Veterans of Vedder: Cory Adkins and Gary Head

Our nation has been the home of the brave for 250 years. As strong supporters of U.S. troops, we’re glad to use our platform to honor the brave men and women who answered the call to serve and protect our country.

This November, in honor of Veterans Day, we’re highlighting two veterans we’re also proud to call part of the Vedder Holsters family. Our article spotlights two U.S. Army veterans: Cory Adkins, who served as a Military Police Soldier, and Gary Head, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret. 

We asked both men to tell us about their time serving, their transition back into the civilian world, and their current roles at Vedder Holsters. Although they come from different backgrounds, their stories show how impactful military service is and how it shapes both their lives and careers. 

Cory Adkins, U.S. Army Veteran, Military Police

Cory Adkins joined the U.S. Army in 2010 as a Military Police Soldier (MOS 31B). He launched his career at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he went through One Station Unit Training (OSUT)—a rigorous program that combines Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training.

After training, Adkins was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served in the 118th Military Police Company (Airborne). During his time there, he operated as a driver, a gunner, and a team leader. 

Early in 2014, he was transferred to Yongsan, South Korea, where he served as a team leader in the 142nd Military Police Company. He stayed in South Korea until his contract ended in 2015. 

After getting out of the Army, Adkins and his wife decided to move back to Central Florida, where they settled down and started a family. 

“I’ve been married for 16 years and have three kids. These days baseball consumes our lives outside of work,” he said. 

He first joined the team at Vedder Holsters in 2017. At that time, he had decided to use his G.I. Bill to go back to school and further his education when he came across a job listing at the company. 

“I wasn’t really looking for anything, but the opportunity came up, and it’s been almost 10 years now,” he said. 

He first joined the company as part of the production team, molding Kydex holsters. Within a year, he switched to the role of holster craftsman, even sharing in management duties. Before long, he was promoted to the full-time Production Manager, leading the production team and working alongside the product development department to help design the tooling used to craft holsters for new gun models. 

Today, Adkins works as the Quality Control Manager, where, in addition to leading the team that inspects every holster before it’s shipped out to customers, he wears many different hats. Adkins still collaborates with the product development team to create new tooling and expand the Vedder Holsters product line. He also acts as the company’s safety officer and even appears in marketing content and advertisements from time to time. 

“Through the years, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work in many different roles as the company continues to grow,” he said. “When I started at Vedder Holsters, I never would have imagined I would still be here almost 10 years later and have done just about everything within the company at some point. I am very thankful for the opportunities, and I am looking forward to what the future holds.”

Gary Head, U.S. Army Veteran, Special Forces

Gary Head served 22 years as a Special Forces Green Beret in the U.S. Army. He decided to enlist after attending military school as a youth, which felt like a natural transition. 

After two deployments to Iraq, Head decided to apply to join the elite Special Operations Forces. He attended a four-week selection and assessment process in North Carolina and was accepted. 

“The truth is, when I joined, I was a little bored,” he said. “During my deployment, I saw some guys who looked really cool. They were big dudes with beards and all the cool gear, and I asked who they were. … They were Special Forces guys, and I asked how I could do that. As soon as I got back, I went to selection, and they wanted me.” 

As a Green Beret, Head was deployed frequently, going everywhere from Iraq and Afghanistan to Abu Dhabi and Dubai to conduct special operations. 

“It was difficult. It was challenging, but also stimulating. Sometimes it was fun. The tough part was being away from your family,” he said. “But the biggest challenge out of all of it, and I think this is very important, was coming home without some of your friends.”

As intense as the reality of executing military missions on international soil is, Head remembers some incredibly rewarding experiences, as well. 

Once, he was selected to participate in an annual wreath-laying ceremony honoring President John F. Kennedy, who created the Green Berets. Every year, two Special Forces soldiers are chosen to lay the wreath at Kennedy’s gravesite at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, a unique honor. 

Another one-of-a-kind experience came during one of his deployments to Dubai during a joint operation with the Navy SEALs. During the four months they were there, the time came for his final reenlistment. Although it’s normal for Green Berets to commemorate their reenlistments by doing things like jumping out of a plane, when Head’s team sergeant asked what he wanted to do, he decided to take a different approach. 

“The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa. I said I wanted to reenlist in front of the Burj Khalifa, on a helicopter, with the whole team wearing suits. He got it done for me,” he said. “I thought it was cool. I don't know anybody else who can tell that story because I came up with it myself.”

After retiring from the Army, Head has pursued a career in the firearms industry. At Vedder Holsters, he works as a content creator, filming educational videos for social media. You can find him on our YouTube channel, covering everything from shooting drills to concealed carry techniques. 

Support For Our Troops

Vedder Holsters is proud to support our U.S. troops and military veterans. If you are a current member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a veteran, we would like to thank you for your service with 10% off any purchase at Vedder Holsters.

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