Still Serving 2020

STILL SERVING 2020 Military Retiree & Veteran Awards

Presented by

CONTINUING TO SERVE OUR NATION.

By Kim O’Brien Root About 41.89 million Americans have fought in wars, from the American Revolution to Desert Storm. Since 9/11 and the Global War on Terror, there have been more than 3 million veterans who served in the United States military.

Altogether today, about 7 percent of the adult population in the U.S. is made up of veterans — men and women who once selflessly stepped up to serve their country. Many veterans have chosen to live right here in Hampton Roads, where all five branches of the military are represented. Some chose to remain here after leaving military service. Others moved back here.

For many veterans, the desire to serve remains long after they hang up their uniforms. They exist by the thousands in Hampton Roads, continuing to give their time, energy, passion and experience to make life better for others. These veterans can be found just about everywhere, from teaching in public schools to driving ambulances, from coaching youth sports to plowing church parking lots when it snows.

This edition of the Flagship honors 12 veterans who are examples of those who are still serving even decades after leaving the military. Take Tom Travato, who spent just two years in the Army as a young man. But those years were during World War II, and losing an arm in combat propelled him to spend the rest of his life helping others. At 96, Travato still volunteers, assuring new amputees that if he could make a life, they can, too. “We are blessed,” says U.S. Army veteran Kermit Lynch, “to bless others.”

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Military Retiree of the Year

Donald L. Hart Branch: U.S. Navy Rank: E8 Years of Service: 21.5 Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I went into the Navy right after graduation at 17 years of age to pursue an education in meteorology. At the time I had also lost my best friend in a tragic car accident. He wanted to be a teacher. I would fulfill his dream for him. I earned my master’s degree in Science Education from Old Dominion University and started teaching in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, going on 27 years now.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

One of the aspects of military life is our devotion to helping out in a variety of areas. This willingness to help is enhanced by the work ethic, time management and versatility I developed in the Navy. It was this willingness that propelled me into foster care, coaching, fundraising and multiple community service activities. I could also easily see the need of students to be a part of the community they were growing up in. This led to the development of a year-long program that began with a canned food drive for the Tidewater Food Bank, Laskin Road Salt Marsh Clean Up, collecting toys for the Toys for Tots, a holiday assistance program and an academic mentor program. All these built the students’ academic resumes and proved invaluable to their academic ambitions.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

Fourteen annual three-day team bonding sessions at YMCA Camp Silver Beach. Twenty-two soccer players who got into service academies or ROTC programs

as a result of my mentoring. Currently there are seven former student athletes in service academies, four now at the Naval Academy. Some tremendous memories from 20 foster kids I hosted at my house, including 21 National Soccer Coaches Association Team Academic Awards (GPA of 3.75 or higher) and 20 Virginia High School League Sportsmanship Awards. Developing winning soccer programs, both on the field and in the classroom, at both Kellam and Ocean Lakes high schools. Recognition from the Tidewater Food Bank, over 5,000 pounds collected annually.

Describe some of your military highlights.

Service aboard the following afloat commands: USS Blue Ridge, USS America, USS Raleigh and USS Nassau. Five years with the Commander 7th Fleet Yokosuka, Japan with visits to Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore and Hawaii. The excitement of forecasting a variety of weather from blizzards in Japan to typhoons in the Western Pacific. Fleet forecasting and the fantastic Big Sur while at Monterey, Calif.

In the predawn hours chasing coyotes off the runways then sending weather balloons up at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nev. The friendly environs of Boca Chica and Key West, Fla., where I recorded the second lowest temperature in Feb. 1978, 47 degrees. USS America deployments to the Arabian Sea, the Mediterranean, Rio De Janeiro and the adventure of becoming a Shellback during our equator crossing.

Fleet Week in May 1991 on board USS Nassau following Desert Storm. The way New Yorkers welcomed us, the amazing parade through Manhattan.

Advice for other veterans: To persevere is essential regardless of the obstacle. Be persistent in your goals.

“Continuous efforts — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.”

Winston Churchill

nominee

A.J. Nicolosi

Branch: U.S. Army Rank: e4 Years of Service: 2 years active, 1 year National Guard AJ Nicolosi grew up as an Army brat and then later served in the Army himself, including a tour in Vietnam. As a veteran, retiree and a volunteer, AJ believes in giving back to others, whether it’s refereeing youth soccer games or placing wreaths on veteran headstones every December. He’s also a regional director with a Department of Defense program that fosters understanding and resolves conflicts between National Guard and reserve members and their employers.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I’ve always had a sense of giving back to the soldiers that defend our nation.

