Manny enlisted in the Army after one year of college and was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1968 as a Tank Commander and Tank Section Leader. In 1969 he was awarded a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart. While engaged with a large well-concealed enemy force, his tank fell into a tank trap and lost a track. Exposed to deadly Viet Cong fire, Manny dismounted to snap the track back on its sprocket and remobilize the tank. In disregard for his safety, he maneuvered the tank through the bullet swept area to assault an enemy bunker where it sustained a direct rocket propelled grenade hit, wounding him so seriously in both legs he could not walk for over a year and his mobility remained limited. Manny studied business and finance at the University of Denver and from 1976 to 1999 worked as a banking and Metlife Capital executive. With Veterans Administration assistance, in 2009 he formed EG Montanez Construction to focus on building federal and military installations, universities, and public works as a service-disabled veteran-owned general contractor. Manny’s success has allowed him to serve in volunteer leadership and financial supporting roles for the Disabled Veteran Business Alliance, CalVet Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, Veteran Strong USA (founded by Manny and his sister Guadalupe), and Fruitful Futures Project (as CEO) dedicated to helping homeless veterans, and many OC charitable causes including Children’s Hospital of Orange County, CHOC at Mission, Boy Scouts of America, Orangewood, and several Catholic charities. The SBA OC/Inland Empire District honored him as its 2020 Veteran Champion of the Year. Manny resides in Coto de Caza with his wife Lynn.