Military Experience:

Dewey entered the U. S. Army Reserve, 5th Army, Florida National Guard, 148 AAA Battalion in May 1958, then transferred to active duty with the U.S. Navy, beginning as a Seaman Recruit. He advanced through the enlisted ranks to E-8, Senior Chief AKCS, in the specialty of Aviation Supply, then to Chief Warrant Officer CWO3 in the specialty of Supply Logistics. He received a commission to the officer ranks and advanced to Lieutenant, 03E, in the specialty of Aviation, General, Financial, Food Service and Retail Supply Logistics.

Dr. Painter was decorated by all four military services while serving three tours of duty in Vietnam, 1968- 1971. Throughout his 22-year military career, he earned 22 ribbons and decorations, with multiple citations and numerous letters of accomplishments and achievements. At his last command, EOD Group Two, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for superior performance and development of logistical support for the EOD commands in the Eastern Hemisphere. Dr. Painter designed the UARMSS system for joint aviation logistical support of AIMD and Squadron materiel requirements. The UARMSS was installed on the USS America and USS Nimitz. He was chosen to winter-over at McMurdo Station, Antarctica as a member of Operation Deep Freeze 1972-1973 Winter-Over Team. Assigned as ship’s company on the USS Nimitz, CV-68; USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63; USS Kearsarge, CV-33 and USS Yosemite AD-19. Assigned as part of Embarked Units on USS Yorktown, CV-10; USS Bennington, CV-20; USS Forrestal, CV-59.

Because of his own military service, he has always had a deep feeling for those who serve. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991 he started sending “Share Packages” to the troops deployed in the war zone. When the First Gulf War was over, he continued the practice, and it has been a permanent, year-round part of his operation at Mission Harvest ever since.

In 1998 he joined the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol and has advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served as the Group Two Chaplain for the Florida Wing and served twice as Florida Wing Chaplain. He administratively supervised the 105 Chaplains and Moral Leadership Officers within the 98 units that compose the Florida Wing. He served in the Southeast Region Command as Deputy Chaplain and as the SER DMSP (Deployed Military Support Project) Officer. Since joining the USAF Auxiliary he has received eleven decorations. In May 2003 he was presented the prestigious MCA Distinguished Service Award by the Military Chaplain Association at a convention in New Orleans, attended by the Chiefs of Chaplains for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy, with the guest speaker being Chief of Naval Operations. Currently, he is serving as Commanding Officer of the Springfield Composite Squadron FL-027 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Dewey E. Painter, Sr. is the President of Mission Harvest America, a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization located in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Painter and his wife, Clara, have one son, Earle and one daughter, Marilyn, who both are grown and pursuing their own careers. Born the eighth of eleven children of George William Painter and Minnie Lee Day Painter, he grew up in Jacksonville, Florida.

As a Native American, Flying Eagle Painter serves as Chief of the Wind Clan. He is a descendant and member of the Ocklewaha Band, Yamassee and Osceola Seminole Indians. He is Elder of the Seventh Nation of the National Native American Veterans Association. He has led the effort to bring Native Americans together to network with each other, meeting the needs of other Native American tribes and clans.