President and Director of Operations Robert “Top” Mattison

Robert ‘Top’ C. E. Mattison, retired First Sergeant in the U.S. Army, is President and Director of Operations for the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Foundation. He has also served as Vice President of the NMVM Foundation. Top enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17 and following basic training was assigned to the Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) Nike Missile Site in Harrison Township, Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan. ARADCOM was a major command of the United States Army from 1957 to 1974.

Throughout his 24-year Army career, Top was assigned to different U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force installations throughout the United States and the world, including his tour during the Vietnam War and during the Cuban Missile crisis. Following his Army career, Top began his civilian career at Sandia Laboratories. He worked at Sandia labs for over 30 years until his retirement in 2011. It was in 2013 that he decided to volunteer at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial and in 2016 he was elected to the NMVM Foundation Board of Directors. In 2019, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller awarded Top with the City of Albuquerque Volunteer of the Month Award. During a special ceremony in March of 2023, Top was awarded a Quilt of Valor by Local Chapter 48009 of the Quilt of Valor Foundation for his service during the Vietnam War. Top volunteers at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial to raise awareness about veterans and those who have sacrificed to make our country a better place.