career bridges distinguished military service, executive leadership, and nonprofit governance.
Ché Bolden is a seasoned leader whose career bridges distinguished military service, executive leadership, and nonprofit governance. A retired United States Marine Corps officer and TOPGUN graduate, he brings to the Guitars for Vets Board a unique blend of strategic insight, risk management expertise, and a proven ability to guide organizations through complex challenges. His background as a Weapons and Tactics Instructor and Foreign Area Officer sharpened his skills in decision-making, mentoring, and cross-cultural collaboration - capabilities that strengthen his work in board governance and nonprofit advancement.
As CEO of the Charles F. Bolden Group and Board Chair of the Inter Astra Institute, Bolden has cultivated visionary leadership strategies that emphasize greater access and opportunity in the Business of Space. His executive experience in innovation and systems integration equips him to help G4V expand its reach, strengthen partnerships, and scale its impact for veterans across the nation. His prior service as a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and his active membership in the Council on Foreign Relations further underscore his capacity to connect local programs with broader policy, philanthropic, and community landscapes.
For Bolden, G4V’s mission is personal. He lives with PTSD himself and understands the importance of outlets that provide calm, connection, and healing. Music has been central to his own journey - listening to the likes of John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix, and B.B. King has often been his way of “setting his mind right” in moments of uncertainty. Though he admits he cannot yet play his own guitar, he knows firsthand the restorative power of music and the community it builds. This lived experience, combined with his leadership expertise, drives his commitment to ensuring that every veteran has access to the transformative opportunities G4V provides.
Bolden and his wife, Penny, make their home in McLean, Virginia, where they remain active in community life and committed to service. Their greatest pride is their three adult daughters, with whom they maintain a strong and joyful bond.
Eric has played guitar for nearly 40 years and has over 20 years of management and non-profit experience.
Prior to joining Guitars for Vets, Eric served as a Director of Accion Chicago, a non-profit company helping communities in Chicago grow by investing in entrepreneurs who build businesses and generate jobs in their neighborhoods. In 2012, Eric’s team launched The Chicago Microlending Institute (CMI), a first-in-the-nation initiative that partnered with The City of Chicago to triple the number of active non-profit microlenders operating citywide. In 2014, Eric’s team expanded the CMI initiative with support from The Sam’s Club Giving Program to begin training non-profit Women’s Business Centers across the country to enter the microlending industry. Prior to joining Accion, Eric served as Founder and Managing Partner of Covalence Capital Management, LLC, an investment firm investing in biopharmaceutical companies. Previously he held senior research and portfolio management positions at PEAK6 Investments, L.P., Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Eric earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tufts University, a Masters in Business Administration from Indiana University and is a CFA Charterholder.
Nigel served on active duty as a Marine 1993-2013 in both enlisted and officer ranks, across multiple specialties.
During his twenty years of service, he deployed numerous times, both peace time and in combat. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Nigel continued to support U.S. national security as an independent contractor, until transitioning to corporate business as an executive leader at Amazon 2020-2023. Nigel’s personal experiences of being wounded in combat (Ramadi, Iraq – 2007), military to civilian transition and lengthy Post Traumatic Growth journey, are all fuel for his passion in serving Veterans at G4V.
Nigel’s primary focus areas are major gifts and strategic plans, with a passion for dedicating time with chapter volunteers and the Veterans we serve.
Nathan LeCompte is driven by a deep commitment to service and a strong dedication to community. He brings more than 20 years of leadership experience from roles as a senior non-commissioned officer in the US Army and as a law enforcement officer, as well as senior management positions in small business and corporate operations.
Nathan was drawn to Guitars 4 Vets because of its mission to help veterans heal through music, a personal passion of his. A professional percussionist in his early days and casual guitarist throughout life, he believes deeply in the power of music to create connection and foster recovery.
During his military service, Nathan deployed to Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In his law enforcement career in both North Carolina and Arizona, he served on special response teams and also worked as a technical rescue technician.
After his military and law enforcement service, Nathan brought his leadership into the small business world. As general manager of an outdoor resort in NC, he guided the park through growth and expansion, overseeing everything from project management and finance to brand development and HR policies.
At Guitars 4 Vets, Nathan continues his service by helping veterans find peace, purpose, and community through music. He lives in the foothills NC with his wife and their three children, each of whom shares his love of music and all play various instruments. When he's not working, he’s curating his antiquarian book collection, hiking and camping in the wild, or exploring mountain backroads on his BMW GS adventure motorcycle.
Paul is one of 6 children whose family shares a deep love for music.
From guitar and bass players, singers, mouth-harp blowers, and an organ player, there was always music at the Lilley household. Being the youngest, Paul grew up listening to a wide range of his siblings musical preferences, from Peter Paul and Mary and Cat Stevens, the Association, Blood Sweat and Tears to the Beatles, Artful Dodger and Pink Floyd. Even the Singing Sister and show tunes! Paul’s father, Eugene was the organ player as well as the mouth-harp, taking his harmonica with him to war when he answered his call to service in World War II with the US Army’s 650th Engineer Topographic Battalion.
Guitar has been a constant in Paul’s life. A used 12 string Yamaha with only six strings on it accompanied Paul to college where he graduated with a social work degree and then later a Masters degree in Organizational Development. Paul first heard about the G4V program from an “Acoustic Tuesday” podcast from Tony Polecastro (one of G4V’s ambassadors). He began negotiating with G4V in 2018 to open up one of the first chapters that is not affiliated with a VA hospital, Vet Center or VA department. He is the coordinator for the Hancock-Ohio chapter and currently also serves as a Regional Chapter Coordinator with the G4V team.
Brian Cain is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former law enforcement officer with nearly two decades of public service experience. After serving as a bomb dog handler in the Marine Corps and working as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics agent, and patrol supervisor in metro Atlanta, Brian transitioned to the business sector, gaining expertise in the ins and outs of business.
In 2023, Brian’s journey took a transformative turn when he attended a veteran's program where he discovered the healing power of music in addressing trauma. Inspired by this experience and his passion for helping others, he joined Guitars For Vets (G4V) to support veterans and first responders on their healing journeys.
Brian lives on a 10-acre homestead in northeast Alabama with his wife of 22 years and their two sons, raising bees, chickens, and pasture-raised pigs. His personal and professional experiences uniquely position him to champion G4V’s mission and the healing power of music.
Since 2007, our organization has refined a guitar instruction program aimed at providing Veterans struggling with physical injuries, PTSD, and other emotional distress a unique therapeutic alternative. G4V pursues its mission to share the healing power of music by providing free instruction, a new instrument and an accessory kit in a structured program run by volunteers, in concert with our community partners.
Guitars For Vets Processing Center
13400 Bishops Ln Suite 120
Brookfield, WI 53005
