*Editor’s note: This is one in a series of profiles submitted by candidates for local offices.
I am a Texas County native, born and raised in Cabool, where I attended school and graduated in 1971.
I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1972 and graduated from the Naval School of Health Sciences in San Diego, Calif., as a hospital corpsman. I served as a staff corpsman in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the Naval Regional Medical Center at San Diego. I attended and graduated from Field Corpsman School at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and was assigned to the First Marine Division until my discharge from active duty in May 1976. I received an honorable discharge in February 1978 having served two years in the ready reserve program. I obtained my California Emergency Medical Technician license while stationed at Camp Pendleton.
I returned to Cabool in May 1976 and started as an EMT at Texas County Memorial Hospital in June 1976. I attended the first hospital based paramedic training class in the Missouri and became a paramedic in 1981 and held that position for 20 years. I also worked as a surgical technician at Texas County Memorial Hospital until January 2005.
In 1992, I attended and graduated from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Training Academy in Jefferson City. I worked as a reserve deputy for Texas County until 2008. I worked as the attendance officer for the Southern Texas County Safe Schools/Healthy Students program at Cabool Schools in 2005 and remained there during the duration of the grant.
I was a member of the Cabool Volunteer Fire Department for more than 20 years and served as fire marshal and assistant chief. I am Firefighter I and Firefighter II certified.
I am currently a member of the City of Cabool Board of Adjustments and have been on the board since its inception.
I have 20 years experience as a Medico-Legal Death Investigator. I am a 20-year member of the Missouri Coroners’ and Medical Examiners’ Association. I am a past president of the association and a current board member as the Troop G Coroners’ Director.
I have been married to Dala Brill Whittaker for 42 years. We have two children, Scott and Sarah, and two grandchildren, Grayson Jones and Josie Whittaker.
I am a lifelong member of the Cabool First United Methodist Church.