I did not want them to be forgotten like the Vietnam veterans were for so many years. Our reserve components needed support from their employers while serving and I had the ability to deliver that message as my mission.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

Having a successful business and government career working with the Department of Defense, raising five children and having them all obtain college degrees and receiving a Quilt of Valor from the QoV Foundation.

Describe some of your military highlights.

Going to basic training with my best friend and meeting up with him and my father in Vietnam.

Advice for other veterans: The military system used you to accomplish our country’s goals, so don’t feel ashamed to use the military benefits that you earned.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

Thomas Edison

nominee

Christianne Nesbitt Branch: U.S. Army, U.S. Navy Rank: e4, 04 Years of Service: Army 3 years, Navy 9 years Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I married a fellow Navy Nurse Corps officer in 1983 and he was a proud member of the Hampton Roads community. He grew up in Suffolk, and when he retired from the Navy, our family moved here. It is a great location in the mid-Atlantic area.

I grew up in Texas but felt very much at home here in this corner of Virginia.

Advice for other veterans: Just like any job, the military is not all good or all bad. Take the good from the experience and use it to move forward. I have always felt a kinship to other veterans in my travels through life. Serving our country was and is a valuable and worthwhile endeavor.

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

Maya Angelou

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I have been involved in different organizations in the community and have supported the Western Tidewater Medical Reserve Corps since it started in the early 2000s. I am an active member of the local Tidewater Chapter of the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners and have been an educator at ODU School of Nursing since 2009. I also continue to practice with the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where I work as a nurse practitioner in a facility specializing in the care of older adults with dementia What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

There are many. My family is the primary achievement of course — I have two daughters and one son, all born either while I was in the military or during the time my husband was in the military. I am happy to look back at a long nursing career and remember many of the patients and families I have cared for, many of them veterans. I do care very much for the population living with dementia and have done some small research studies to

look at ways to help this population and their caregivers. I hope my contributions to educating nurses, patients, families and other health care team members have made a difference.

Describe some of your military highlights.

I served in the U.S. Army because I wanted to follow my family members’ footsteps. My father was in the Army during WWII and my brother was in the Army and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. My time was considered Vietnam-era service, and after the troops were mostly withdrawn from Vietnam, being on active duty was not looked upon very highly by many in our society. This was especially magnified for women who chose to serve during this time. Even though there were periods of significant hardship, I did enjoy my time in the Army and met some wonderful people, some of whom I am still in touch with.

My time in the Navy was very different.

I was commissioned as an ensign in April of 1982 and traveled to Newport, R.I., for officer training. It was there that I met my future husband and we both were then stationed at Bethesda Naval Hospital. The unit was very busy; often we had members of Congress as our patients. I completed my time on active duty then moved into active reserve status. We moved to Suffolk and my husband was stationed at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center while I was in the hospital reserve unit. During Desert Storm in 1990-91, I was recalled to active duty and worked in the coronary care unit at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center to fill the positions of the active duty members who were sent to Saudi Arabia.

nominee

Dr. Basil Struthers Branch: U.S. Navy Rank: CMDr Years of Service: 21 Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

Actually, after retiring from the Navy in 1976 I moved to Columbia, S.C., where I taught at Columbia International University from 1976 until I retired from there in 1994. My wife is originally from Norfolk (Maury H.S.) and we returned to Hampton Roads in 1994 to co-found Faith Bible College in 1995. My sister, Helena Garrick, also lived in Norfolk until her death.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

U.S. Navy: My heart has always gone out to young people, as they are the future of our nation. As a chaplain, my duty was to assist personnel in their relationship with God and their fellow service people.

I initially planned on staying for three to four years but soon found the ministry so challenging and satisfying that I stayed for 21 years.

Teaching at Columbia International University and Faith Bible College: I was challenged by the opportunity to invest in young people’s lives as well as older students who were called to invest their lives in others. I have been in active ministry for over 70 years. At present, I am teaching a class via Zoom with students from two cities in India, one in Peru, two in Florida, two in Illinois and one here in Norfolk. What a privilege and honor it has been in helping others to know God. What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

In addition to teaching here in the U.S, I have had the privilege of

teaching and preaching overseas in over 35 countries. Among the highlights of this opportunity was the privilege of annually teaching 40-50 ministers from the western area of Russia, including Uzbekistan, who came to South Korea for theological training. Likewise, the training of pastors in Africa, Europe, South America, India, the Philippines, Russia, Belarus, etc. has afforded a rich opportunity to invest in people’s lives.

