Pickett served two combat tours in the Middle East and had many rotations overseas including Germany, Japan, and Korea. Pickett has received a multitude of accommodations and medals, including the Combat Action Badge, Army Achievement Medals, Army Accommodation Medals, and the Florida Distinguished Service Medal. Pickett is also a recipient of the Air Assault Badge.
In 2015 he retired from the US Army with a master’s degree in Critical Incident Management and joined the private sector as a Transportation/Warehouse Manager. Currently he works for Fed Ex as an Operations Manager.
While serving our country, David found Port St. Lucie, Florida as the ideal place to relocate to and raise his five children, claiming the city had some of the same family values he learned growing up in the Midwest. With his children now grown, David has been blessed with seven grandchildren.
Pickett has spent his entire adult life in the service of others and continues to be an advocate for veterans and veterans’ programs throughout our region by publishing a monthly newsletter that focuses on veterans’ affairs and veteran functions happening in and around our community.
Pickett was first elected to the Port St. Lucie City Council in November of 2020 and reelected in 2024. Pickett serves on various community boards which includes The Council on Ageing of St. Lucie County, The Hands Clinic, The Roundtable of St. Lucie County, Transportation Planning Organization of St. Lucie County, The Boys and Girls Club of St. Lucie County, and the Treasure Coast Council of Local Governments where he currently is the chairman.
Other organizations that Pickett is actively involved with are the Korean War Veterans Association where he serves as the National President, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, and The United Veterans of St. Lucie County.
Having served himself in the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan conflicts, he felt a need to continue to serve and aide other veterans who served in the same conflicts. In 2022, Pickett founded the Gulf Iraq Afghanistan Veterans Association to help bring veterans of the Middle Eastern wars together, promote comradery, and to combat the growing mental health issues that continue to plague service members of those wars. He serves as the organizations President.
As the District 2 Councilman on the City Council, David has spent his time working hard to improve our local economy and maintain the quality of city services that our residents deserve. He continues to advocate for more living wage jobs in Port St. Lucie. Working closely with the Economic Development Council Pickett has helped to bring over 1200 high paying jobs to Port St. Lucie.