Rich and Barb Whitaker moved to Clubhouse Estates five years ago after Rich retired from the U.S. Army.  As a judge advocate, Rich served for more than thirty years as a legal and policy advisor for the United States Department of Defense.  He currently serves as a policy advisor for the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), where he provides advice and oversight over our nation’s most sensitive operations and activities.  Previous to his current position, he served as the General Counsel for SOCOM, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 1st Calvary Division.  Rich deployed to Iraq in both 1990 and 2003, in support of Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and spent nearly two years in country during those two conflicts.  He began his military career as a second lieutenant in the field artillery, after graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1982.  He thereafter graduated from The University of Tennessee College of Law in 1985 and began his career as a judge advocate.  He earned his post-doctorate masters of law in International Law in 1994, a Masters of Business Administration in 1998, and a Masters of Strategic Studies in 2006.  Rich retired from active duty in 2011, as a colonel, and began his civilian career that same year.  Barb and Rich love northern Pinellas County, and after making 21 moves in their 31 years of marriage, they also love the notion of putting down roots in a place they both love.