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Voices To Veterans

Let’s help veterans tell their stories. Maybe they worked in the mess halls serving chow, or helped load ordnance onto jets waiting their turn to launch on combat missions, or maybe they had to watch their friends get hit in an ambush or a firefight in a rice paddy in Vietnam. It’s time we hear what they have to say!

If you are a veteran, or you know a veteran you’d like to have considered, send an email to [email protected] with the name of the veteran, a short summary of his or her story, and a picture of the veteran in uniform if you have it. I’ll then select veterans from the nominations I receive and write-up their stories for the Voices to Veterans Spotlight. Every veteran whose story I feature will receive a free signed copy of my latest Steve Stilwell legal thriller, Sapphire Pavilion, which is dedicated to “Wounded Warriors and Vietnam War veterans, especially those heroes still waiting to come home.”

U.S. Navy Sailor

BMC Frank Tyree – Twenty Years in the Navy: From Yankee Station to the Persian Gulf

Navy sailors serve in hotspots around the world. When tense situations develop, one of the first questions on the president’s mind is, “Where are the Navy’s aircraft carriers?” In 1972, when the president needed the Navy to help stop the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive during the Vietnam War, Boatswain’s Mate Chief Frank Tyree, U.S. Navy (Retired), answered the call onboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41). He answered the call many more times over the course of his long career, going wherever and whenever the Navy needed him. Yet the Navy is only one aspect of Frank’s public service—he continues to help those in need even today.

Chaplain, Colonel, Marion Reynolds, U.S. Air Force (Retired), saluting at his retirement ceremony

Chaplain, Colonel, Marion Reynolds, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) – Faithfully Serving Those Who Serve

Long deployments, work with nuclear weapons, the burden of killing or being killed, and a host of other factors combine to place unique pressures on military members. Fortunately, people like Chaplain, Colonel, Marion Reynolds, U.S. Air Force (Retired), feel called by their faith in God to help military members and their families cope with their stress. After serving five years as an enlisted airman, Marion served for twenty-three years as a chaplain, reaching out to airmen where they needed him most. He met with them at the alert facility as they waited for orders on what could be one-way missions. He spoke to them in silos with nuclear-equipped missiles standing at the ready just a few feet away. He consoled them at isolated duty stations around the world whenever they received bad news from home. And, most importantly, he walked in their shoes.

Female U.S. Army soldier in uniform

Specialist Stacy Breithaupt, U.S. Army – Treating Soldiers and Detainees – A Combat Medic’s Story

Military members sign up to serve in whatever capacity their talents allow. Specialist Stacy Breithaupt knew early on she had an aptitude for healthcare, so it was only natural she became a combat medic. Soon she found herself treating soldiers and their families both in the United States and abroad. Then, in 2005, she deployed to Iraq working with detainees at the mammoth insurgent detention center at Camp Bucca. Less than one year later, it would be Stacy on the receiving end of medical care.

U.S. Navy airman in his summer white uniform.

AW1 Thomas W. Hayes, U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired) – Three Rescues in Two Days

Navy sailors train over and over so they are prepared to do their jobs under any circumstances. Be it peacetime or war, they must be ready to accomplish their missions even at the risk of their own lives. Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator 1st Class Thomas W. Hayes, U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired), trained as a search and rescue swimmer and deployed aboard aircraft carriers in case he was needed to save downed aircrew from the ocean’s icy waters. Because of his efforts, three aviators lived to fly again another day. This is his story.

Female U.S. Army captain in combat gear

Captain Olena Fergurson, U.S. Army (Retired) – Service, Sacrifice, and Resilience

When men and women join today’s military, they have no way of knowing what sacrifices their service may entail or what fate may have in store for them. Despite this uncertainty, they willingly commit to serving our country, no matter the personal cost. For this reason, they deserve our respect and have earned the right to be called heroes, whether they train troops in Georgia or end up in harm’s way somewhere across the globe. Captain Olena Fergurson, U.S. Army Reserve (Retired), is one such hero. After leading troops stateside for years, she volunteered for service in Iraq. Five months later, the C-130 transport plane she was flying in crashed in the Iraqi desert. This is her story.

A United States Marine in uniform

Private First Class Raymond Jubera, U.S. Marine Corps – A City Boy Helps Make History

To some, it seems our lives are pre-ordained. They believe where we are from and whether our parents are rich or poor may well determine how we will turn out in life. Private First Class Raymond Jubera didn’t believe that. Instead of letting life control him, he took control of his life and was “all in” with the decisions he made. As a result, he participated in history rather than just reading about it in a newspaper. This is his story.

U.S. soldier in Vietnam

Specialist 4 Thomas Steffl, U.S. Army – Drafted for Service in Vietnam

By definition, the draft is disruptive. It yanks people out of their communities and commits them to military service, usually during time of war. Such was the case for Specialist 4 Thomas Steffl, who was drafted for service in the U.S. Army after graduating from college in 1965. His commitment took him to Vietnam, where he maintained communication wires and defended base camps during 1966 and 1967. He then returned to the United States and got his life back on track, working hard to earn a slice of the American dream for his family. This is his story.

A male U.S. Marine in uniform

Master Sergeant Mark Zulawski, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) – I Gave It My All

Some people expect instant success in life without first laying the necessary groundwork. However, success is often an iterative process, as we try new paths and approaches, all the time refining our skills. Master Sergeant Mark Zulawski, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), spent ten of his almost twenty-one years in the Marine Corps learning the warfare, personal, and leadership skills necessary to make him a successful recruiter and senior enlisted leader. During the course of his career, he deployed twice, helped develop the Marine’s mechanized infantry capability, and most of all, recruited countless new Marines into the Corps. This is his story.

U.S. Navy sailor in his summer white uniform with large medals

CTT2 Thomas Elling, U.S. Navy – Deploying to Two Theaters as a Navy Cryptologic Technician

The active duty and reserve Navy consists of over 435,000 officers and enlisted sailors all doing their part to make the U.S. Navy the most powerful maritime force the world has ever seen. Most of the active and reserve sailors have traditional jobs, manning the ships, submarines, and aircraft that patrol on, under, and above the world’s oceans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Others, like Cryptologic Technician Technical Second Class (CTT2) Thomas Elling, provide niche warfare services critical to the success of the more traditional operating forces. Whether part of the active or reserve forces, they are highly trained, technologically advanced, and must always be ready to fill high-priority billets. Thomas Elling made two critical deployments, providing signals intelligence to U.S. Navy and Special Operations forces, helping project U.S. military power and resolve abroad. This is his story.

Carl searching for subs in the Med 1981

AW1 Carl F. Mottern, U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired) – Dedication and Hard Work Pays Off

Everyone has dreams for their life – things they would like to achieve. For most, translating those dreams into reality is the difficult part. It takes hard work, dedication, and sometimes a little luck. Without those elements, dreams stay just that. Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator First Class Carl F. Mottern, U.S. Navy (Retired), wouldn’t let his dreams die. When others dropped out because the barriers seemed insurmountable, Carl redoubled his efforts and kept at it, never giving up. His determination made leaders take notice and drove him to success as a search and rescue swimmer and Naval aircrewman. This is his story.

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