Scotsman Guide salutes the 158 mortgage originators who are being recognized as the industry’s Top Veteran Originators for 2026.

Sixty-eight served in the Army, 37 in the Marine Corps, 25 in the Air Force, 23 in the Navy, two from both the Coast Guard and the National Guard, and one served in both the Navy and the Marines.

All combined, these originators who served in the U.S. armed forces closed $8.3 billion in total volume across 19,988 units. That’s a nearly $2 billion increase from 2025’s Top Veteran Originator results, when 135 originators closed 17,265 units for $6.4 billion.

For the second consecutive year, the top originator was retired Naval Aviator Martin Medve of Trident Home Loans, who flew the EA-6B Prowler as a carrier pilot before eventually becoming a commercial airline pilot.

Based in Pensacola, Fla., Medve closed 490 loans for a total volume of $302 million, narrowly edging out the second-place originator. He focused primarily on purchases, with 72% of his closings coming on purchase loans and 28% on refinances.

The second-place finisher was also the top Army veteran. Yousuf Shah with Trusted Mortgage Capital in California closed 736 loans — 95% of them refinances — for $300.1 million. Shah worked with intel units and served as a cultural adviser and linguist during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan with the U.S. Special Operations Command from 2010 to 2014.

In third place was Jason Smith of CrossCountry Mortgage. The Navy veteran and former air traffic controller closed 603 loans in 2025 for a total volume of $211.6 million. Along with his 82% purchases and 5% refinances, he also was among the highest ranked in second mortgage closings.

Jonathan Kulak finished fourth in the rankings. An Air Force veteran of 20 years who flew 1,271 combat hours over the course of 10 deployments, his 268 closed loans included 57% purchases and 43% refinances for $169 million in total volume.

Patton Gade from CrossCountry Mortgage closed out the top five finishers. The Army veteran from Litchfield Park, Ariz., closed 285 loans for a total volume of $157.5 million.

Some companies were very well represented with their volume of veteran originators in this year’s rankings, led by CrossCountry with 19. Both CMG Home Loans and Guild Mortgage had 10, while Fairway Home Mortgage, Rate and U.S. Bank had eight apiece.