Officers are elected every other year, to serve a two-year term.
Providence native Frank Lennon is a West Point graduate, a decorated Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret whose corporate experience was in commercial aviation. He holds an M.A. in International Relations from Boston University. For 20 years he ran his own marketing, promotion and publishing business.
He was a Reuters correspondent in the Middle East, and has written many articles on international politics, aviation and nautical topics. He has also appeared on MSNBC as an analyst on terrorism and special operations issues.
Lennon has worked for more than 20 years to preserve the naval and aviation history of Rhode Island. He launched a high-profile effort to bring an aircraft carrier to Narragansett Bay as a family attraction and education center, and now presides over that project’s successful offspring, RI Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2016 the Secretary of the Navy recognized his efforts by presenting him the Navy’s Superior Civilian Service Medal.
John was born in New London, Connecticut to Robert E. Duchesneau, Jr. and Anne Laanes Duchesneau. He is a graduate of Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. He later received a master’s degree in political science from the University of Rhode Island.
He enlisted in the US Army Reserve in 1980 and transferred to the Rhode Island National Guard in 1986. He retired from the Guard as a master sergeant in 2015 after 35 years of reserve component service. During his career, he held six military occupational specialties (MOSs) in the Infantry, Adjutant General, Signal and Military Police branches. Between 2000 and 2010 he served on four overseas operational deployments – one to Hungary, two to Iraq and one to Guantanamo Bay Cuba. His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Rhode Island Star.
In his civilian career, he has worked for community service organizations and as a tour guide at Fort Adams in Newport. He is currently employed as a veteran service representative with the Veterans Benefits Administration.
He was elected as a companion of the Rhode Island Commandery of the Military Order of Foreign Wars in 2008 is currently serving as the commandery’s senior vice commander. He is eligible for membership in the MOFW by virtue of his father’s service as an officer in the US Navy.
He is active in several other organizations. He is currently commander of the Rhode Island Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and commander of Newport Post 7 of the American Legion. He is a past president of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, a past post commander in Sons of Union Veterans and a past commander of Post 406 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is also the Sergeant Major of the Newport Artillery Company and a Knight Commander of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem.
Ron received a degree in Computer Programming from the New England Institute of Technology in 1985. His career includes employment with Providence Washington Insurance, AIG, Trust Insurance, AAA Southern New England, and his current employer Horace Mann Education Association in Franklin Mass. Ron is currently Vice President of Information Technology Services for HMEA and has been there 19 years. HMEA serves children and adults with developmental disabilities throughout Massachusetts.
Ron or Colonel Barnes as he is known, is currently the Commander of the Pawtuxet Rangers, RI Historic Militia chartered in 1774. He has been a member for 34 years and Commanding Officer for 17. He was instrumental in the restoration of their 1843 armory and in procuring a secretarial copy of their original charter circa 1777-1778. Ron was elected and served as National Commander of the Centennial Legion of Historic Military Commands from 2016-2017. He was recently appointed by the Adjutant General of Rhode Island as the Rhode Island Historic Commands Liaison to the Adjutant General. He regularly contributes articles for the Pawtuxet Village newspaper, The Bridge. He is currently the Junior Vice Commander of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, President of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, First Vice President of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the Revolution, Treasurer of the Rhode Island Society of Colonial Wars, and is Governor General of the First Families of Rhode Island.
Other memberships include The Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati, Knights Templar, Order of Founders and Patriots, The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, Roger Williams Family Society, Colonial Clergy, Mayflower Society, War of 1812, Sons of the Union Veterans, and other groups.
PERSONAL: I am a widow father of two daughters: Sara Clarke Powell and Rebecca E. Clarke.
I graduated from Providence College in 1967, BA and in 1979 with an MBA
MILITARY: Two years Active Duty as an Air Defense Officer. My duties included HHB Commander, 50th Arty GP. While stationed with 24th Arty GP my duties included Asst GP S-3, and GP S-2. Served 21 years with the reserve, 76th Division Training. Among my duties were Company Commander, Brigade S-1, and Battalion XO. Also, Instructor, 1031st USAR School, teaching C&GS.
CIVILIAN: Worked for New England Telephone, AT&T, and Lucent Technologies.
James Howard Kenney II lives in Coventry, RI with his wife Dawn, son James III and daughter Elizabeth. He received a BA in accounting from Johnson and Wales University in 1990. He joined the RI Army National Guard in 1986 as a Private First Class and later attended Officer’s Candidate School and received a commission as a 2LT in the Engineer Corp 1989. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2012 after severing for 26 years, with deployments overseas to Honduras, Afghanistan, and Iraq. His Awards include the Bronze Star, Rhode Island Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Action Badge.
He serves on the Planning Board for the town of Coventry, RI. He serves as the treasurer of the Priory of St David of Wales in New England, The Preceptory of St Finnian of Clonard and Military Order of Foreign Wars (of which he is a Past Commander). He is a member of Association of the United States Army (AUSA), the Reserve Officers Association (ROA), The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks (Lodge 2285), The 100 Club, Engineer Officer Association & Providence Marine Corps of Artillery.
