LINTHICUM, MD, September 5, 2018— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Captain Robert J. Swain as the NFM Salute for September 2018.

CPT Swain graduated from Texas A&M as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1962. His first assignment was as a Liaison Officer to the British delegation for a secret classified meeting between Great Britain, Australia and Canada. When his commander received an emergency discharge, CPT Swain assumed a Major’s position and conducted the conference successfully. He then served initially as an Infantry Platoon Leader before attending Army Helicopter Flight School. From there, he served in Korea as Aide and pilot to Brigadier General O.M. Barsanti and later in Korea with Brigadier General Thomas Andrews.

After a year at Fort Benning, GA in the 11th Air Assault Division (the test unit for the airmobile concept) he was assigned to Fort Lewis, WA where he commanded an Air Cavalry Troop as a Lieutenant. He deployed to Vietnam and served in the First Squadron, Ninth Cavalry, First Cavalry Division. The First of the Ninth was a helicopter reconnaissance unit in combat virtually every day. CPT Swain was Platoon Leader for the armed helicopter platoon and later the unit troop carrying platoon.

In November of 1966, CPT Swain was shot in the right arm and leg while on the ground in command of an infantry platoon. For his actions that day, he was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star. CPT Swain also received two Bronze Star Medals (one with V Device), twenty-one Air Medals (one with V Device), and the Army Commendation Medal. He recuperated in the Philippines for a month and returned to combat still bleeding from wounds in his leg. It was the last six months that were the hardest as he saw several of his closest friends lose their lives, some even days before going home. He left Vietnam with over 1300 combat flight hours.

CPT Swain was discharged in 1968. He then flew for United Airlines for the next 33 years. He also served as the Regional Vice President for the North Atlantic for the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association. In his spare time, he was appointed as a Judge for the Maryland State Orphans’ Court. After United, he worked as an Air Carrier inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration for another 5 years and became the United States Member to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Separation and Air Space Safety Panel. While with the FAA CPT Swain taught at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.

CPT Swain is retired in College Station, Texas, the home of Texas A&M, where he is active in the Lettermen’s Association and enjoys the activities provided by a campus environment.

CPT Swain was nominated by his daughter, Melissa.

“What that man endured and didn’t speak of for so long, deserves to be recognized. The stories he can tell, and the sheer courage and perseverance throughout the rest of his life are awe-inspiring.”

NFM Salute is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is chosen each month to be honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” will be featured on the website with a brief biography and information about his or her service, and NFM Lending will make a $1,000 donation to a military or Veteran non-profit in the Salute’s name.

Selected NFM Salutes may choose from one of the following three non-profits: Platoon 22, AnySoldier, and the Gary Sinise Foundation. CPT Swain chose Platoon 22 to receive this month’s donation. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 29 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998 and this year is celebrating its 20th anniversary. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

LINTHICUM, MD, August 2, 2018— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Sergeant Cristian J. Blandin as the NFM Salute for August 2018.

Shortly after graduating high school and completing his first semester of college, Sgt. Blandin voluntarily joined the Army, serving from 2009 to 2013. Upon completion of basic training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he was sent to Fort Huachuca, Arizona for Human Intelligence Advanced Individual training. Later that year, he moved to his duty station in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he learned he was going to do a 12-month deployment to Afghanistan at 19 years old.

“I arrived with my unit (Charlie Company of 519th Military Intelligence Battalion) in July 2010,” said Sgt. Blandin. “By far one of the best experiences in my life. I say that because less than 1% of Americans join the Army, and the percentage of soldiers that deploy to combat is less than that. I was one of the few. Of course I was scared because not only was this my first time going to war, I also had a daughter I had to think about.”

Sgt. Blandin and two members of his unit supported the 101st Airborne Division as part of their Humint Collection Team (HCT). During their first combat patrol they were hit by a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Sgt. Blandin was supposed to be in the vehicle that was hit with the IED but had been switched out. Thankfully, there weren’t any casualties.

During that campaign (Operation Enduring Freedom X – XI), Sgt. Blandin was battlefield-promoted to Specialist as he was the acting Team Leader (TL) for a short period of time during their TL’s absence. The majority of time he spent as the Assistant TL. Sgt. Blandin and his unit returned to the States in the summer of 2011, where he was later promoted to Sergeant. He was honorably discharged in March 2013. He then attended Campbell University to finish his degree in Business Administration and pursued a career in business.

Sgt. Blandin resides in Northern Virginia, and enjoys shooting, filming and spending time with his children. He is still active in the Veteran community and stays in close contact with his Army buddies. He currently works as a Mortgage Loan Originator for NFM Lending.