Describe some of your military highlights.

The highlight and most rewarding experience was my year with the Marines on the ground in Vietnam in 1968-69.

The Tet offensive was just over but the scars, fears, anxieties and challenges continued. Unforgettable experiences included ministering to the wounded, holding a Marine as he died of a selfinflicted wound from his own M-16 rifle, holding memorial services for those lost in battle, counseling husbands who received letters from wives who had met someone else while they were in Vietnam, comforting those concerning the death of a parent, wife, child or other family member, as well as countless other life-changing experiences for which men came to see their chaplain.

Another unforgettable occasion was landing in a Navy seaplane in the lagoon of an atoll north of Truk Island to bring groceries and medical supplies to a missionary family. Another memorable experience was taking the teenage young people from our chapel on Guam on swimming outings to Talofofo Falls in 1964-65. We found out years later that a Japanese soldier holdout was hiding in a dugout cave within 100-plus yards of the swimming pool beneath the falls.

Advice for other veterans: My advice to myself and to other veterans: put God first on our agenda and invest our lives in people — our families first, then others. We need in our graying years even more to trust God and continue to serve others always remembering: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” God bless you!

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

nominee

Gary A. Wilks Branch: U.S. Navy Rank: E6 Years of Service: 20 After 20 years in the Navy, Gary Wilks shifted gears and joined the Princess Anne Courthouse Volunteer Rescue Squad, helping turn a squad that was close to closing into the largest volunteer rescue squad in the country. The squad is a huge benefit to Virginia Beach, providing emergency medical services free of charge to residents. Along with being an EMT, Gary has held various leadership roles in the squad over the years while also being involved in community functions and providing medical care at city events.

Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

After 20 years of successful Navy life, my family and I enjoyed Hampton Roads.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I was always interested in the medical aspect of life. I had some prior volunteer service in New York before joining the service. I have always been in the servicetype industry. I’ve always enjoyed helping other people.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

I joined the Princess Anne Courthouse Rescue Squad in 1996. I became squad commander in 2010, and with an awesome command staff, we were able to turn around a squad that was close to closing into a robust operation that is serving the community of Virginia Beach. The PACH has been serving the community since 1947.

Describe some of your military highlights.

I have always been involved in good food service but have been able to prove it by twice winning the NEY award in the Navy, also known as the Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Award five-star rating for food service. I also won the best of the best five food services in the Navy.

Advice for other veterans: Do not sell yourself short when you retire. You have a wealth of talent for the world.

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”

Mark Twain

nominee

Gerald Juan Berry Branch: U.S. Army Rank: lt col Years of Service: 30 While living in England with his family, Gerald “Sam” Berry became one of two U.S. citizens — the other was his brother — to earn the highest scouting awards in both countries, Eagle Scout and the Queen’s Scout award. Sam went on to join the Army but never got the Boy Scouts out of his blood, serving as a Scoutmaster throughout his military service. His 30-year, decorated Army career included two combat tours in Vietnam. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, Sam has continued to serve the community, volunteering for multiple service groups, his church and the Boy Scouts.

Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I retired in 1990 to live near my parents (retired Army Air Corps) in Sutherland, Va. We enjoy the Hampton Roads area and visited many times during our daughter’s assignment at Fort Eustis and since.

Why didi you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I was raised by my parents to always give back. In college, my fraternity’s motto was “Be a Leader, Be a Friend, Be of Service.” I live out that motto by being of service to youth, my community and my church.

Advice for other veterans: Stay involved and stay connected.

“Lead, follow, or get out of the way!”

Unknown

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

My 53 years of marriage tops that list. After that comes 70 years of service in the Boy Scouts with my

father, brothers and then my daughter (Explorers) and granddaughter (Venture Crew), all which provided many great memories. In my college fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, I found service and friendship. Within the last five years, they honored me as a Pledge Class Namesake, which was wonderful and allowed me to tie fond memories with a new generation.

Describe some of your military highlights.

In a long career, one of the early highlights was a direct commission from staff sergeant to second lieutenant.