*Past RI MOFW Commander
On February 17, 2016, Governor Gina Raimondo appointed Lieutenant Commander Kasim J. Yarn as Rhode Island’s first Director of Veterans Affairs. Kasim retired from the U.S. Navy after more 20 years of military service. He joined the Raimondo administration in a full-time capacity in May 2016. Kasim reports directly to Governor Raimondo and is a participating member of the Health and Human Services Secretariat.
Kasim grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, but at the age of 18, enlisted in the U.S. Navy to see the world and serve his country. His first duty station was in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, a time that began Kasim’s lifelong love affa, reported to the USS Biscoe and deployed to the Persian Gulf. After his assignments at sea, Kasim became an instructor at the Surface Warfare Officers School at Naval Station Newport in 2004. While in Newport, Kasim attended the U.S. Naval War College earning a Master’s Degree in National Strategic Studies with a concentration in statistics in 2006.
Beginning in July 2007, Kasim served on several deployments with the Navy’s Sixth and Fifth Fleets in increasing roles of responsibility. In July 2013, he returned home to Rhode Island from deployment to become a faculty member at the Naval War College.
Kasim and his family made Rhode Island their permanent home in 2004 and bought a house in North Kingstown in 2009. He and Rosaria have two children, Jonathan and Giovanna. All are die-hard Red Sox fans.
*Past RI MOFW Commander
Colonel Michael Fitzpatrick is a lifelong Rhode Island native who grew up in Providence and now resides in Warwick. He graduated from LaSalle Academy in 1970, and University of Rhode Island in 1974, majoring in Political Science. He went on to receive a law degree from St. John’s University, Queens, NY in 1977, and was admitted to practice law in Rhode Island in 1977, and in Massachusetts in 1978. He has maintained private law practice in Rhode Island for over 40 years.
COL Fitzpatrick is married to his wife, Diane, with whom he has three children and three grandchildren.
He participated in United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class Program, graduating from USMC Officers Candidate School, Quantico, VA in August, 1973, and was subsequently commissioned as 2LT in Judge Advocate General Corps in Rhode Island Army National Guard in 1980 and assigned as Selective Service Officer. He later served as Deputy Brigade Judge Advocate and Brigade Judge Advocate for the 43rd MP Brigade. COL Fitzpatrick retired with the rank of Colonel as State Judge Advocate for Rhode Island National Guard overseeing all RI National Guard legal matters and supervising Staff attorneys.
A longtime member and legal advisor to RI Commandery of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, he also maintains memberships in National Guard Association of Rhode Island, Military Police Regimental Association (having serving as Legal advisor and Executive Committee member of both for many years), and Reserve Officers Association.
Brigadier General D’Agostino was the Assistant Adjutant General for Air and Deputy Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard. Prior to this assignment,
he served in the USAF as the United States Property and Fiscal Officer for Rhode Island for 4.3 years and as the Base Civil Engineer for the Coventry and North Smithfield Air National Guard Stations from 1978 to 1999.
His military career spanned almost 39 years and began in 1967 with the US Army as an infantryman. He served in Vietnam with E Company, 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry, 11th Brigade, Americal Division during 1968-69 and earned the prestigious Combat Infantryman Badge. After Vietnam, he resumed his advanced education and received a BS degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering and an MPA degree from the University of RI. Subsequently, he also graduated from the Air War College, US Army Professional Military Comptroller School and completed over 40 other military courses of study to include Air Command and Staff College, Squadron Officer School, Fiscal Law, Contract Management, Government Contract Law, Contracting Officer’s Representative, Financial Management Orientation, Dynamics of International Terrorism and Logistics Management.
His professional memberships and affiliations include former Chair and current board member of the SHARE Foundation formally at UMASS Dartmouth, former President of the RINGTEC Federal Credit Union, former President of the RI Department Reserve Officers Association, former President of the RI National Guard Association, former Commander of the RI Commandery Military Order of Foreign Wars, Past President of The 100 Club of RI, Preceptor II of the Preceptory of St. Finnian of Clonard, current board member of the RI Heritage Hall of Fame and Vice President of the RI Aviation Hall of Fame. Additionally, he is a life member of 34 professional, military and social organizations.
After his mandatory retirement in 2006, General D’Agostino was called back to service in 2007 to serve as a Project Manager for the Construction and Facility Management Officer (CFMO), RI Army National Guard where he assisted the CFMO and Contracting Officer’s Representative in the construction management of two military construction (MILCON) projects totaling in excess of 40 million dollars and encompassing about 100 thousand square feet of floor space.
He finally retired in 2013 and lives with his wife Fran in West Greenwich, RI. He is the proud father of two grown children – Chris and Alisa.
