2026 - 6th Annual Stars and Stripes Gala

2026 SWFL Patriot of the Year

Robert "Scotty" Scott
US Army (ret) Sergeant First Class/E-7

Rob comes from a long line of honorable veterans, with over 240 years of combined family service. From childhood, he was raised in a structured family environment where the values of "Duty, Honor, and Country" were deeply instilled. His family has proudly served across the majority of military branches, including the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Air Force.

Rob is a 100% service-connected disabled veteran after being crushed between two military vehicles - a 56-ton vehicle and a 5-ton engine pack - while on active duty. Despite the life-altering injuries, his determination to regain quality of life drove him to fight for his own recovery. With strength and support from his family, his two-and-a-half-year recovery journey included overcoming immense physical and emotional challenges. From relearning how to walk to proving his ability to continue serving with respect and honor, Rob's resilience became the foundation of his mission to give back to the veteran community.

After battling PTSD and nearly becoming part of the "22 a Day," Rob made a life-changing decision - to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Mental health became a central focus of his mission, and he now dedicates himself to helping others confront and overcome PTSD.

Throughout his 22 years of service and deployments worldwide, Rob supported missions spanning the Cold War, War on Drugs, and War on Terrorism. He also conducted Personal Security Assignments for members of Congress and received numerous commendations and letters of recognition for his service.

Rob is the proud father of nine children and grandfather of nine grandchildren. His commitment to family remains the most important aspect of his life. He gives back to his community in many ways, including his involvement in Freemasonry, where he continues his path of personal growth as a brother, father, husband, and leader.

Continuing his education, Rob earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix, strengthening his leadership capabilities in the corporate world. After retiring, he remained committed to healing - for himself, his family, and fellow veterans.

When his best friend, Shawn Bertholf, presented the vision of honoring veterans, Rob helped bring Honor Box Studios to life. Today, Rob serves as the CEO/President of Honor Box Studios and lead designer paying tribute to our military Veterans and their selfless service to our country.  Each box is personalized with 100% American-made materials telling each story with extreme detail and precision.  Rob supports several non-profit organizations including the Patriot Fund by providing customized, one-of-a-kind tributes to each, and works closely with our team to ensure a memorable experience.

The Patriot Fund team is honored to work alongside Rob and his team and to recognize him as our 2026 Southwest Florida Patriot of the Year.

Keynote Presenter

Major Jonathan Turnbull US Army (RET)

Jonathan Turnbull enlisted in the United States Army soon after graduating from High School in 2005. He was deployed once to Afghanistan, twice to Jordan, once to Lebanon, and then in 2018 deployed to Iraq with a follow on assignment to Syria. Throughout his career, Turnbull and his team were involved in several missions that enhanced the quality of life for those living in war torn areas. They enabled the system to allow around 4,000 girls to return to school after seven years of prohibition from ISIS. They helped rebuild a local hospital and even renovated a hydroelectric dam in Tishreen, Syria which restored power to about 450,000 people in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan.

On January 16th, 2019, Turnbull and his team were visiting a school to perform a wellness check and ensure that they were not being denied access to their education. As they were leaving, an ISIS suicide bomber ran up to Turnbull and his team, detonating his vest. There were 19 casualties, 4 of which were Jon's teammates, and three other Americans including Turnbull were seriously wounded. Turnbull suffered a complete nucleation of his right eye and a puncture to his left eye, resulting in him being 100% blind. He spent months in the hospital, had over 20 surgeries, and clocked in countless hours of rehabilitation.

Due to the extent of his injuries, two years later, Jon retired in November of 2021.  Jon continues to train, mentor, and inspire others through giving inspiring speeches to groups, and hopes his story will help those who are struggling.

This event led Turnbull to write and publish a book called, "Zero Percent Chance." Turnbull says, "I wrote the book to honor my fallen teammates. I didn't want it it to be a book written about how they died, but instead, I wanted their families to know how they lived. Their families have become a part of mine, and I love them all. I only hope they know how much they mean to me."

Creative Ways to Give and Maximize Your Impact

At The Patriot Fund, we understand that donors seek diverse avenues for making meaningful financial contributions. As a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we gratefully accept funds from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), Private Foundations, and Public Foundations.

Additionally, we welcome gifts of publicly traded stock, providing donors with an opportunity to contribute appreciated assets. By donating stock, supporters can realize an income tax deduction for the full market value of their gift while also avoiding capital gains tax exposure from a sale-allowing for a more tax-efficient and impactful way to give.

If you wish to facilitate your support in one of the above-referenced manners, please contact our Director of Operations at [email protected]