Foundation Leadership
Board of Directors
Lon D. Getlin, Founder and Chairman
Shortly after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1967, Lon joined the Marine Corps. Upon his return from Vietnam where he served as an infantry platoon commander, he earned his wings as a Naval aviator and flew the F-4 Phantom in three Marine fighter squadrons.
Lon left the Marine Corps in 1977 to join Dan Gurney’s All American Racers as the Vice President of Operations for the ‘77 racing season, which included competing in the Indy 500. Over the next 35 years, Lon became an executive in the insurance industry, was a co-founder of a nationwide pharmaceutical company, and ended his career as a turn-around CEO of a nation-wide corporation.
Lon and his wife, Jaye, were involved in child foster care for over 30 years, and he served for 18 months on Governor Ted Kulongoski’s Disproportionality in Child Welfare Task Force. For Lines For Life, a crisis call center for the prevention of suicide and substance abuse—and the national backup crisis center for the VA—Lon served in positions from crisis line volunteer to the President of the Board of Directors. For the State of Oregon, Lon is currently the Employer Outreach Director for the DOD’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).
Lon lives with Jaye, his wife of 37 years, in West Linn, OR. He is an avid classical guitarist, and in 2016, at the age of 72—to celebrate 50 years since he last competed as a wrestler at the University of Wisconsin—Lon returned to Madison and placed 3rd in his age group at Ironman Wisconsin, a 140.6 mile triathlon.
James F. Amos, General, USMC (Ret.)
35th Commandant of the Marine Corps
General Amos retired as the 35th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. He currently serves as Strategic Advisor to President – Singapore Technologies Engineering - North America, member of Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding Strategic Advisory Panel, Trustee NOVANT Health Corp, Director, NeoVolta energy storage systems, Director, AeroMed LLC, Chairman, Board of Advisors, Capewell LLC, Chairman, Board of Advisors, Kaman Inc, member of Charlotte’s Veterans Bridge Home Advisory Board, member Board of Advisors, Jewish Institute for National Security in America (JINSA), member UCLA Medical’s Operation Mend Advisory Board, Founder, Windsock LLC, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lord Corporation, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, General Amos joined the Marine Corps after college, entering pilot training in 1970. He flew fighter aircraft in numerous Marine squadrons throughout the early years of his career, culminating in command of an F/A-18 Hornet squadron onboard the nuclear carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, followed by command of Marine Fighter Group 31.
Following his selection to General in 1998, Amos’ varied assignments found him in the Balkans with NATO forces during the Serbian/Kosovo conflict, two combat tours in Iraq while in command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, command of all east Coast Marine combat forces at Camp Lejeune, NC, and multiple tours in the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
Nominated by the President, General Amos assumed the duties as the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps on 22 October 2010. During his tenure he completed the Corps’ combat mission in Afghanistan, shepherded the beginning of a total force reduction from 240,000 Marines to 221,000, while managing the Corps’ $35+ billion-dollar annual budget - all during a period of marked fiscal austerity. Despite significant fiscal challenges, the Marine Corps continued to respond to multiple crises and international challenges around the world. General Amos established Marine Crisis Response commands in both Africa and the Middle East, all while adding an additional 1,000 Marine Security Guards to America’s embassies around the world in response to the Benghazi tragedy.
He partnered with key legislators to bring national recognition to the service and sacrifices of the Corps’ WWII African American “Montford Point Marines” with the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal. Lastly, as the Corps came out of 13 years of sustained combat, he began an institutional effort to “ethically re-ground” his force in line with its high standards of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
Completing 42 years of service to our nation and its Marines, General Amos retired from active duty in December 2014. He and his bride of 52 years remain active in public and private business ventures, veteran philanthropy work nationally, and in their hometown of Charlotte, NC, and, as importantly, they are “player-coaches” to their four active grandchildren.
Michael “Lancer” Sullivan, Major General, USMC (Ret.)