*Past RI MOFW Commander
Lieutenant Colonel Guarnieri was born and raised in Providence Rhode Island. Shortly after graduating from Central high school he was employed at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corp. in East Hartford Connecticut as a jet engine assembly worker. He entered the US Army in September of 1967 and attended basic training at Fort Bragg NC. By early February of 1968 he was deployed to Vietnam as an Infantryman assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). He was assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Bn, 7th Cav. as a M-60 machine gunner. While in direct combat he earned the Bronze Star for Valor, the Purple Heart and the Air medal. After returning to the US, he became a Tank Commander in the 3rd Armored Cavalry stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington.
He joined the Rhode Island Army National Guard in 1974 and attended OCS. He held various positions in several units beginning in the 103rd Field Artillery. He transferred to the Corp of Engineers and commanded the 1118th Engineer Company and later the 1043rd Maintenance Company. As a full time Guardsman he later became the State Maintenance Officer for RI. Upon retirement from the RI National Guard, he was awarded the Legion of Merit. LTC Guarnieri held command positions in several of the many veterans organizations he belongs to. He served as President of the National Guard Association of RI. (NGARI). He is a former Commander of the Military Order of Foreign Wars. (MOFW). He Chartered the Combat Infantrymen’s Association(CIA) in the state and is presently serving as its Commander. He was instrumental in the installation of two prestigious monuments located in the RI Veterans Cemetery. One for the CIA and one for the MOFW.
He is a graduate of Roger Williams College. He resides in North Providence, RI and in Campton, NH. He and his wife Marianne recently they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
*Past RI MOFW Commander
Born in Woonsocket, Rhode 22 November 1948 but raised in Southern California from age 9 until I returned to New England in 1977.
Drafted in the United States Army on 9 March 1969 with Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Ord, California. Shipped over the Vietnam in September of 1969 and assigned to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade “Redcatchers”, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry, Company A, 4th Platoon.
March 1, 1970 my platoon along with 1st Platoon and Command Post walked into a U-shaped ambush of North Vietnamese Army Regulars (NVA). I along, with another comrade low crawled under heavy fire to rescue six stranded comrades. All but one was rescued. The other, our Platoon Leader was killed and my comrade and I low-crawled back to our defense line but my comrade got hit and was killed instantly. A few years later I was award the Silver Star for Valor.
Upon returning home and a few years later I entered the Seminary to become a Roman Catholic Priest with the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. I earned my Bachelor in Philosophy Degree from Providence College and my Master of Divinity from Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1982. I was ordained in June 1984 and served two years on an Indian Reservation in Southern California and two years at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
I worked at VA Boston Healthcare System (Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury and Brockton Campuses) from 1988 until I retired 28 February 2015 as the Chief of Chaplain Service.
At the same time, I served in the United States Army Reserves from 1990 until 2003 and attained the rank of Captain in the Chaplain Corps. The units I served with were the 455th Field Hospital and the 883rd Medical Company (CSC) (Combat Stress Control).
As far as other Veteran Service Organizations, I am the Past National Chaplain of the American Legion, the current 30+year National Chaplain to Vietnam Veterans of America, President and Chaplain to the James Michael Ray Memorial Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #818, Chaplain to the following local Post in Northern Rhode Island: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, United Veterans Council of Woonsocket and United Veterans Council of Rhode Island. I also sit on the Rhode Island House of Veterans Affairs Committee.
Colonel (Ret) David H. Russell enlisted in the Rhode Island Army National Guard on 10 February 1967 as an Engineer Equipment Mechanic (62B) and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant while assigned to Co B 118th Engineer Co. and the 1118th Engineer Company serving as a mechanic, truck driver and finally as Supply Sergeant (76Y) before attending the RIARNG OCS Program.
After graduating first in his class he was assigned as a Transportation Officer 2LT in the 1207th Transportation Company, eventually serving as Commander. In addition, COL Russell has held a variety of positions in the RIARNG to include; Public Affairs Officer, Director of Surface Maintenance, Commander 118th MP Battalion, Deputy Brigade Commander 43rd MP Brigade, and finally as the Chief of Staff of the Rhode Island National Guard.
During his last 15 years of service he served in an additional duty position as the Legislative Liaison to the Rhode Island General Assembly and was responsible for the introduction and passage of several important pieces of legislation that are of benefit to RI Guard members to include; RI National Guard License Plates, the National Guard Education Benefit at State Colleges and University, and Guard member Burial at the Veterans Cemetery in Exeter,
RI. Colonel Russell retired from the military after almost 40 years of service. His awards include the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal among many others. Colonel Russell has served as the Commander of the Rhode Island Commandery MOFW and has served as the Commander General MOFW US 2013 to 2015. He holds a Master of Arts from the United States Navy War College, a Master of Arts from Salve Regina University, and a Bachelor of Science from Roger Williams University. Colonel Russell resides in Groton, CT. He has three children; David, Benjamin, and Amanda.
*Past RI MOFW Commander