I served two combat tours in Vietnam and was subsequently recognized with the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star (2). I was honored to serve on staff as an ROTC Instructor at Clemson University where I completed my graduate degree. The six years my family and I lived in Germany was a wonderful high point during which I was appointed Inspector General. A definite highlight was completing 30 years of active duty with no Purple Hearts to my name. I was privileged to be nominated for a Medal of Honor during my service, but the paperwork was filled out incorrectly and thankfully it all went quietly away.

nominee

Kermit R. Lynch Branch: U.S. Army Rank: e5 Years of Service: 3 years active and 3 years reserve Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

There were several reasons: First, family is extremely important to me and I had numerous family members in the area. Secondly, I pursued a career in the shipbuilding industry and was employed for over 30 years with Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock. Also, I wanted to establish a business in Hampton Roads that would benefit the community.

Advice for other veterans: When entering the military, young service members start at the bottom and are given numerous opportunities to advance. My advice to young veterans is to have a vision/dream and then execute it. Through hard work and discipline, a service member can excel through the ranks and be successful. This allows a veteran to enjoy a stable life with good benefits and an excellent retirement package.

“Be independent and don’t be a burden to others.”

Maya Angelou

Why didi you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

After retiring from the Newport News Shipbuilding, I decided to devote my time to serving children. My wife and I operated Loving Care Day Care Center to local families in need of affordable, dependable childcare. Loving Care was dedicated to hiring caring teachers who taught fundamentals in the areas of reading, writing and math. We also provided transportation and nutritious meals. In cases where families were unable to financially cover the childcare cost, we often provided financial assistance.

My greatest joy was seeing young children grow up and their families’ lives improved.

Also, I’ve volunteered with the American Red Cross for over 20 years as a donor and financial supporter. As a donor, the blood given to individuals with health issues such as Sickle Cell anemia is critical.

I have served with New Grafton Baptist Church for over 30 years in various capacities such as transportation and the usher ministry. I have assisted with feeding homeless members of the community as well as providing employment resources to young adults.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the

military?

My fondest memory has been raising a family. My wife and I were able to successfully raise three children and assist with taking care of 11 grandchildren as well as three great-grandchildren. Our goals focused on faith, family and hard work.

Lastly, I’m most proud of my achievement as a business entrepreneur.

After retirement, I started a rental property business in the early 70s. Our company has grown to over 10 properties and provided affordable housing to the community for over 40 years. We have assisted with rent and utilities payments. Also, the rental business has allowed me to provide employment to several employees in a variety of positions such as accounting, trades, etc.

Describe some of your military highlights.

During my military career, I had the opportunity to travel extensively to places such as Georgia, Massachusetts, Vietnam, Korea, Japan and Thailand. I attended service schools and was in the combat infantry while in Korea. One of the memorable highlights was serving with operations in the aviation unit. In this role, I was responsible for maintaining the air pilot records. This consisted of important information such as the number of hours flown and maintenance records. I also ensured that maintenance was performed regularly on the helicopter equipment. This was a very important and detailed task, which I took pride in performing.

As a leader in my unit, I was responsible for coordinating training for service members. This involved planning and scheduling as well as obtaining equipment for activities such as lectures and movies.

The training was essential to the service members’ growth and morale.

nominee

Peter Slepsky, DDS Branch: U.S. Navy Rank: CMDr Years of Service: 20 After 20 years as a dentist in the Navy, Dr. Peter Slepsky has continued his work in the dentistry field, providing dental services to underserved, at-risk children in Northampton County on the Eastern Shore. He and his staff work out of trailers on school grounds where they can easily help children. Dr. Pete, as the children call him, goes beyond the call, acquiring, maintaining and repairing the trailers that house his clinics. He also donates hundreds of toys each year so that all his patients get a reward each visit.

Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

When I retired in the year 2000, my three daughters were still in middle and high school, and my family and I really enjoyed living in Virginia Beach. I was stationed here for half my career.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I initially formed my own dental temp agency after 20 years of military service. I was the original dentist for a start-up adult dental care program for a community health agency on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for mostly an indigent population. Part of my employment was also to provide dental care to children at the local elementary schools, which I found most rewarding. When my adult care start-up duties were completed, I expanded my endeavor to serve even a greater need for those children who could not easily obtain dental care.

