Leadership | Veteran Home Guardians

At Veteran Home Guardians, our leadership team is united by a shared commitment to service, community, and honoring those who have served. As veterans and dedicated citizens, we bring together decades of military experience, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement to build an organization that supports disabled and homebound veterans with dignity and care.

We believe that no veteran should be forgotten or left behind. Our team not only works behind the scenes — we serve directly, shoulder to shoulder, ensuring that compassion and respect are at the heart of everything we do.

Whether coordinating in-home services, managing operations, or simply offering a listening ear, our leadership stands ready to continue our mission: serving veterans, still and always.

Travis J. Vought

(Founder and President)

Travis Vought is the Founder of Veteran Home Guardians and a lifelong advocate for service, accountability, and community leadership. He earned his Eagle Scout rank at age 14 after organizing a project to clean and restore a pioneer cemetery in Big Flats, New York.

At 18, Travis enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 2003 to 2011 in Okinawa, Japan; Recruiting Station Buffalo, New York; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant before continuing his mission in national defense as a Counter-IED Contractor with BAE Systems from 2011–2012.

Since leaving the military, Travis has spent over a decade in the private sector as a subject-matter expert in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Risk and Control Management, and Regulatory Compliance at J.P. Morgan.

Through Veteran Home Guardians, Travis brings his leadership and values full circle. His vision is to create paid, purpose-driven work for veterans while providing essential in-home support to disabled and homebound service members—ensuring that no veteran is forgotten and that every veteran has someone standing beside them.

Emily Elizabeth Leece. Esq

(Board Member & Secretary)

Emily Elizabeth Leece, Esq., brings a unique blend of military service, legal expertise, and a steadfast commitment to veteran advocacy to her role as Secretary of Veteran Home Guardians. A proud U.S. Air Force veteran, Emily's dedication to service did not end with her military tenure. She pursued a legal education, earning her Juris Doctor degree, and has since combined her legal acumen with a deep-seated passion for supporting fellow veterans.

With over a decade of experience in Compliance at J.P. Morgan Chase, Emily specialized in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and Quality Assurance. Her meticulous attention to detail and unwavering integrity have been instrumental in ensuring organizational compliance and fostering trust within the financial sector.

Emily's commitment extends beyond her professional achievements. She is particularly devoted to assisting elderly and homebound veterans, striving to ensure they receive the care, respect, and services they deserve. Her personal experiences have also fueled her advocacy for creating safe, inclusive environments for all veterans, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or political views. Emily's resilience and dedication make her an invaluable asset to Veteran Home Guardians and the broader veteran community.

Lowell Bentley

(Board Member & Finance Officer)

Sergeant Lowell Bentley spent 11 years working for the Marine Corps as a mechanic for many different vehicle systems right after 9/11 occurring during his high school graduating year. His service was filled with many innovations he took part including authoring the Iraqi Policing database and providing expertise for the creation of the new P-19R Marine Corps Aircraft Firefighting Vehicle System. The physical toll on his body led to paralysis from a spine injury and a quick medical retirement followed. Lowell was not met with an easy separation for no career and not being able to walk straight. After winning benefits from Social Security and fighting for 8 years against the failed Navy medical group in Hawaii, he received his 100% rating and a wheelchair from the VA.

The wheelchair and disability money gave Lowell the confidence to begin using his GI Bill before it expired. He has graduated with his B.S. in Business and Administration from the University of Maryland Global College and has provided many services to the Marine Corps League at his St. George, Utah home.

The 8 years of struggling to win benefits has led Lowell and other Veterans to know the need some of them have for more services and possible employment. The following are specific obstacles he and other disabled and unemployed Veterans experience on a day-to-day basis: ADHD, strange symptoms from poisonings and burn pits, disorganization, loneliness and isolation, pain, missed medical appointments, clutter, hoarding, anger, and PTSD related symptoms. When Travis asked him to help make this organization, he knew that it was an opportunity to provide the new degree and his other talents to help with these problems. Veteran Home Guardians can be a place that can fill that need. The organization will also put employed Veterans to work and provide an environment that inspires dignity. We ask that you join us, come receive our services, or come and donate to our charitable cause for our nation’s heroes.