hometown hero

Hometown Hero: Nicklaus Brinka

United States Army veteran and Syracuse University Army Senior ROTC Cadet Nicklaus Brinka served as a Human Intelligence Collector for 42 months on active duty in the United States Army. Nicklaus served with Delta Company, 41st Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. 

Hometown Hero: Beth Kubala

Beth joined the Army in 1993 after graduating from the United States Military Academy.  While at West Point, she played Army Women’s Lacrosse for four years, serving as the Army team captain her senior year.

Hometown Hero: Vanessa Marquette

Vanessa is a proud 2011 & 2012 St. Bonaventure graduate, completing both her Bachelor’s and her Master’s degrees. She bleeds both brown and Orange, having been a Syracuse fan her entire life and a current season ticket holder. She returned to Syracuse in 2016 and currently works at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University and is working towards her second Master’s degree at the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications.

Hometown Hero: Maria Delgado

Cadet Maria Delgado has served in the United States Army Reserves for 10 yrs. She enlisted in 2008 as a Health Care Specialist completing basic training at Fort Jackson, SC and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, TX in 2009.

Hometown Hero: Michael Zingaro

United States Navy Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Michael Zingaro hails from Syracuse, New York. He enlisted in the Navy in 2015 and completed boot camp later that year.

Hometown Hero: Katie Piston

Katie Piston is the spouse of Navy Veteran Daniel Piston, but her connections to the military began long before she met her husband. She grew up outside of Chicago, IL and is the proud granddaughter of a WWII Veteran.

Hometown Hero: Daniel Pesci

Syracuse University Air Force ROTC Cadet Daniel Pesci is the Squadron Commander in the 535th Cadet Wing at Syracuse University.  He was first introduced to the possibility of commissioning in the Armed Forces in 4th grade on a family vacation to Colorado, where he visited the United States Air Force Academy.

Hometown Hero: Dr. Alejandro Garcia

United States Army veteran Dr. Alejandro Garcia enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1962 and conducted basic training at Fort Ord, California. He attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, where he became an administrative specialist.

Hometown Hero: Jillian Johansen

Jillian Johansen enlisted in the United States Navy on August 24, 2003 from Kansas City, Missouri. She served in the Navy for ten (10) years as a Yeoman First Class Petty Officer, Aviation Warfare Specialist until her discharge on March 1st, 2013.