At GreatNews.Life, we believe that those willing to sacrifice everything to protect our community deserve to have their stories told. Since 2022, we’ve been making that happen with our monthly Veteran Spotlight series. Read on to hear from some of the men and women in your community that have served for you!
At 18 years old, Ben Fugate joined the United States Army for multiple reasons. First and foremost, it was the opportunity to serve his country that led to him joining in the first place. The opportunity the Army gave to grow and the fact that service ran in …
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Major Steven Green has a 20-year military career. A Purdue University alum, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1980 immediately after graduating and earning his bachelor’s degree. “From there, my first duty assignment was as a combat support …
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Growing up in Kouts, Katie Payne knew from a very young age that she wanted to join the military. After high school, she attended St. Joseph’s College, considering a future teaching math or science. After one year, however, she knew where she …
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Northwest Indiana native Mark Pryor served in the United States Army between 1994 and 1997. He left Valparaiso just after high school for nearly four years of military service. Pryor served both stateside and overseas. “I was in the Army for three and …
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Sergeant Stephany Leonard served for six years in the U.S. Army National Guard, voluntarily serving under Title 10 orders for four of her six years. “In that role, I helped train soldiers and volunteered to support units preparing for mobilization,” she …
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Jack Tipold is a veteran who served for four years in the Air Force. “I served from 1982 to 1986,” he said. “I was a member of the Security Police (SP) in the Air Force. We worked the flight decks and protected the nuclear warheads.” As an SP …
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A Purdue University alum, James ‘Jim’ Spanopoulos served in the United States Navy. At just 23 years old, he fought in the Vietnam War. He has a great pride for his country and for its freedom. “If you get called to come and serve your country, you …
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Serving in the Vietnam War was Roger Kneeland’s first military assignment out of his college’s United States Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) training. “I was in the Air Force from 1968 after I graduated ROTC in college until 1974 for six years,” Kneeland …
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It was high school where his dream of joining the United States military first started. Inspired to begin advancing toward his new dream of serving. However, Koch also wanted to go to college. Grappling with both a desire to attend college and join the …
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Pete Gladstone is a former United States Marine. As a Marine he gave to his country, and now he’s giving back to his community as a teacher, a firefighter, and a father. “I served as a military member in the United States Marine Corps from 1993-2003,” …
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