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Wings for Vets has a very experienced group of aviators. Most of our pilots have military backgrounds and most were rated as both Military and Commercial pilots. All are strong supporters of our US military. Our staff of flight professionals has over 400 years combined flight experience in aviation service. Below is a cross section of the actual aircraft our pilots have flown during their careers.
Hover cursor over aircraft image for identification and / or click to enlarge photo.
About our Board Members
Carmen "Corkey" Romeo has had an amazing and varied aviation career, which began in 1971 as a United States Air Force Officer. He flew seven years as an Aircraft Commander, Instructor and Evaluator Pilot in B-52s at Robins AFB in Georgia, Guam and U-Tapao Air Base in Thailand. He was reassigned in 1978 to the Air Training Command as a T-37 Instructor Pilot at Columbus AFB in Mississippi, where he served as an Instructor, Class Commander and then Section Chief, receiving a Master Instructors Certificate in 1982. After resigning his commission in 1983 with nearly thirteen years active service, Corkey flew two and a half years as a corporate pilot for the Sara Lee Corporation. In 1986 he was hired by US Airways, where he flew the B-737, Fokker 100, and the Airbus 319, 320 and 321 Series Aircraft. He was tasked by the USAir Flight Training Department to help develop and implement new training programs for the Pilot, Instructor, and Flight Attendant groups, which became accepted industry wide. He helped design and implement USAir's Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) and CRM Programs, which were recognized by the FAA as a model other airlines soon copied. He served as a USAirways Air Safety Investigator and in 1999, Corkey was selected by USAir as Manager of USAir Flight Safety. Due to Capt. Romeo's work in these areas, he received multiple awards and recognition from ALPA, the FAA, the NTSB and USAirways.
After his reluctant airline retirement in 2007, Corkey was selected as Dean of Aviation at the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) with oversight of teaching staff and 220 students. He served in that capacity until he resigned as the Dean in 2013, to pursue his dream of starting a charity to help military veterans. However, he remained at CCBC part time until 2017 to continue to teach future professional pilots, when he retired to operate Wings for Vets full time. He has logged close to 19,000 hours in over 54 years of flying in a diverse number of aircraft. He donates his current aircraft, a Cessna 310, for use by Wings for Vets, of which he is Founder and our Board's President.
A quote from Captain Corkey Romeo, "We have a new mission using our skills, experience and knowledge of not only aviation, but also of management and business, honed over the years, to support our country’s wounded veterans. Wings for Vet’s was founded in 2015 after three years of planning. It was an “easy sell” to our members, some I have known for nearly 50 years going back to Columbus AFB. Some are long time aviation and business associates. Their biographies are listed below. Each member is an accomplished individual and aviator in his own right. More importantly, these military veterans feel compelled to “give back” to those who willingly answered our Country’s call. Our vision, “Vets helping Vets”, is our guiding principle in helping our fellow veterans return to an active and fulfilling life....To all our veterans, Welcome Home”
Corkey has type ratings on the B-737, F-100, Airbus 319 Series, and CE-500 on his ATP Certificate, with multi-engine Privileges, and a Commercial Certificate. He is a member of the “Order of Daedalians”; Chairman/Founder of 3CR Aviation Consulting; and served as both Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Beaver County Airport Authority. Corkey has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Eng. from Southern Il. University, and completed MBA course work at Mississippi State University.
Captain Romeo is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862. He and his wife, Deanna (Menees) Romeo have been married over 53 years and have two daughters and four grandchildren and travel as often as they can to visit them.
After his reluctant airline retirement in 2007, Corkey was selected as Dean of Aviation at the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) with oversight of teaching staff and 220 students. He served in that capacity until he resigned as the Dean in 2013, to pursue his dream of starting a charity to help military veterans. However, he remained at CCBC part time until 2017 to continue to teach future professional pilots, when he retired to operate Wings for Vets full time. He has logged close to 19,000 hours in over 54 years of flying in a diverse number of aircraft. He donates his current aircraft, a Cessna 310, for use by Wings for Vets, of which he is Founder and our Board's President.
A quote from Captain Corkey Romeo, "We have a new mission using our skills, experience and knowledge of not only aviation, but also of management and business, honed over the years, to support our country’s wounded veterans. Wings for Vet’s was founded in 2015 after three years of planning. It was an “easy sell” to our members, some I have known for nearly 50 years going back to Columbus AFB. Some are long time aviation and business associates. Their biographies are listed below. Each member is an accomplished individual and aviator in his own right. More importantly, these military veterans feel compelled to “give back” to those who willingly answered our Country’s call. Our vision, “Vets helping Vets”, is our guiding principle in helping our fellow veterans return to an active and fulfilling life....To all our veterans, Welcome Home”
Corkey has type ratings on the B-737, F-100, Airbus 319 Series, and CE-500 on his ATP Certificate, with multi-engine Privileges, and a Commercial Certificate. He is a member of the “Order of Daedalians”; Chairman/Founder of 3CR Aviation Consulting; and served as both Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Beaver County Airport Authority. Corkey has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Eng. from Southern Il. University, and completed MBA course work at Mississippi State University.
