News

Retired Navy commander is county's new Veterans Services Officer

Brent Embry was named Henderson County's Veterans Services Officer.

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 14, 2023

Brent Embry, a 22-year-old veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Navy who retired as a Navy commander, has been named Henderson County's new Veterans Service Officer.

Commander Embry has big shoes to fill upon the retirement June 30 of Mike Murdock, tghe county's  longtime Veterans Service Officer.

“Caring for the veterans in our community is one of our highest priorities," County Manager John Mitchell said. "I thank Mike Murdock for the incredible job he’s done for Henderson County over the years, and I am confident Brent Embry will carry on the tradition of high-quality veteran services in this county. There are a lot of exciting new opportunities for veterans in our community that will be coming online in the next year, and I know that Brent is the leader who will take us there."
Embry’s military career spans nearly 22 years and includes time in the two branches serving as an Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer, a Navy Surface Warfare Officer, Operations Officer, Chief Staff Officer, and Officer in Charge. The positions took him to posts in Arizona, Utah, the Persian Gulf, Florida, Italy, Africa, Lebanon, Rhode Island and Guam.

Since retiring from the Navy five years ago, Embry has lived and worked in Western North Carolina. Before accepting the Henderson County post, he served as the lead Veterans Service Officer for the 12-county western district of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.