I was stationed in Washington, D.C. and getting ready to retire from the Navy after 26 years of service. As you can imagine, this was a very stressful time. My to-do list included a new job and a new home. Living in D.C. and buying in Lynchburg, VA was no easy task. There was no doubt who to call for my loan. I called Tom Chess on a Tuesday, and we met for lunch on Wednesday and completed the application, and by Friday I was pre-approved. Once again, my fears were alleviated. Having spent 26 years as a leader in the Navy, I consider myself a very good judge of character and can assure you Tom is top-notch in all respects.