In 2005, under a yearly agreement with the Northampton County Schools on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, I expanded dental services to three school dental clinics for 1,000 under-served, at-risk children,

from ages 4 to 19. The Eastern Shore has had a limited number of dental practices, and the counties there classified as an extremely high need area for medical and dental care. My staff and I have repaired, acquired, and replaced dental trailer clinics on the school grounds where the students can be escorted from their classroom for everything from preventive to emergency dental care. Instead of missing a day of school for dental care, they are back in class in less than an hour. I am now in my 15th year of this humanitarian practice. For students that I first treated in pre-school, I now go to their high school graduations. It has been extremely rewarding in so many ways. Some of my former students/patients are now serving in all branches of the armed forces. I could retire but then who would take care of these great children?

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

Outside of the military, I have enjoyed coaching and teaching young children and conveying the value of hard work, selflessness and teamwork for future life experiences.

Describe some of your military highlights.

My military service was during the Cold War-era, so it was a time of uneasy peace. While at sea on a submarine tender in August of 1992, our ship, USS Hunley AS-31, was diverted to southern Florida, where we were the first naval ship to provide humanitarian relief in the immediate aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Andrew. There, we were tasked with restoring schools damaged by wind and water from Andrew.

Advice for other veterans: No matter your rank or service, remember and relish that you are both one of the comparatively few in the U.S. population and also one of the many millions who have ever answered the call of military service from 1775 to the present in defense of our great country.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.”

Leonard Nimoy from Star Trek

nominee

Walter L. Brannock Branch: U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force Rank: CPL Years of Service: 3+ Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I was drafted into the military and had a job waiting for me to return in Norfolk at Cavalier Motor Company.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I enjoyed fellowship and participating in the Olive Branch Football Association, as a youth director at Green Lakes Baptist Church and serving as chairman of the Benevolence Committee at Pinecrest Baptist Church.

Advice for other veterans: You have to do what you are told. Stay busy.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

During my career as a civil service engineer, I was a supship — ship surveyor at Norfolk Naval Shipyard — and later promoted to the head of the contracting department for NNSY located in Portsmouth. Some of my achievements were from those in command of the following ships: USS Arcturus AF-52, USS Mosepela ATN 158, USS LPD-1 Raleigh, USS Nashville LPD-13, USS Sandoval LPA-194, USS Ombria LPA36, USS Vermilion LKA-107, USS Rigel AF-58, USS Mitscher DDG-35, USS Borie DO-704. Fond memories include securing a bus purchase for the Olive Branch Football Association and organizing their transportation needs and maintaining the fields with my tractor. Helping individuals in difficult life situations and meeting their needs through serving as chair of the Benevolence Committee at Pinecrest Baptist Church.

Describe some of your military highlights.

At age 17, I was in the Army Reserves in Mt. Airy, N.C., as an E-2. I was given an honorable discharge because I was not 18 when my unit was activated to Germany during the Korean War. That was my first honorable discharge.

When I became 18, I was immediately drafted. I finished basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., in the top of my class. Because of my training and high standing, I was reassigned to the Air Force. I still wore my Army uniform and was flown around to different Air Force installations in Korea and Japan. There, I would inspect generators and power supplies. After the Korean War, I was in Japan on an inspection assignment to evaluate construction equipment such as 50-ton cranes and bulldozers returned from Korea and evaluate whether to transport them back to the U.S. or put them up for sale at Japanese auctions.

Another highlight during my service was seeing my brother, Harry Brannock, who was also serving in the Army, while in Japan. After he was injured in Korea, he was transferred to Japan. There, Harry and I were able to meet in Japan before I had to return to my assignment in Korea.

In Korea, I was in the maintenance company where I evaluated equipment.

Later my unit was transferred back to Japan.

My hobbies during service were building model airplanes and flying them on base.

nominee

Tom Travato

Branch: U.S. Army Rank: Pfc Years of Service: 2 At age 96, Tom Travato is the oldest of the honorees. Tom joined the Army when he was 19. The following year, during WWII, he was sent to England and then to France, where he lost his arm when hit by artillery fire. After being discharged with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, Tom went on to live his best life despite having one arm. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 25 years, played softball to raise money for amputee veterans and is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. He still volunteers, talking to new amputees and assuring them that if he could make a life, they can too.

Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I moved in 2000 to Williamsburg to be with my family because my grandchildren went to the College of William and Mary.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

In 1947, I joined DAV Chapter 76, an amputee chapter, and was a life member in New York. I ran Bingo in VA hospitals and was a commander for three years.