Captain Romeo is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862. He and his wife, Deanna (Menees) Romeo have been married over 53 years and have two daughters and four grandchildren and travel as often as they can to visit them.
Timothy S. Bedard has served as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of CNX Resources Corporation since December 22, 2023. Before joining CNX, Mr. Bedard served as the head of legal for Visa's Value Added Services where he led a team of lawyers and legal professionals responsible for all legal and regulatory issues related to Visa's Value Added Services business unit. Prior to his Value Added Services role, he served as Visa's chief intellectual property (IP) counsel where he led a worldwide team of lawyers and IP professionals responsible for IP licensing, patent litigation, technology transactions, M&A-related IP issues, and patent preparation and prosecution. Mr. Bedard began his legal career as an IP litigator at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, now K&L Gates LLP. He went on to spend a decade leading IP strategy across Johnson & Johnson's medical device operating companies. Mr. Bedard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, a Juris Doctor from the Duquesne University School of Law, and an MBA from Yale University. Prior to law school, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy. In spite of a very busy schedule with CNX, Tim has found time to do volunteer work for Wings for Vets. With Tim’s background and experience he was the logical choice to serve as the organization’s legal counsel, and as an Officer on our Board of Directors as Secretary. He was instrumental in getting Wings for Vets up and running as a 501(C)(3) approved non- profit entity and serves as one of our volunteer pilots.
Tom Samuels started his flying career later in life, doing so for the pure enjoyment of flying. He owns his own aircraft, a Cherokee Six and donates its use to Wings for Vets . It is one of the aircraft we use on our missions. He has a Private Pilots Certificate and has accumulated over 500 hours of flight time. He is a Military Veteran, serving 6 years in the Navy and Navy Reserve from 1966 to 1972. Four years were served at sea on the USS Amphion AR-13 and USS Forrestall CVA-59.
Tom Samuels is a retired business partner of Geyer Printing Company, Inc. ,a high-quality supplier of both standard and specialty sheet-fed projects. Geyer Printing Company has been operating in the Pittsburgh area for nearly a century. It has served local, regional, national and international clients, and has earned a distinguished reputation as a market leader in the graphics industry.
Tom has served over 30 years on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania. He has worked for many years to help raise money for various local and national charities. Some of the Charities he has helped include: United Way of WPA, Make a Wish, Girls Hope, Child Health Association of Sewickley, Holy Family Institute, Muriel's Breath (fund children with lung disease where there is financial difficulties), and Larry's Legacy (Lawrence Werner), financial support to patients in need of cancer treatment that are without funding. Tom and his Geyer Printing Co. business partner were the sole financial underwriters of "Museum on the Move" through the Carnegie Museum. "Museum on the Move" went into children wards of Children's Hospital and many other hospitals and furnished projects to be completed with children that were hospitalized long term.
Tom has been instrumental in getting Wings for Vets started. His organizational and fundraising skills have been key to our initial success. We are privileged to have him as a Director on our Board and as one of our volunteer pilots. Tom enjoys travel, golf, investing in high tech start-up companies and spending time with his five grandsons and two daughters. He has been married to Dolores (Daniels) Samuels for over 50 years.
Tom Samuels is a retired business partner of Geyer Printing Company, Inc. ,a high-quality supplier of both standard and specialty sheet-fed projects. Geyer Printing Company has been operating in the Pittsburgh area for nearly a century. It has served local, regional, national and international clients, and has earned a distinguished reputation as a market leader in the graphics industry.
Tom has served over 30 years on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania. He has worked for many years to help raise money for various local and national charities. Some of the Charities he has helped include: United Way of WPA, Make a Wish, Girls Hope, Child Health Association of Sewickley, Holy Family Institute, Muriel's Breath (fund children with lung disease where there is financial difficulties), and Larry's Legacy (Lawrence Werner), financial support to patients in need of cancer treatment that are without funding. Tom and his Geyer Printing Co. business partner were the sole financial underwriters of "Museum on the Move" through the Carnegie Museum. "Museum on the Move" went into children wards of Children's Hospital and many other hospitals and furnished projects to be completed with children that were hospitalized long term.
Tom has been instrumental in getting Wings for Vets started. His organizational and fundraising skills have been key to our initial success. We are privileged to have him as a Director on our Board and as one of our volunteer pilots. Tom enjoys travel, golf, investing in high tech start-up companies and spending time with his five grandsons and two daughters. He has been married to Dolores (Daniels) Samuels for over 50 years.
