Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Johnson Assists World War II Veteran in Need

By  //  November 14, 2015

National Veterans Homeless Support assists

Early yesterday morning, Deputy Robert Johnson of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office was on patrol in the Mims area when he observed a small white car traveling east in the west bound lanes of traffic.
Deputy Robert Johnson of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol last week in the Mims area when he observed a small white car traveling east in the west bound lanes of traffic driven by an 89-year old Navy World War II veteran.

BREVARD COUNTY • MIMS, FLORIDA – Deputy Robert Johnson of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol last week in the Mims area when he observed a small white car traveling east in the west bound lanes of traffic.

Deputy Johnson conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and discovered the driver was an 89-year-old Navy veteran. It was determined that the driver has a distinguished military career, serving during World War II.

Deputy Johnson learned that the driver had reportedly been on the road for approximately five weeks and was headed somewhere in Florida to find property he believed had been willed to him by a late friend.

As Deputy Johnson talked to the veteran, his suspicions began to rise as the veteran didn’t know where he was, or where he was actually heading. Deputy Johnson further observed that the veteran was living out of his car, had very limited supplies and was low on fuel and money.

Deputy Johnson immediately recognized the man needed our assistance and care and  alerted his supervisors and began gathering resources.

Deputy Johnson’s first step was food, so he and another Deputy took him to a nearby restaurant for breakfast while additional resources could be arranged. Deputy Johnson then called George Taylor with the National Veterans Homeless Support (N.V.H.S.).

Deputy Johnson’s first step was food, so he and another Deputy took him to a nearby restaurant for breakfast while additional resources could be arranged. Deputy Johnson then called George Taylor with the National Veterans Homeless Support (N.V.H.S.). Taylor is the owner and operator of V.V.H.S. that is dedicated to help eliminate homelessness among veterans.
To assist an 89-year old Navy veteran, Deputy Robert Johnson called George Taylor, above left with Sheriff Wayne Ivey, with the National Veterans Homeless Support (N.V.H.S.). Taylor is the owner and operator of V.V.H.S. that is dedicated to help eliminate homelessness among veterans. (BCSO image)

Taylor is the owner and operator of V.V.H.S. that is dedicated to help eliminate homelessness among veterans.

Since Taylor founded this incredible organization in 2008, along with a group of trusted friends, the primary purpose and activities of the organization have been to motivate and train groups of volunteers to go out to the woods and parks to find and help homeless veterans and supply them with food, tents, housing.

As the Deputies researched, no immediate friends or family members could be located. Through Taylor’s resources, the veteran was provided a place to stay with a warm shower and supplies as well as someone to help care for him while further efforts could be made to assist him.

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Deputy Johnson, Taylor and the Veteran’s Affairs Office are working in partnership to put the scattered pieces of this veteran’s past together to figure out if he has any family or friends who can provide him long term assistance.

As we saluted and honored all veterans last week for their service, it was our pleasure to help this veteran in his time of need. I greatly appreciate the efforts of Deputy Johnson, his squad and George Taylor for their wonderful efforts.

Please join me in congratulating everyone involved with finding this wayward veteran and providing him the resources needed!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has been a law enforcement officer for over three decades. Sheriff Ivey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Daytona State College in Management and Supervision. Sheriff Ivey’s background in law enforcement is inclusive of Management, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics, Patrol Services, Public Integrity Investigations, and Corrections.

Sheriff Wayne Ivey

Prior to being elected in 2012, Sheriff Ivey served the citizens of the State of Florida as a Resident Agent in Charge for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. As a member of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sheriff Ivey developed and created the country’s first ever statewide Task Force on Identity Theft.

That same year the Task Force was named one of the top five most innovative programs in the country by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and investigated approximately 44 million dollars in fraud cases. Additionally, as a member of FDLE, Sheriff Ivey created the Child Abduction Response Team (C.A.R.T) that re-defined the way Child Abduction cases are conducted throughout the country today.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has been a law enforcement officer for over three decades. Sheriff Ivey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Daytona State College in Management and Supervision. Sheriff Ivey’s background in law enforcement is inclusive of Management, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics, Patrol Services, Public Integrity Investigations, and Corrections.

The program was later selected as the most innovative program in the country by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is now used as a nationwide model in the response and investigation of child abductions.

Sheriff Ivey has testified before the United States Congress on law enforcement related matters and has extensive experience in the area of Public Integrity Investigations. Sheriff Ivey was honored as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Special Agent of the Year (1996) and was also recognized by the Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for his Outstanding Contributions to Criminal Justice. In August of 2011 Sheriff Ivey was honored by the National Organization of Victims Advocacy for his work at the national level as an advocate of victim’s rights and protection.

Sheriff Ivey speaks regularly on topics such as Identity Theft, Crime in America, Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, and Self Defense through Mental Preparedness. Sheriff Ivey firmly believes that Crime Prevention and Education are vital to reduce our crime rate and protect our community.