Former Marine, former Guardsman to serve as festival’s guest speakers

The Louisiana Smoked Meat Festival will feature two guest speakers this year.
Former United States Marine Officer Stefan Arnold attended high school at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingten, Texas and attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge starting in the Fall of 1999. Arnold enlisted in the Marine Corps in late 2000 and completed boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot located in San Diego in August 2001.
Lance Corporal Arnold deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and again in 2005. He received his degree in Mechanical Engineering from LSU in 2006.
Following graduation, Sergeant Arnold accepted a commission in the Marine Corp and became a Logistics Officer with the 1st and 2nd Marine Regiment in Camp Lejeune North Carolina where he deployed again to Iraq in 2008 and then Afghanistan in 2010.
Upon returning from Afghanistan, Captain Arnold was transferred to Special Operations Training Group where he served on Active Duty until 2012, and then returned to Louisiana to work in the Oil and Gas Industry. Arnold remained in the Marine Corp Reserves until his Honorable Discharge in 2015.
At the present time, Arnold serves as a Voluntary Board Member for the Wounded War Heroes, a Louisiana based national nonprofit organization, founded to show appreciation to the men and women who have been wounded while in combat.
This year’s other guest speaker is retired First Sergeant Garry L. Powell.
Powell was born and raised in Winnfield, Louisiana. Powell joined the Louisiana Army National Guard in February 1980. He was activated in 1990 for Desert Shield – Desert Storm until May of 1991.
Powell was activated once again in May of 2004 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He returned home from Iraq between Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He has been activated for every hurricane and flood from 1980 to 2010. Powell was also a federal civil service technician for 26 years working on M1 tanks and Bradleys and track vehicles at Fort Polk in Leesville.
Powell enjoyed serving his state and country for 30 years, six months, and two days until his retirement in August 2010.