With 8,700 hours in the air – 2½ days shy of a full year in the cockpit – Major General Michael “Lancer” Sullivan USMC (Ret.) received the Silver Hawk Award in 1990 and 1991 for being designated as the longest flying Marine aviator at that time. He piloted several different fighter and attack aircraft, including the Skyraider, F9F, F3D, F-8, F-4D, F-4 Phantom, A-4, AV-8, F-18, and four different types of British fighters. Sullivan flew 400+ combat missions in his 1965 and 1969 tours in Vietnam. More than half his flight hours were in the F-4 Phantom. In 1974 Sullivan won the Alfred A. Cunningham Award for Marine Aviator of the Year. His command tours include CO, VMFA 323, CO, MAG-11, CO, MAG-41, CG, 10th MAB and CG and AWC, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Cherry Point, NC.
In 1991 he was invited to join The Golden Eagles, an elite organization consisting of Medal of Honor winners, astronauts, fighter aces and naval aviators who have contributed significantly to naval aviation. Major General Sullivan earned during his Marine Corps career the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and dozens of other decorations. He retired in 1991 after serving as Deputy Commander, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Norfolk, VA.
Lancer shares the tradition in Marine aviation with his youngest son, Byron “Shrek” Sullivan, who served as CO, VMFA-232 Red Devils. Byron, an F-35B pilot, currently holds the highly coveted position as Commanding Officer of VX-1, the Marine Corp’s air test and evaluation squadron.
Major General Sullivan currently lives in Craven County, NC with his wife Nicole.
Walter “Jack” Riley, Silver Star, Squad Leader, Battle of Getlin’s Corner
With the intensity of the war in Vietnam rapidly increasing, Jack chose to enlist in the Marine Corps in 1965 rather than be drafted. Graduating 2nd. in his platoon during his training, he was sent to Vietnam where he was quickly promoted to the rank of corporal. As a squad leader at the Battle of Getlin’s Corner, Jack’s squad repeatedly took the full force of the enemy’s frontal assault on the company post. Six Marines under his command were killed in the battle, and Jack himself would be wounded in three different battles during the war before his tour in Vietnam ended.
When he finished his service with the Marines, Jack completed his college education at the University of Alabama. Upon graduation, he began a long and successful career in the construction aggregates industry in which he held management positions in operations, sales, and administration. He also held the position of committee chairman in a number of national associations within the construction aggregates industry.
Jack’s involvement with his community has been wide and deep and includes service to 8 different colleges in Alabama and Texas. Among other services provided these institutions, Jack initiated minority scholarship programs, selected scholarship recipients, and mentored the students during and after their college careers.
Jack is currently an Active Deacon in his church, and he continued his life-long involvement in sports focusing on youth soccer programs in Alabama.
Jack is married to Jennie Lou, his high school sweetheart with whom he recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. They have two sons, William and Sam, and a granddaughter. Sam spent 12 years in the Marine Corps. William recently passed away.
Daniel M. Pultz, Platoon Commander, Battle of Getlin’s Corner (1943-2023)
Although Dan Pultz was not a man to do anything quietly, he passed away quietly and unexpectedly in his sleep in November 2023. Fifty-six years earlier, Dan was a newly commissioned, second lieutenant with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, and experienced his first combat in Vietnam at the Battle of Getlin’s Corner.
Dan is an easy man to eulogize, because of the extraordinarily successful life he lead in so many ways. But I most admired him for his tireless efforts to make better the lives of veterans and disadvantaged children. There are literally thousands of Vets and kids today whose lives are better because of the efforts of Dan Pultz.
V.A.U.L.T. was an acronym Dan coined and by which he lived every day of his life. It expressed his deep belief in what we all most need from other people: to be Valued, Accepted, Understood, Loved, Trusted. To those of us who knew him well, Dan was certainly all of those things and so much more.
Dan lives on through Holly, his wife of 57 years, his two children, Shannon and Allison, and his four grandchildren. Rest in peace, my dear friend. You are missed by an enormous number of people whose lives you made better simply because you were in them. You will live forever as a warm glow in our hearts. You will also forevermore be a member of the Board of Directors of Getlin’s Corner Foundation, serving us so well in spirit as you did in life.
Lon Getlin
Founder and Chairman
Getlin’s Corner Foundation
Jaye W. Taylor, J.D., Partner, Buckley Law, Past President
Jaye Wickham Taylor is a partner in the law firm of Buckley Law, LLC. Her practice focuses on family and elder law litigation. With an extensive background in tax matters, financial planning, and qualified pension and securities portfolio design, Jaye’s expertise is particularly well-suited for high net-worth individuals with complicated business and financial affairs. She has successfully litigated some of the most difficult and emotionally-charged family law cases in Oregon and Washington. These cases involve child custody, parental alienation and abduction, domestic violence, and international move-away litigation.
