January 2024

Veteran of the Month, January 2024

US Army Staff Sergeant Judith Lynne Cotten

Staff Sergeant Judith Lynne Cotten was born on October 30, 1961, in Bedford Stuyvesant “BedStuy”, Brooklyn, New York to Lester and Lillian Cotten. 

 In June 1979, Judy graduated from high school, attended college, and gave birth to her son Dequan on September 20, 1980.  Unfortunately, the “crack epidemic” plagued New York which led her to join the U.S. Army in November 1980.  Her 20 years of military service was in the Administrative and Legal fields, and she served with Military Intelligence, Military Police, and Judge Advocate General Corp (JAG) units.  As a Paralegal, she used the power of the “law”, the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to assist soldiers with their defense.  Judy was stationed at Fort Hamilton, NY, Fort Bragg, NC, Fort Jackson, SC, Honduras, S. Korea, Atlanta Military Entrance Processing Station, Fort Gillem, GA, and retired honorably at Fort Sill, OK in June 2001.  

 Post-retirement, Judy is a licensed Realtor and Realist in various states with 22+ years of experience.  She’s a Broker/Owner of two full-service Real Estate firms and a Property Management division and a licensed Real Estate Instructor and owner of two Real Estate Academies.  Judy is a licensed Life and Health Insurance Producer with 15 years of experience and the Owner of New Vision Agency in Georgia.  Judy has a vast knowledge of and is well-versed in both industries where she strives to educate individuals on the importance of building wealth and leaving a legacy, how to leverage both industries to break the cycle of poverty, and how to leverage their retirement portfolio and maximize their dollars without double taxation.  Her motto is “Protecting Families & Securing Legacies.”

 In 2010, Judy was licensed as a Life Coach and has been using her skillset to elevate her clients with group and/or one-on-one settings to assist with identifying and achieving personal or professional goals through changing their mindset and developing skillsets and attitudes.  Her platform is coaching and empowering Women.

 Judy loves volunteering with her church, sororities, and veteran organizations.  Her service includes distributing food and clothing, reading to students, donating undergarments and hygiene items to Living Assistant facilities, mentoring veterans in the court system and Jr. ROTC students, Easter Egg hunts, Trunk or Treat, and food banks, etc.

 Judy earned an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, she’s a recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden, the Founder and National President of Omicron Nu Xi Military Sorority, Inc.; a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Military Women currently serving as the National Secretary and President for the Metro Atlanta Chapter; a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; American Legion Post #330; AARP #5440; Ga Military Women; Clayton County Land Bank Board serving as the Secretary; Mission Continues; a Mentor with Clayton County Veterans Treatment Court; Order of the Eastern Star Oklahoma Jurisdiction; and a faithful member of Shiloh Baptist Church Jonesboro where she serves as the Pastor’s Executive Administrator and Trustee’s Chairwoman.