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Oct '24

Honoring
Our Local
Veterans

A Message From Our CEO

Portrait

Over the summer, we asked members to submit photos and stories of themselves or loved ones who served in the military. We were amazed by the number of responses we received. Nearly 80 submissions and countless stories later, we are pleased to present this year’s Veteran Spotlight. As a veteran myself, I understand the sacrifice, honor and sense of duty it is to serve your country in this way. I am honored to live and work in the same area as you all. Thank you for your service!

Thomas Golden
Navy 1999 – 2010
Naval Reserves 2014 – Current

Member Spotlight:
Our Local Veterans

Donald K. Ayers
Navy 1976 – 1982
Machinist Mate

Luther T. Barber
Army
Military Police

Joseph M. Bartha Jr.
Army 2004 – 2011, 2013 – 2014

Ralph P. Baucom
Navy 1944 – 1946

Lawrence Bernasconi
Marines

Kurt A. Black
Army 1966
Sergeant

Alfonzo Boyd
Marines 1991
Persian Gulf War

Melissa Boorse – 4 years of service
Brett Humphrey – 23 years of service
Tate Boors – currently serving his 8th year
Air Force

Barry Burleson
Marines

Captain Richard Cantwell

“Here’s a picture of me in the 1970s training as a US Navy Diving and Salvage Officer”

Philip C. Carter
Navy
Chief Petty Officer

Edward S. Caro
Air Force 1970 – 1979
Staff Sergeant

Ed Cartner

EnergyUnited Board Member Ed Cartner served in the Army during the Vietnam War, 1966.

Rastus (Pete) E. Charles
Army
Korean War Veteran

Jim Cessna
Army 1966 – 1970
Staff Sergeant, Vietnam Veteran

James Crandall

Bruce Cockerham
Marines
WWII Veteran

Danny A. Crotts

“My husband Danny A. Crotts is an Army Veteran. He served from March 1969 – January 1972. He was stationed in the White House. He first served in the East Wing in the Communications Center. He then transferred to the Situation Room in the West Wing working for Dr Henry Kissinger for the remainder of his enlistment. For a Country Boy originally from Thomasville, NC it was an experience.”

Jonathan Crumley

“In Beirut, Lebanon, 1983.
USMC Scout/Sniper holding a 122mm
Soviet-made rocket that was fired at us.”

Edwin S. Daniels
Army
Vietnam Veteran

 

Theodore L. Davis, Jr.
Air Force 1989 – 2014
Colonel

Skip Davison

Master Sergeant, US Army Retired
Infantry Master Sergeant 1972 – 1992, US Army Retired
Norwich University (Senior Military College)
Rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Director of Corps Recruitment Summer Camps and Leadership Programs 1993 to 2015

Renee Dishman
Navy

J. David Dillon
Army 1968 – 1970
Spec 5, Vietnam Veteran

Brandon Freas
Marines

Jeffrey Drummond
Air Force 1978 – 1987
Technical Sergeant

Jalen & Kristina Gray
(Kristina) 2013 – 2020
(Jalen) 2014 – 2017
Army

Carolyn A. Charles Grant
Air Force
Airplane Motor Mechanic

Stacy Handley

“Air Force Medic (4yrs) and Army Cadet and Nurse (8yrs). Veteran from 1988-2001. stationed in Colorado at the Air Force Academy and Fort Carson.”

Roger A. Henry
Marines
Staff Sergeant

Barry Helms
Army 1968 – 1971

Ricky A. Hill
Air Force 1981 – 1985

Colonel Ben Hinson, NCANG

James “Ben” Hinson served in the North Carolina Air National Guard for 36 years, first as an enlisted member before receiving his officer commission. During his service, he deployed to the Middle East during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm as a tactical medical service corps officer.

Joseph C. Hodgin
Army 1968 – 1969
Vietnam Veteran

Brian Hodgin
Army 1999 – 2018
Sergeant First Class

Norm Jungmann
Marines
Captain

Michael Jarolim
Marines 1969 – 1993
Master Sergeant

David Keever

Served in South Korea in 1970 at the Panmunjom United Nations. Brother Dennis Keever (not pictured) also served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was wounded.

Joe W. Keever

Joe W. Keever (pictured with his wife Louise) was an Army POW of the Japanese for 3 1/2 years, having been captured at Corregidor (Philippines) in May 1942. Liberated by the Russians in Manchuria at end of war.

Bill Kepley

Army Spec 5 William (Bill) spent the entire year of 1968 in the central Highlands of Vietnam. Kelley along with 3 others managed one of the first PX’s located in the forward base camp called DAK TO- located 60 km north of Pleika. A member of American Legion Post 65, he recently completed a long term position at Statesville High School on the JROTC program. He appreciated the time spent in the military even though he was drafted. The conditions & experiences prepared you to become a responsible citizen.

Deborah Kelley
Air Force
Vietnam Veteran

Bill Kleinhenz
Air Force
AC 119K Gunship 1971-1972
Vietnam Veteran

Master Clifford Kinchen Jr.
Air Force 1989 – 2009
Security Forces

Dale Marshall
Navy
Chief Hospital Corpsman

Michael Kovacs
Air Force 1971 – 1974

William Martin
Air Force 1972 – 1992

Joe McClanahan
Army

Lisa McIver
Air Force

Billy Milstead
Navy
Cleveland TMP Quality

Danny Morrison
Navy
Vietnam Veteran, USS Biddle 1972

Lieutenant Gary “Gate” Pate

“I served in the US Navy from 1984-1988, then got out for 16 years, and went back into the Navy Reserve in 2006, got deployed in 2009-2010, and just retired in December 2021.”

Lawrence Russell
Army
Normandy Invasion Force

Xavier Clark Scott &

Navy

Xavier Daniels Scott

Army

Father and son Xavier Clark and Xavier Daniels both served in our Military

Dr. Diane Shepard-Tew

Bobby Spargo
Navy 1950 – 1954
Korean War Veteran

Bill Stanley
Army 1967 – 1969
Sergeant, Korean War Veteran

Sonny Sweet
Army

Bricca Sweet
Army

Clifton G. Tucker
Air Force

James G. Tucker
Navy

Captain Morris Williams

“100 years old.
96th Squadron, 2nd Bombing Group.
WWII Veteran.”

Timothy Williams
Army

Harold M. Wilson

“US Air Force in 1970 while stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. Vietnam War veteran with 59 combat missions and 155 combat support missions. I was stationed at many bases around the world and served from 1968 through 1974. Proud to have served our country and would do it again if called.
Fly Air Force!”

Jason York
Army 1996 – 2000

Melvin Wofford
Navy
Vietnam Veteran

Mark Zellars

Information System Technician (SW)
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. Joint Special Operation Command, Fort Liberty. 2 Combat tours in Iraq and 1 tour in Bagram, Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Johnny Zeng

“He is currently serving our country in the US Coast Guard Reserves.”

Not Pictured, But Still Honored:

Bill Dillard – Army Vietnam Veteran
Ryan Dillard – Army
Anthony Hardiman – Army
Shawnette Hardiman – Army
Christopher Foreman – Navy
Amy Foreman – Air Force
Dennis Keever – Army Vietnam Veteran