JC Jimenez and Carlos Ilanos, Branch Managers at NFM Lending, had only great things to say about Sgt. Blandin.

“Cristian Blandin is a leader,” said Jimenez. “He is a natural at helping others. He has quickly become the “go to person” by many of his peers for his knowledge and will to share it. Serving our country with all of his being is just what fits in what we know of him. Realtors, clients, colleagues; we all feel proud to deal with him. Great to have him in our team. Grateful for his service. My most profound respect for his character.”

“I was blown away when I met Cristian,” said Ilanos. “With great love he served our country and now was joining us to help people fulfill their homeownership dream. When you meet Cristian, you can see all the character traits that serving our country requires: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor and integrity. It is a great privilege to have him part of our NFM family.”

NFM Salute is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is chosen each month to be honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” will be featured on the website with a brief biography and information about his or her service, and NFM Lending will make a $1,000 donation to a military or Veteran non-profit in the Salute’s name. Sgt. Blandin chose Platoon22 to receive this month’s donation. As an organization that focuses on stopping soldier suicide, Sgt. Blandin explained his choice: “Thank a Veteran any chance you get and please remember that suicide and depression is the number one killer for Veterans. It’s not easy coming back.”

Selected NFM Salutes may choose from one of the following three non-profits: Platoon 22, AnySoldier, and the Gary Sinise Foundation. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 29 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998 and this year is celebrating its 20th anniversary. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

LINTHICUM, MD, August 1, 2017— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Captain (CPT) Omayra Velez (ret.), as the NFM Salute for August 2017.

CPT Velez received her commission into the Army in October 2007.  She received a direct commission as a Medical Service Corp Officer, and later became an Environmental Science Engineering Officer. Her first duty stationed was with the 705th Military Police Battalion at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with which she deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from August 2009 to August 2010. On her return from Iraq, CPT Velez was assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Kaiserslautern, Germany for two years, and then to the Army Public Health Command Europe in Landstuhl, Germany. She earned a coveted one-year “Training with Industryt the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories in Livermore, California, from 2013 to 2014. After the training, she was assigned to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen, Maryland. She medically retired due to injury in January 2017.  In her 9-year career, CPT Velez earned two Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Commendations Medals, one Army Achievement Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon with two numeral devise, and the Iraq Campaign medal with one Campaign Star.

CPT Velez was nominated by NFM Lending Branch Manager Jennifer Cook.

“I have known Omayra for several years,” said Cook. “When I first met her, she was active duty. She recently retired from service, and I wanted to recognize Omayra for her many years of service and being a loyal client of NFM Lending. Congrats Omayra! It’s always a pleasure working with you.”

The NFM Salute is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is chosen each month to be honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” will be featured on the website with a brief biography and information about his or her service, and NFM Lending will make a $2,500 donation to a military or Veteran non-profit in the Salute’s name. Velez chose Platoon 22 to receive this month’s donation.

Selected NFM Salutes may choose from one of the following three non-profits: Platoon 22, AnySoldier, and the Gary Sinise Foundation. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 29 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

LINTHICUM, MD, March 1, 2017— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Bryce Chambers as the NFM Salute for March 2017.

Since age 10, Bryce Chambers wanted to serve in the military. On May 8, 2015, his 20th birthday, Chambers began 16 weeks of basic training in addition to infantry training, with the goal of becoming an infantryman. He graduated in August 2015, and was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Chambers is a grenadier, specializing in explosives, and was recently promoted to an E4. In December of 2015, he married his high school sweetheart, Rachel, and she joined him in Hawaii.

Chambers was nominated by his mother, Jane Chambers, along with Greg Cowart, an NFM Lending Branch Manager in Richmond, VA.

“Bryce has always told us that he wanted to serve in the military,” said Jane Chambers. “When I asked him why he felt so strongly about joining the Army, his response was, ‘I feel like as a citizen of the United States of America, it is my duty to serve at least four years in the military!’ If I am totally honest, thinking of my youngest son serving in the Army scared me beyond measure. While my heart burst with pride during his Advanced Individual Training graduation, the realization that my son was willing to lay his life down on the line for his country was breathtaking. Words simply are not enough to express how proud Keith and I are of our youngest son: Bryce, my soldier, my hero!”

NFM Salutes is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is chosen each month to be honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” will be featured on the website with a brief biography and information about his or her service, and NFM Lending will make a $2,500 donation to a military or Veteran non-profit in the Salute’s name. Chambers chose Platoon 22 to receive this month’s donation.

Selected NFM Salutes may choose from one of the following four non-profits: Platoon 22, AnySoldier, Soldier’s Wish, and the Gary Sinise Foundation. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 29 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

For the online press release, click here.