United States Army Lieutenant Colonel David Sly is originally from Rutland, Vermont, and he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. David was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Military Intelligence Corps.
Hometown Hero
Hometown Hero: Alexis Perez
United States Navy Mass Communication Specialist Second Class, Alexis Perez was born October 7, 1993, in Syracuse, New York. Lexie is a 2011 graduate of Marcellus High School, where she excelled in lacrosse. Her college journey started at Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts where she played for Mustang Women’s Lacrosse Team from 2011-2013. She transferred to Marymount Manhattan College and in 2015 earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Hometown Hero: Jennifer Aquino
United States Navy Veteran Jennifer Aquino is a native of Puerto Rico. She enlisted into the United States Navy in 2003 She attended boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, and later become a cryptologic technician collector and interpreter. Petty Officer Aquino served aboard the Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower. She also served with the Navy Information Operations Command in both Virginia, and South Texas for a total of 14 years of honorable service.
Hometown Hero: Rear Admiral John Okon
United States Navy Rear Admiral (RADM) John Okon was born and raised in “the 315,” having grown up in Camillus, and he has bled orange his whole life. John attended the last game in both Manley Field House and Archibald Stadium, as well as the first game in the Carrier Dome. During high school, he worked for Syracuse University parking cars in the west lots of the Carrier Dome and at Manley Field House. John says while the money was good, it was the free ticket to see his ‘Orange’ that was the most valuable benefit!
Hometown Hero: Raul Rosique, Jr.
United States Navy veteran Raul Rosique was born in Delano, California, and raised in Richgrove, California. Raul shipped out to boot camp a few months after his high school graduation at age 18 in 2014. Raul’s enlistment was for five years, and he was set to be attached to a Nuclear Submarine as a Logistic Specialist. After completing logistical training in Mississippi and Submarine training in Connecticut, he received orders to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii which luckily ended up being his only duty station.
Hometown Hero: Richard M. Jones
United States Army Staff Sergeant (Retired) and three-time Syracuse University alum, Richard M. Jones, was born and raised in Utica, New York. Rich comes from a military family and his passion for service was inspired by their service. His paternal grandfather was a member of the 29th Infantry Division, one of the first soldiers to land at Omaha Beach.
Hometown Hero: Mike and Colleen Drum
Mike Drum’s and Colleen Shuster’s amazing journey to Syracuse University began with both serving in the United States Marine Corps. Mike was born and raised in Syracuse, New York, and he enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserve as an Infantry Rifleman in July 2010 following his high school graduation.
Hometown Hero: Jack Pullano
The United States Air Force Veteran Jack Pullano was born in Amherst, New York, and he was raised in Hopkinton, New York. Three weeks after graduating high school in 2017, Jack enlisted in the United States Air Force serving on active duty for four years. After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and Fuels tech school in Wichita Falls, Texas, Jack received orders to Kadena, Air Base, located in Okinawa Japan. While stationed at Kadena, he was a Fuels Journeyman with the 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron and a member of the only Pacific Air Force’s Special Operations Forward Area Refueling Point Team under the 353rd Special Operations Group.
Hometown Hero: Melvin Stith, U.S. ARMY Veteran and Dean Emeritus of Whitman
Melvin Stith was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to Florence Stith and Millard Stith. In 1964, Mel graduated from Central High School in Jarratt, Virginia, a rural farming community between Emporia and Petersburg. Mel went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in sociology at Norfolk State in 1968. After graduating from college, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Corps and was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam.
Hometown Hero: MSgt Alicia Gopee
United States Air Force, Master Sergeant, and Syracuse University Air Force ROTC Detachment 535 cadre member Alicia Gopee, hails from Brooklyn, New York. Master Sergeant Gopee enlisted into the United States Air Force on September 5, 2005, to become a Personnelist Journeyman, after residing in New York City and seeing firsthand, the direct impact of September 11th, 2001. She attended Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, and Technical School at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.