Born and raised in mid-Michigan, Dr. Nick Armstrong has dedicated his life to serving the nation and advancing the lives of those who serve others.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero
Hometown Hero – Chelsea Palmer
Petty Officer Chelsea Palmer was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Her father formerly served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and she has two older sisters and one younger brother. Chelsea graduated from Riverwood High School in May 2011 and spent her freshman year of college attending Georgia Southern University. She would transfer to Georgia Military College while working as a kindergarten paraprofessional at a charter school in Atlanta. Searching for a way to make a greater impact on the world, Chelsea made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Navy and arrived at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois in September 2019. Chelsea met and married her husband, Erik, after joining the Navy, and they have been married for three happy years, along with two cats.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero – Laurie Coffey
Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Laurie Coffey hails from Corning, New York is the oldest of four girls. Commander Coffey’s early years were spent tinkering in her father’s “boat shop” and on nearly every playing field imaginable. Accumulating 18 varsity and 3 JV letters, she started competing on high school teams in 7th grade. She led Corning East to a 20-1 record in basketball her freshman year and a first-ever sectional title her sophomore year. Her lifetime of “firsts” included landing a spot on the roster of the boys’ high school lacrosse team in 1993. At boarding school for the final 2 years of school, she attended Phillips Academy Andover (Massachusetts), and her list of accomplishments continued to grow. She still holds the single-season scoring record in basketball, led the first boat in crew to a New England championship, and was inducted into the Phillips Academy Athletics Hall of Fame.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero – Luis “Lu” Weierbach
United States Army CPT Luis “Lu” Weierbach hails from Hoosick Falls, New York. After winning a New York State high school wrestling title, Lu was recruited to wrestle at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2014.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero: The Inspiring Journey of United States Army Lieutenant Colonel David Sly
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: 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.