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!
Christine “Chris” Martel served as a Legion Plus 94 Commander in the Navy for a total of four years, from 1986 through 1990. She entered the Navy after starting college in southern Indiana and ended up finishing school locally after serving. Her service …
Read more
Veteran Michael Malave served in the United States Marine Corps for several years. A native of Northwest Indiana, he went into the Marine Corps as a teenager shortly after graduating from high school. “I served in the United States Marine Corps from January …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more
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 …
Read more