Prior to her career as an attorney, Jaye founded and developed a highly successful pension administration firm in California that specialized in the development of retirement and investment plans for members of the film and music industries. She ultimately sold her firm to a publicly traded insurance and financial company.
Jaye and her husband, Lon, volunteered in the foster care systems of California and Oregon over the past 30 years. In addition to passions for cooking and gardening, Jaye has also served on several non-profit boards including The Classroom Law Project, Christy Care, and The Lake Oswego Jr. Women’s Club.
Advisory Board
General Charles. C. Krulak, USMC (Ret)
31st Commandant of the Marine Corps
General Charles C. Krulak served 35 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. His last position was as Commandant of the Marine Corps and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He commanded a platoon and two rifle companies during two tours of duty in Vietnam and then held a variety of command and staff positions. These included Deputy Director of the White House Military Office, Commanding General, 6th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Commanding General Force Service Support Group during Desert Storm, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Commanding General, Marine Forces Pacific.
During his military service, General Krulak was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, a Silver Star Medal, three Bronze Star Medals with Combat “V”, two Purple Heart Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the French Legion d’Honneur Commandeur rank, and many other decorations and medals.
Upon his retirement from the Marine Corps, General Krulak joined MBNA America Bank as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MBNA Europe Bank, Ltd. After four years in this position, he returned to the United States and served as Vice Chairman, MBNA America Bank as Head of Corporate Development, Mergers and Acquisitions. General Krulak retired from MBNA in June 2005.
General Krulak then joined several Corporate Boards (Union Pacific Railroad, Conoco Philips, Phelps Dodge, Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold) and the Boards of two professional sports teams – the Cleveland Browns and Aston Villa FC, a Premiership soccer team in the UK. He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Visitors for the United States Naval Academy and on the Board of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
General Krulak was introduced as the 13th President of Birmingham-Southern College on March 21, 2011 and retired as of June 30, 2015.
In addition, General Krulak is an advisor to the Center for Naval Analysis, worked with Human Rights First in an effort to disrupt the business of modern day slavery and human trafficking, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is on the Board of Directors for the U.S.-Israel Education Association.
General Krulak is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has a Master’s Degree in labor relations from George Washington University and attended the J.F.K. School of Government/International Relations at Harvard University. He is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the Army Command and General Staff College; and the National War College.
He also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Military Science, from Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences; and Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from both Pace University and Birmingham-Southern College.
General Krulak is an active speaker at various national and local events and has published numerous articles related to Education and Human Trafficking.
General Krulak and his wife of 59 years, Zandi, have two sons and five grandchildren.
T.S. Jones, Major General, USMC (Ret.)
Major General Jones entered the Marine Corps through the Officer Candidate Program following his graduation from Eastern Illinois University. An infantry officer, he served in each of the three active Marine Divisions and commanded at all ranks from 2/Lt to Major General. His final assignment in the Marine Corps was that of Commanding General of Training and Education Command in Quantico, Virginia. Major General Jones founded Outdoor Odyssey, a non-profit Leadership Academy, oriented on impacting youth through team building and mentoring. Jones, his staff at Outdoor Odyssey and a strong cadre of volunteers, in conjunction with the Semper Fi Fund, have hosted 74 weeklong sessions of Semper Fi Odyssey for wounded, ill and injured warriors, helping them make a successful transition into the civilian sector.
Sergeant Major Carlton W. Kent, USMC (Ret)
16th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Carlton Kent served 36 years as a United States Marine until retiring as the 16th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in June 2011. In this role, he held responsibilities that included principal advisor to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Throughout Sergeant Major Kent’s 36 years of service, he served in numerous commands within the Marine Air Ground Task Force and special duty assignments.
Before launching Kent, Campa, and Kate Incorporated, with the 11th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Joe Campa, and Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, Bob Turner, Carlton Kent served as Director, Veteran Support, and Development Office for CACI International Incorporated.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, a Master’s Degree in Education from Trident University International and a Graduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership from Trident University International.
Sergeant Major Kent is married to Liz Kent. They have two daughters and three grandchildren. One of their daughters is married to a Marine.