Thomas Hupp has over 50 years flight experience, accumulating over 25,000 hours of flight time and over 7000 hours as an Instructor Pilot. He started his flying career in 1971 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAF. After graduation from USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training as an Outstanding Graduate, he was assigned to fly the RF-4C at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, TX where he served as a Reconnaissance Pilot, Maintenance Test Pilot and in a Wing level staff position. In 1976 Tom was re-assigned to Columbus AFB in Columbus, MS as a T-37 Instructor Pilot. While at Columbus, he served as a Check Pilot, Standards and Evaluator pilot, Chief Wing Spin Pilot, Flight Commander, and Section Commander. He resigned from military active duty in 1980 and was employed by J.C. Bradford and Company as an Investment Banker. He also joined the Mississippi Air National Guard, where he again flew the RF-4C. In 1982, he was hired by USAir as a pilot and flew the Boeing 727 and the Boeing 737 until his airline retirement in 2010. During his 28 year tenure at USAirways, Tom flew over 22 years as a Captain, with 12 years as an Instructor Pilot and Check Airman on the Boeing 737. He continued his military career after joining USAirways by transferring to the New York ANG and went on to fly the F-4C, F-4D and the F-16A as an Instructor. He retired as a Lt. Colonel from the military in 1993, where he served as the Operations Officer of the 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron, In this role he was in charge of the 107th Fighter Interceptor Group's and the 136 Tactical Fighter Squadron's Flight Operations, including the supervision, training, scheduling, and management of over 30 assigned and attached flight officers.
Tom serves as a Director on the Wings for Vets board and one of our pilots. He also teaches part time at the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) in the Aviation Science Department as the Chief Instructor and Program Manager and an instructor in the department's simulators. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with Multi-Engine Privileges; Commercial with Single and Multi-Engine Land Privileges, and Type ratings on the B-727, B-737 and the CE-500. He has a Flight Instructor Certificate with Single, Multi-engine and Instrument ratings. Tom is a graduate of West Liberty University with a B.S. in Mathematics and completed his MBA course work at Mississippi State University. He is a member of the Hopewell VFW Post 8805, the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862, the Warwood Veterans Club in Wheeling WV and the Rochester-Beaver Area Lions Club. He has been married for 54 years to Deanna (Allen) Hupp, both avid golfers. They enjoy spending time with their children, and five grandchildren.
Tom serves as a Director on the Wings for Vets board and one of our pilots. He also teaches part time at the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) in the Aviation Science Department as the Chief Instructor and Program Manager and an instructor in the department's simulators. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with Multi-Engine Privileges; Commercial with Single and Multi-Engine Land Privileges, and Type ratings on the B-727, B-737 and the CE-500. He has a Flight Instructor Certificate with Single, Multi-engine and Instrument ratings. Tom is a graduate of West Liberty University with a B.S. in Mathematics and completed his MBA course work at Mississippi State University. He is a member of the Hopewell VFW Post 8805, the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862, the Warwood Veterans Club in Wheeling WV and the Rochester-Beaver Area Lions Club. He has been married for 54 years to Deanna (Allen) Hupp, both avid golfers. They enjoy spending time with their children, and five grandchildren.
Ken Oaks is one of our local Western Pennsylvania residents, born and raised in Aliquippa, PA. He has over 20,000 hours of flight time with over 8,000 hours as an Instructor Pilot. He has 45 years flight experience, starting his flying career in 1971 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAF. Upon graduation from Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1972 at Laredo AFB in Laredo, TX., he was assigned to fly worldwide airlift in the C-141 Starlifter at Dover AFB, Delaware and then Charleston AFB, in South Carolina. In 1976 Ken was re-assigned to the Air Training Command as a T-37 instructor pilot and transferred to Columbus AFB , Columbus, MS. While there, he served as an instructor and also in staff positions at both the Squadron and the Wing Command levels. He resigned from military active duty in 1981 and was immediately hired by USAir as a pilot. He returned to his native western Pennsylvania area and flew the Boeing 727 and the Boeing 737 until 2014, when he retired. During his 33 years at USAirways, Ken flew over 26 years as a Captain, and served as an Instructor and Check Airman on both the Boeing 727 and the Boeing 737 aircraft. He was also a Flight Engineer Examiner on the Boeing 727 and an FAA Air Program Designee on the Boeing 737. Because of Ken's vast Boeing experience, he was asked to serve as the Boeing 737-200 Flight Training Standardization Chairman at USAirways.
Ken voluntarily serves as one of our Wings for Vets pilots. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with Multi-Engine Privileges; Commercial Certificate and a Type rating on the B-737. He also has a Flight Engineer Certificate and an Advanced Ground School Instructor Rating. Ken is a 1971 graduate of Grove City College with a B.S. in Mathematics. Ken is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862, American Legion Post 580 and a volunteer for the Veterans Administration. He has been married for 47 years to Joyce (Mileage) Oaks. They have two children, and one grandchild. In his spare time he enjoys fishing, driving and showing his 1964 Corvette Convertible and spending time with his family.
Ken voluntarily serves as one of our Wings for Vets pilots. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with Multi-Engine Privileges; Commercial Certificate and a Type rating on the B-737. He also has a Flight Engineer Certificate and an Advanced Ground School Instructor Rating. Ken is a 1971 graduate of Grove City College with a B.S. in Mathematics. Ken is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862, American Legion Post 580 and a volunteer for the Veterans Administration. He has been married for 47 years to Joyce (Mileage) Oaks. They have two children, and one grandchild. In his spare time he enjoys fishing, driving and showing his 1964 Corvette Convertible and spending time with his family.