Have you wondered why you sometimes see new faces when you come into Clarke EyeCare Center? We at Clarke are proud to say we support and HIRE military family members. Wichita Falls has a big military population due to Sheppard Air Force Base being such a large training facility.

Unfortunately, many businesses hesitate when it comes to hiring military spouses because they know they will eventually be moving on. If a military spouse applies for a position with us and we feel they are the right fit, we choose to say let’s bring this awesome person onto our team and enjoy them while we can! Being open to this has provided us the pleasure of getting to know many great families and we are definitely better off for it!

Allow us to introduce you to some of our Clarke family with military ties…

Prior to joining our team, Dr. Tom Schell was commissioned as an Active Duty Officer in the United States Army and began his career as a staff optometrist at General Leonard Army Community Hospital in Missouri. He was later deployed to Iraq to serve as the sole eye care provider to over 20,000 Iraqi detainees and 7,000 Coalition Soldiers. In 2011, Dr. Schell transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where he served as the Officer in Charge of the Troop Medical Optometry Clinic. Throughout his military career, Dr. Schell received several military and clinical awards and recognitions for excellence in patient care.

Dr. Schell, his wife Jane, and their 5 beautiful children
joined our Clarke family in June of 2013!

Pint-sized but spunky, Amanda served in the Marines for 5 years. She felt compelled to serve her country after the attacks of 9/11. She did her basic training at Parris Island in 2002 and was stationed in California and Japan. She entered as a Private and worked her way up to Sergeant. She was an expert marksman and shot everything from an M16 to a grenade launcher to a 50 caliber machine gun! Amanda earned multiple medals and letters of commendation.

Amanda serves our patients as a Certified Paraoptometric Assistant and scribe to the doctor. She’s been a part of our Clarke family since 2011!

Charmaine, aka Char, and her family hail from beautiful Hawaii!

Her husband Mike joined the Air Force in May of 2009 and is currently serving as an instructor at Sheppard AFB. In 2011, while stationed in Kansas, Mike won “Airman ofAirman of the Year Clarke EyeCare the Year” Air Force wide – an achievement Char and their children are very proud of, and rightfully so!Their support and love enable Mike to serve his country to the best of his ability. Military wives and their children sacrifice tremendously so that their soldiers can go where duty calls! Char also serves our patients as a Certified Paraoptometric Assistant and scribe to the doctor. She’s been a part of our Clarke family since 2014!

Office Manager Joely, and Patient Relations Specialist Audrey are both “Military Brats,” meaning they grew up with one or more parents serving in the military. They both call Wichita Falls home because their fathers retired from the Air Force at Sheppard AFB.

Here at Clarke EyeCare Center we want to celebrate and honor our military and first responders each and every day.

ESPECIALLY in the month of July when we are reminded of the freedoms we are granted and the sacrifices made by these men and women and their families!