  Veteran Spotlight: Army Sgt. Christine ZeckerChristine Zecker served her country in Army as a sergeant from 1989 to 1998. She enlisted on Halloween night at 21 years of age and was sent to basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., where she was platoon leader for her class.  Veteran Spotlight: Marine Cpl. Pete BelmontePete Belmonte served his country in the Marine Corps from 1989 to 1994. A mere 10 days after his graduation, he was standing on Parris Island.  Veteran Spotlight: Senior Airman Chris ClarksonGrowing up in Nashua, N.H., Chris Clarkson had always wanted to be a pilot and had big shoes to fill. Both his grandfathers had military careers — one as an Army Air Forces instructor pilot at the end of World War II and the other as an Air National Guard pilot in the late '50s and early '60s.  Veteran Spotlight: Lt. Col. Lance EnglishEnglish spent a total of 28 years in active and Reserves in the Army and an additional seven years of service in the government sector. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Army Reserves.  Veteran Spotlight: Army Spc. Eric RogersIn 2012, Rogers was deployed to Afghanistan and would remain there for nine months. "I was kind of nervous in the moment, hearing the news wasn't that bad," he recalled.  Veteran Spotlight: Marine Cpl. John BrackCpl. Brack's duty was that of a mechanic, working on Humvees and other military apparatus. He would be deployed in January 2010 and serve seven months in Afghanistan in the Helmand Province of Sistani, the southeastern corner in a major war zone.  Veteran Spotlight: A Vietnam Diary, Part IIIThe following is the diary of a local Marine who served in Vietnam in 1968. The veteran wishes to remain anonymous but was willing to share the impressions he wrote down of his time there.  Veteran Spotlight: A Vietnam Diary, Part IIThe following is the diary of a local Marine who served in Vietnam in 1968.  Veteran Spotlight: A Vietnam DiaryThe following is the diary of a local Marine who served in Vietnam in 1968. The veteran wishes to remain anonymous but was willing to share the impressions he wrote down of his time there.  Veteran Spotlight: Seaman John BonacquistiBonaquisti served his country in Navy from 1944 to 1946 as a seaman, then as an electrician his last six months. He grew up in Pittsfield and left school at 18 to enlist.  Veteran Spotlight: Navy Petty Officer Ron RedaRon Reda spent a decade in the Navy, the first the half in the Navy's "silent service" and then five years serving up dinner in the White House. He ended his service to the country in 2000 as a petty officer.  Veteran Spotlight: Sgt. Jeremy HealyJeremy Healy served his country for 12 years in the Army Reserve, from 2001-13, and was discharged with the rank of sergeant.  Veteran Spotlight: Lt. Col. Steven SchultzeSteven Schultze served his country in the Marine Corps from 1997 to 2019, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Growing up, he had a desire to give something back as his dad and uncles were Marines during the Vietnam War era.  Veteran Spotlight: Airman Ben HamiltonFrom Lackland, Hamilton was assigned to the former Chanute AFB in Illinois, where he worked in the highly dangerous capacity as a specialist, dealing with liquid oxygen and nitro for the jet fighters.  Veteran Spotlight: Sgt. Maj. Michael KingThis week's Veteran Spotlight subject is retired Army Sgt. Maj. Michael King, who now leads the Berkshire Veteran Outreach Center.  Veteran Spotlight: Spc. Jake GaylordIt was an absolute pleasure to interview this week's Veterans Spotlight feature. Jacob "Jake" Gaylord served his country in the Army National Guard for six years as a specialist.  Veteran Spotlight: Marine Lt. Dominick SondriniGrowing up in Dalton, he attended the former St. Joseph's in Pittsfield and Wahconah Regional High School. After graduating from Western New England College, he was sent by the Marines to Quantico, Va., for Officer Candidate School, where he also completed the demanding Infantry Officer Course.  Veterans Spotlight: Cpl. Tony PastoreTony Pastore served his country in the Air Force during World War II and, again after the war, as a corporal. At 96 years of age, he is a pure gem of "The Greatest Generation" with a fabulous voice to boot.  Veteran Spotlight: Army Sgt. Terry McGinnisAt 27 years of age, Terry McGinnis is far ahead of his peers. An extremely humble, courteous and respectful young man, he served his country in the Army for six years, finishing with the rank of sergeant.  Veteran Spotlight: Sgt. McCarthyHe was 20 years old when he landed at Bien Hoa Air Base, north of Saigon, and recalled his first firefight.  Veteran Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Andrea EspositoEsposito grew up in North Haven, Conn., and enlisted in May 1985. Her basic training was at the famed Fort Dix in New Jersey, where she was in one of the first female companies at Fort Dix.  Veteran Video Spotlight: Fran GiardinaWayne Soares interviews Fran Giardina, an Army veteran of the Korean War.  Veteran Video Spotlight: Marc JaffeWayne Soares interviews Marine Lt. Marc Jaffe, a veteran of World War II. |
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