When I joined the DAV to rehabilitate, we played baseball at the polo grounds for the public to raise funds for the veterans. I joined DAV Chapter 34 in Williamsburg and still do volunteer work.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

I got married and grew a family of four generations. I was determined and persevered in my life with my right arm. I bought four homes and did all the work to take care (carpentry, painting, wallpaper) and work on the property. I was employed with the U.S. Postal Service for 25 years and worked for Hazeltine Electronics for 14 years.

Describe some of your military highlights.

I was a rifle replacement in the 3rd Army in Saint-LĂ´, France. While in combat service, I was hit by artillery and lost my left arm. I was sent back to the States to Lawson General Hospital in Atlanta, Ga., and rehabbed with an artificial limb. I received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

Advice for other veterans:

God helps those who help themselves.�

Unknown

Do the best life.

nominee

Richard Johnson Branch: U.S. Army, U.S. Marines Rank: e5, e6 Years of Service: 11 While in the Army, Richard Johnson spent 12 days as a POW during Operation Enduring Freedom before managing to escape with his first sergeant. For the rest of his 11-year military career and afterward, he made himself available to anyone who needed him. Today Richard is a member of not just one service organization but three, volunteering for the VFW, the Ruritans and the American Legion. Despite having some physical ailments, he says there are a lot of veterans worse off than he is, so he’s going to help them.

Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I moved to Hampton Roads after being discharged from the military. My job brought me here.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

I joined the VFW for the things we do to help other veterans and their families. I joined the Ruritans to help others in the community. I was the president of the Zone, lt. governor and now am the Zone governor for 13 clubs. I joined the American Legion and within the first two years I became hall rental manager and the third year I became post commander of post 280 in Chesapeake.

I also have my own company here in Chesapeake, helping people by instructing firearm training and concealed weapons classes. I’m also going to get started going though classes to become a Mason in the Great Bridge Masonic lodge.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

Being able to help others and show them that there are still people who care. I currently build ramps with the VFW for veterans who have a hard time getting in and out of their house. I was Paramedic of the Year when I was in the fire department.

Describe some of your military highlights.

I was a POW for 12 days in Operation Enduring Freedom and my 1st sergeant got myself and himself to escape. While in the Marine Corps, I made Staff NCO and enjoyed the many travels. Another highlight was being part of the 10th Battalion Rangers and attached with the 101st Airborne in the Army.

I will get enough sleep when I’m dead.”

Advice for other veterans: My advice for other veterans is to, if able, join the VFW or American Legion to help the local veterans and the community.

Unknown

nominee

Walter Dandridge Branch: U.S. Air Force Rank: TSgt Years of Service: 21.5 Walter Dandridge grew up in James City County. During WWII, he was drafted in the Army Air Corps a few months after graduating high school. He stayed in the Air Force for more than 21 years, spending tours in Japan, Okinawa, England and the Philippines/Vietnam. Walter returned to Hampton Roads in 1990 and has been volunteering in the Williamsburg community ever since with the DAV to help other veterans.

Why did you decide to stay in Hampton Roads?

I left the Williamsburg area in 1945 and returned in 1990 to what I call home.

Why did you decide to participate in your organization(s)?

Have been a member of the Disabled American Veterans for over 40 years, serving other veterans as their treasurer as well as delivering turkey dinners for Christmas and Thanksgiving. I am the webmaster for DAV Chapter 34.

What are your achievements or fond memories outside the military?

In 1950 while stationed at Chicago’s O’Hare Field, I met and married Bernice Hunter of Evanston, Ill. We had five children, nine grandchildren and 2 great-grand boys. . He lost a son, Anthony, in 1999, a grandson, Hunter, in 2009, and his wife, Helen Wynne of 17 years, in 2016. After retiring from the Air Force, I worked for General Electric Company in Burlington, Vt., Naval Air Systems Command in Stratford, Conn., and Kaman Aerospace in Bloomfield, Conn. Attended the Air University, American International College and the University of Vermont.

Describe some of your military highlights.

In October of 1945, I was drafted into the Army Air Corps. Served overseas in Japan from 1946 to 1947, in Okinawa from 1948 to 1950, in England from 1956 to 1959 and Philippines/Vietnam from 1966 to 1967

Advice for other veterans: Work as long as you can.

You do what you can as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.”

Unknown

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