Rhode Island Military Organization
A Rhode Island non-profit corporation
Board of Directors
Anthony J. Paolino
Chairman/Founding Dir.
Chief Executive Officer
Lori Ashness
The Rhode Island Military Organization (RIMO) has a very simple, but focused
mission. RIMO was established by uniformed service members and families in 2011 to
fill the voids found in the many programs serving the military and veteran community in
the state of Rhode Island. Our main focus areas are education, family and community
service. RIMO is currently comprised of six major committees and several advisory
counsels to the board of directors. In order to best execute our mission, these teams
will develop, improve and ensure program sustainability of the four major elements of
RIMO. These objectives are:
Vice-Chair/Founding Dir.
Airport Committee Chair
Ramona Cook
Treasurer/Founding Dir.
Development Committee
Chair
Michael Steiner
Secretary of BOD
 The Rhode Island Youth Development Academy (RIYDA)
RIYDA is a quasi-military, twenty-two-week residential academic program, for at risk
high school students ages 16-18. A board of RI educators, administrators and
professionals will identify underprivileged dropouts or potential dropouts that are
prime candidates for the program. After participating in RIYDA, these cadets will
graduate the academy with the education, values, skills, and discipline to succeed as
citizens. The Academy has a projected variable cost of approximately 63 dollars a
day per cadet versus the 244 dollars a day we (tax-payers) pay for a juvenile to be
incarcerated. Our community will benefit from the Academy, and more importantly,
we will change the lives of students and families every year.
Chaney Harrison
 The TF Green Airport Military Lounge
The Military Lounge in T.F. Green Airport will be the host to more than 10,000
Armed Forces members and their families annually. This facility will have a staff of
volunteers to attend our customers’ needs, providing refreshments, entertainment,
and short-term quarters for delayed troops.
Community Relations
Committee Chair

Christine Dolan
Education Committee Chair
Sean Sullivan
Academy Committee Chair
Daniel Evangelista
Veterans Affairs
Rhode Island Military and Veteran Students Organization
The Student Veterans Organization (SVO) is lead by student veterans to provide fellow
military students with the resources, support, and advocacy needed for a successful
transition from combat to higher education. We recognize and understand the challenges
and obstacles faced by students while navigating enrollment and class selection, VA benefits
and financial aid. When coupled with the visible and invisible wounds of war, a college
degree can seem like an elusive goal for men and women returning from military service.
The SVO is building veteran groups for camaraderie, mentorship and professional
networking in each campus of higher education in Rhode Island to assist in making those
goals easily attainable. It is our mission to see that all service memberse and veterans will
Dave Rothermel
Sergeant at Arms
Deborah Pannullo
Parliamentarian
Thomas McCallum
Student Veterans
Mark Maciel
Anne Nagle
Chaney Harrison
Roupen Bastajian
John Richards Jr.
Dorothy Healy
Betty Leach
Thomas Dolan
Chad McFarlane
succeed in their college career, achieve their academic goals, and gain meaningful
employment. Each collegiate branch of the SVO will coordinate with their local community
leaders to host events, and organize community service projects and fundraisers.
 Support local military and veteran Non-Profit organizations and programs.
The professional network built by RIMO will collaborate with and assist the many
overburdened programs currently supporting RI military members and their families.
A main component of this initiative will be our new website, www.RIMilVets.org
which will host all elements of the RI Military Organization. It’s most complex part
will be the RI Military/Veterans Benefits section, where our customers can access
retail discounts, assistance programs, service providers, medical/health care
professionals, education benefits, and much more. This website will be a one-stop
shop for all Rhode Island military members, Veterans and their families.
The Rhode Island Military Organization’s Board of Directors is currently made up of
military leadership, veteran business owners, professional executives, certified
finance and legal counsel, RI judicial system and law enforcement members, veteran
students, professional educators and instructors. This team of elite Rhode Islanders
will successfully develop all RIMO objectives and ensure the long-term sustainability
of the organization and affiliated programs. RIMO is currently indentifying
businesses, organizations, and individuals to participate in meeting our goals, and
support the military families in the state of Rhode Island. The US uniformed service
men and women have dedicated their lives, sacrificed and served our country
honorably--the Rhode Island Military Organization network is dedicated to serving
them in every capacity that we can.
Bob Shea
Ray DiPasquale
(Honorary)
Raymond Gallison
(Honorary)
Board of Directors
Rhode Island Military Organization
Info@RIMilVets.org
Juan Pichardo
(Honorary)
“Our nation will remain the home of the free only as long as it is the home of the
brave.” -Elmer Davis