- Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
Meet Air Force and Army Veteran Matthew Mancini
Matthew Mancini served in the military for a total of 40 years, 15 in the Air Force and 25 in the Army. “I joined the military because I wanted to see the world and face new challenges,” said Mancini.
Mancini’s favorite memory from the military is from when he was a policeman in the Air Force and did pull gate duty at the main gate of the base, meaning he would check IDs and wave in traffic that came into the base. “On one particular day I was training a new Airman and I was sitting in the gate shack monitoring him. One car stopped and the driver was a very cute Captain who worked as a nurse at the base hospital. After she pulled away the Airman came over to me and handed me a note. It was to me, from the driver. It said:
“Hi, my name is Kathy Annese. I would like to go out with you. I make great spaghetti dinners.”
The note also included her phone number and address. Mancini’s roommate at the time, Chris, was a K9 officer. Mancini gave Chris the note as he continued to wave through traffic. To his surprise he turned around just in time to see Chris’s dog swallowing the note. “I made it very plain to Chris that if he did not get me the address and phone number that was on the note, he should not bother coming back to our room later that day. To his credit Chris got me the name and address, and I was able to make a date with the young lady,” recalls Mancini. Thirty-six years later, Annese and Mancini are still married and have two grown children! “Not only is it a great meet story, but it was certainly the best thing to happen in my life,” says Mancini.
Now, Mancini works at the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation in the Division of Insurance as the Director of the State Rating Bureau. He uses his skills he learned in the military every day in his work “whether it be negotiating a settlement on a rate case or interpreting state regulations.” Mancini believes that military service has given him the skills to be successful in his work. He also says, “In both the military and working in public service, ensuring that the public is treated fairly is central to that service.”
Meet Army Veteran Denise Beighley
Beighley served in the Army for a total of 6 years: 4 years as a Finance Specialist and 2 years as an Intelligence Analyst. She was inspired to join the military because she wanted to travel and learn new skills. Beighley has learned some of her most valuable life lessons from being in the military:
- “Senior leaders always set the culture for the organization.”
- “There is never an excuse for disrespect of others.”
- “Ongoing training helps maintain high standards for everyone in the organization and reinforces the professional work ethic. It is so important to always be growing!”
- “Roles that may seem boring may still teach critical skills that can be useful in the future.”
Beighley now works as a Bank Examiner in the Division of Banks at the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. In this role, she uses skills and values that she practiced in the military like data analysis, risk management, customer service, and leadership every day for her job. “Dealing with confidential data, problem solving with root cause analysis, interpersonal skills, and dealing with senior leaders, all are parallels from working in the military and in public service.”
The Meaning of Military Appreciation Month
As Mancini put it, “Military Appreciation Month means honoring my brothers and sisters in arms and acknowledging the sacrifices they make every day to secure our freedoms.” For Beighley, “It is about respecting those who protect the country and American way of life.” While Military Appreciation Month serves as a great reminder of the incredible dedication of our service members, both veterans and active, it’s important to carry forward that gratitude all year long.
