MOBILE, AL: The President of the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission, Colonel Steve
Carey, U.S. Air Force, Retired, is pleased to announce this year’s CAPT Hal Pierce Memorial
Award Winners!
Captain Hal Pierce, Honorary Sea Lord of Mobile, dedicated his life to military, community,
and veterans causes.In 2021, the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission renamed the
President’s Award the Captain Hal Pierce Memorial Award to honor veteran supporters.
Recipients do not need military ties but should demonstrate volunteerism, vision, or support
for veterans, recognizing either lifetime service or a single notable act.
Award recipients should embody the same spirit of service, patriotism, community, and love
of country that Captain Hal demonstrated throughout his life.
Jennifer Byrd has distinguished herself by exceptional support and dedication to our local
veteran community. She has been one of our most energetic champions of veterans,
enthusiastically supporting them in numerous organizations and projects. Among these projects
are: Joining the Veterans Disability section of the law firm Gardberg and Kemmerly where she
was accredited by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
She also serves as a member of the National Organization of Veteran Advocates (NOVA). As a
NOVA member, she assists veterans and their families, and particularly veterans with disabilities,
to obtain their earned benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a NOVA
member, she also serves on the Congressional Testimony Committee. In this capacity, in March
2024, she served as a lobbyist representing veterans by working with lawmakers on Capitol Hill
in support of veterans, namely the Guard Act. She will return to Capitol Hill in 2025 to continue
advocating for veterans. On November 5, she will be admitted to the Bar for the United States
Supreme Court.
Jennifer is an Associate Member of the P.L. Wilson Detachment of the Marine Corps League,
where she supports their many veterans’ projects. Additionally, she is a member of the South
Alabama Veterans Council (SAVC), where she serves on several committees, and she is the Vice
President of the Sponsorship Committee on the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission. For
Armed Forces Day 2023, Jennifer was the chairperson for the Blue Star Memorial 5K Run/Walk
and Fun Run for Alabama’s Fallen Heroes.
Jennifer is the proud mother of a daughter and a son, with her son serving on active-duty in the
United States Navy.
Considering all of these accomplishments supporting our veterans, Jennifer Byrd has displayed
the same spirit of service, patriotism, love of community, and love of country that Captain Hal
Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.
Therefore, it is an honor to present you with the Captain Hal Pierce Memorial Award.
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Ms. Nancy Raia has consistently distinguished herself by exceptional support of our local
veteran’s community. She has been one of the most energetic champions of our veterans,
enthusiastically supporting several organizations and projects.
Chief among these has been fifteen years of service teaching art to hundreds of veterans at the
William F. Green Veterans Home in Bay Minette. She has also worked with University of
South Alabama students interning as recreational therapists, working with the William F.
Green veterans. She works to adapt art lessons to fit their needs (Whether they are visually
impaired, missing a hand, or have some cognitive impairment). She helps others find a way to
reach everyone through art as a form of expression and calming time of relaxation.
Additionally, Nancy has engaged veterans with her art programs at the Eastern Shore Art
Center and the United States Sports Academy. Another example of her successful veteran
programs was the Poppy Project, where 3000 clay poppies were made and placed on the
Henry George Bluff in Fairhope. On that project, Nancy invited local high school students to
partner with veterans on a project that was very successful.
Nancy states that her dad was a veteran, and her husband’s father was also a veteran and a
Prisoner of War in WW2. She says, “It was instilled in me that you always salute the flag
and honor the military for their service, as we have the greatest country to live in, thanks to
their service!”
Her spirit of volunteerism, vision, and dedicated support to our military veterans has been
truly inspirational and has achieved successes of which she can be justifiably proud.
Nancy Raia has and continues to display the same spirit of service, patriotism, love of
community, and love of country that Captain Hal Pierce exhibited throughout his entire life.
Therefore, it is an honor to present you with the Captain Hal Pierce Memorial Award.
