Current Residence: Springfield, Ohio
Family: Married with three children.
Career After the Military: Private nurse and 10 years a Veterans Affairs nurse. Currently nurse manager at the Springfield VA Clinic.
Hobbies: I love to travel and I love to read.
Branch of Service: U.S. Air Force.
Did you join the military or were you drafted? I joined in 1993.
Dates of Service: September 1993 to September 1997.
Total time that you served? Four years.
What did you do in the service? Supply and logistics.
What did you gain from serving in the military? I gained a sense of pride. I learned to pay attention to detail. I learned to be an educator and to enjoy the camaraderie with my fellow trainees, my working associates and some have become my lifelong friends.
What do you remember most about your service? The camaraderie among fellow service members and the loyalty among friends that develops.
What would you like readers to know about your military experience? I would like readers to know that it was worth it. I learned a lot from my military time and service and I have no regrets.
Is there anything else you want readers to know about you that we didn’t ask? I want readers to know that it’s important to continue your education whether you are active duty, retired or reserve. Education is the key to the future, and thankfully the VA has assisted me in getting my Master’s degree in nursing and education.
Hometown Heroes is a weekly feature profiling Clark and Champaign County veterans compiled with the assistance of local Vietnam veteran Randy Ark. To nominate a veteran, e-mail samantha.sommer@coxinc.com or randyark48@gmail.com or call 937-328-0363. Any veteran of any military branch, years of service and age is eligible to be profiled.
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