PC Kenneth Balogh

United States Air Force

58th Combat Support Group / Sergeant (E-4)

Active Duty – August 1978 (age 18) – 4 years

• Luke AFB, Glendale, AZ

PC Thomas Barton

United States Navy

Lieutenant

Active Duty & Reserves – August 1967 (age 22) - 9 years

• Shipboard: USS Strong DD-758  (Charleston, SC)
• Communication and Navigation Officer Deployments to South Pacific, North Atlantic and Caribbean
• No combat zone deployment

Served as primary pick-up ship if aborted launch of Apollo 11. Served as Commanding Officer of Desron 105 in Cleveland, a destroyer. Ready Reserve Unit from 1970 to 1976.

Military service matured me quickly and positioned me well for leadership roles in business throughout my working life.

Kermit Beckmann

United States Air Force

Staff Sergeant E5

March 1970 (age 20)

• 171st Air Refueling Wing Pa Air National Guard

The Air Force taught me discipline which made my business career very successful. I loved my service and would have stayed in, but I was doing too much traveling for my job.

Warren M. Black

United States Navy

Machinist Mate First Class

Active Duty & Reserves – March 1953 (age 19) - 8 years

• Shipboard: USS Oak Hill LSD7

It was a sacred duty and a wonderful addition to my education. Managing 22 engine room personnel at age 22.

Ronald Busch

United States Army

Specialist 3rd Class

Active Duty – January 1955 (age 18)

• 82nd Airborne Division
  • Ft Benning  
  • FT Carson

Our Master Sargent was very good. 

Brad Copper

United States Coast Guard

E4

Active Duty – September 1970 (age 17) - 4 years

• USCG Cutter Bramble, Detroit Michigan
• ET School, Governors Island NY and LaPush Washington

 

Rick Fryan

United States Army

E-4 Specialist

Active Duty – August 1983 (age 18) - 3 years

• 154th Signal Battalion
  • Ft.Jackson SC 
  • Ft Gordon GA
  • Ft Hood TX
  • Ft Clayton Panama

The Military is a great place to start your career, even if it's only 3-4 years. A great experience for ALL Americans.

Scott Goodhue

United States Air Force

First Lieutenant USAF Reserves

Active Duty & Reserves – September 1981 (age 22) - 10 years

• Williams AFB, Chandler AZ
• Mather AFB. Sacramento, CA

My duty to carry on the family tradition that started with my fraternal Great-Grandfather who at age 15 in 1775 and answered the call to arms at Lexington Concord with the Westford Foot Militia and has now ended with my service. If we want to maintain a free nation and repel tyrants we need young men and women to stand watch willing to give their life if necessary. Those youngsters are a special breed. 

Brian Lake

United States Air Force

Lieutenant Colonel

Active Duty & Reserves – June, 1982 (age 21) - 23 years

• Pope AFB, NC -  39thTactical Airlift Squadron 
• Youngstown ARB - 757th Airlift Squadron
• Mansfield ANGB - 164th Airlift Squadron
• Served worldwide. 2 tours Iraq, 2 tours Afghanistan

It was my honor and privilege to serve. I have been rewarded far more than I ever gave. Please think of the men and women serving now, and always remember the fallen.
 

PC J. Michael Logsdon

United States Army

Sergeant

Active Duty & Reserves – August, 1968, (age 23) - 6 years

• 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd battalion/12th Cavalry
• South Vietnam, bases:
  • Tay Ninh Fire Support Base
  • Landing Zone Grant
  • Phuoc Vinh FSB
  • Quan Loi FSB
  • LZ Don
  • Bien Hoa FSB

I joined the U.S. Army in August 1968 and deployed with the First Cavalry Division to Vietnam from January 1969 until April 1970. I saw the greatest buildup of troops in my early days and a significant reduction in enemy action in my last few months. I am proud of my service and feel privileged to have served my country.

My training at Fort Polk, in the swamps of Louisiana, was in preparation for front-line duties. I deployed as an infantryman, but with many prayers, I primarily handled administrative functions, although my duties included helicopter missions and overnight base perimeter guard posts. Our positions experienced nightly incoming enemy mortars and direct combat on various occasions.

I am very appreciative of the self-discipline and the ability to stay calm under pressure that military service has given me. Leadership skills and life-long friendships followed. I believe it is a young person’s duty to serve his/her country.

Most importantly,

• I don’t take flush toilets for granted,
• I don’t take warm showers for granted,
• And I don’t take life for granted.

Kyle Petersen

United States Marine Corps Reserve

E4

Active Duty – July 2008 - (age 19) - 4 years

• 3rd BN, 25th Marines - Marjah, Afghanistan

 One of my favorite quotes perfectly represents the way I feel and felt about my service. “To those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know."

Richard Shook

United States Navy

Operations Specialist 1st Class (E-6)

Active Duty & Reserves – January 1979 (age 19) – 17 years

• Shore Stations:  San Diego, CA, Great Lakes, IL, Dam Neck, VA
• Shipboard: USS Blandy DD 943 (Norfolk, VA)
• Reserves: US Naval Control of Shipping Organization (Treasure Island, CA)

I am proud to have served my country with honor and dignity.  Beyond my technical & leadership training, I learned discipline, accountability, teamwork, and the true value of service. The experiences I gained, both challenging and rewarding, shaped me into a stronger, more resilient person. I carry with me not just the skills, but the lifelong bonds and a sense of purpose that continue to guide me long after my time in uniform.

Dr. Don Spaner

United States Coast Guard and United States Army

Colonel

Active Duty & Reserves – July 1978 - (age 18) - 41 years

• Afghanistan
• Iraq (two tours)
• Africa
• Japan

I was blessed to serve in areas that truly needed our help and they were grateful that we were there. My advice to a young person who is thinking of serving in a war zone. Find a battle buddy who has your back and you have theirs. Difficult war zones are tolerable when you are around troops that care for each other. Serve proudly, always do the right thing and lead by example. 
 

Charles M Stephenson

United States Navy

Lieutenant

Active Duty – July 1969 (age 22) - 4 years

• Home Port: Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, Norfolk Virginia - Amphibious Construction Battalion Two
• Deployments:
  • USS Newport LST 1179
  • USS Terrebonne Parish LST 1156

It was an honor to serve our country. The people that I met and served with were outstanding people from all over the country from every background imageable. Since one is isolated from one's family while deployed, I came to recognized that the spouses and families of service members "Also Serve". The Navy was like graduate school for me, in that the Navy teaches one extensive leadership skills at an early age, well ahead of what would experience in civilian life.