When Charlie Neely entered the service in 1992, the U.S. Army’s recruiting slogan was “Be all that you can be.”
Nearly 30 years later, the Custer City, Oklahoma native has lived up to that slogan in spades. This past April, the lieutenant colonel took on a new challenge: serving his fellow servicemen and women as Cleveland County’s veterans’ liaison coordinator.
In this role, Charlie serves as the “go-to guy,” so to speak. He typically doesn’t provide one-on-one assistance, but is nevertheless available 24/7 to put veterans in touch with local agencies and services who can help them with their specific needs. He’s also available to speak to veterans’ groups and other local organizations and to answer any questions from the community.
“All soldiers need an advocate. In the past we have toyed with the idea of becoming VA-certified officers, but determined that our best role as a county would be to coordinate resources and point vets in the right direction,” Charlie said. “There are other organizations out there that are better equipped to handle things like benefits claims, and I make myself available to help them as well.
“The point is for vets to know that you don’t have to do it alone, and there’s going to be a point where you need help,” he continued. “If veterans don’t take action, they’re missing out on so much that could greatly improve the qualify of life for them and their families.”
Charlie said he is excited to take over the reins of the veterans’ liaison program—a post previously held by fellow Army veteran Mark Braley. In an interesting twist, Charlie was Mark’s commander in Iraq, and the two served together for several years. The program itself operates in partnership with the Cleveland County Health Department and was begun in 2017 as a special project of County Commissioner Darry Stacy.
Charlie began his duties April 12, and has already been able to assist a number of veterans and their family members. He stressed that he can be reached by phone at any time day or night, at 405.593.5365 or 405.366.3405. You can also email him at Charlie.Neely@health.ok.gov.
“My whole goal is to be there for vets at all times, and a veteran’s time of crisis isn’t going to be from 9 to 5,” he said. “I know Oklahomans, and I know veterans, and I understand where they’re coming from. As fellow Okies, we support each other.”
Charlie considers his new role to be a natural extension of his military career, which began in 1992 when he joined the Oklahoma National Guard as a military policeman in the 745 MP company. He was commissioned as an officer in 1997, and his unit would end up serving in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq as part of the Global War on Terrorism.
As a field artillery officer, he served in multiple roles, culminating as battalion commander, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery, and the 45th Field Artillery Brigade’s officer in charge. He deployed to LSA Anaconda and Baghdad, Iraq, as a security forces commander in 2005, where he would go on to earn the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge, among many additional honors. He will be officially retired from the service in July.
“My most memorable experience was working with our allies in the Azerbaijanian and Singapore armies to facilitate cross-cultural military training, expanding our allies’ freedoms,” Charlie said.
As if he weren’t busy enough, Charlie is completing a master’s degree in strategic studies through the prestigious U.S. Army War College, and is due to graduate in July. He already holds an associate degree in police science from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Central Oklahoma. Together, he and his wife, Renee Salazar Neely, have five children and eight grandchildren.
“Being in the service has made me even more proud to be an American,” Charlie said. “It has enabled me to serve this country in my small way to prove to the world that America really is the ‘shining city upon the hill’ for freedom.”