Stories of Service
They protect and save us.
We admire them and aspire to be like them. In uniform, in Our Communities, in every branch of the military, Our Heroes give their all —and sometimes the ultimate sacrifice.
These are their stories. On the eleventh of every month, we celebrate these selfless men and women with profiles of their service. Reflecting on their accomplishments and respecting each challenge overcome. Take note. Take pride. Please join us in honoring them here.
Remembering Dr. Frank Boston
Dr. Frank Boston came from a family of veterans. His father served during the Civil War. Following his graduation from medical school in 1915, Dr. Boston answered the call to serve with the Army Medical Corps. He trained in Fort Des Moines, Iowa where all African-American officers for WWI were sent for training. During his service, Dr. Boston battled racism at home and within the military, he battled the enemy and the Spanish Flu during WWI and he returned home to continue his life of service. Upon returning to the US, he resumed his duties at Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia and started an ambulance corps, pioneering the EMS field.
“A Knock on the Door”
The American Gold Star Mothers in Southwest Florida connect on a level few others can know or share. Their bond was born from the tragic deaths of military sons who served Our Country proudly. Today,...
“Serving Something Greater”
There was a sense of duty to his fellow human beings. He is remembered for his dedication and a life of service. On his final run rescuing a stranded motorist, a tragic accident killed them...
“It’s About Time”
He was a gunner providing cover for medivac transports. His squadron was last to leave Vietnam. “You functioned as a team and you survived as a team,” he remembers. Yet when they returned to their...
Football Was His Way Out
“He was a hero, a protector, a Fayetteville son, and one who truly cared about his community.” NFL Head Coach Bill Belichick talks of his father’s humble beginnings, from the Depression and living in a...
A Wall Of Heroes
“This job can be life or death,” says veteran Firefighter John McMahon of Fort Myers, FL. “The people you work with are family, all working together to protect families and community. It’s an honor.”
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Ask Us Their Name
“His name is Sgt Thomas J. IV,” his mom says proudly. After losing him to an attack in Afghanistan, Leslie Butler became a Gold Star Mom. “Ask us who we are and we’ll tell you...
DUTY. HONOR. COUNTRY.
“Over the years, those words have been a beacon,” says Retired Colonel Gary Richard Steele. “No matter what lays before us, everything we do revolves around them.”
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Speaking Up To Save Lives
“If just one person sees this video, if just one person will reach out to someone for help, if one person will say something and it saves their life, it’s worth it.”
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The Nation Comes Together
16 years after 9/11, Rex Strickland of the Chantilly, VA Fire Department admires “the same level of selfless service” we all shared then as he does today in Texas, Florida and beyond. “I see everything...
He Gave All. For All Of Us.
“He was a hero, a protector, a Fayetteville son, and one who truly cared about his community.” Today there is a park in his honor plus annual tributes and candlelight vigils. Yet, there remains a...
Heroism – Defined
Two Soldiers were killed instantly. Four others were severely wounded. With shrapnel torn through his spleen, liver and left lung, Pereira struggled to breathe. Yet with little regard to his own safety or care, he...
The Definition of Service
“Being loyal to the country and finding something worthwhile to do.” That’s how retired Vice Admiral Joseph Mulloy defines it. Which is what his family has been doing since 1908, and still counting. Through every...
Serving Gold Star Families, Just Like Hers.
EMT. Paramedic. Nurse. Mom. Giving back to the community is simply what Suzanne Scheafer does. After the loss of a son in service, her efforts to help others took on a new meaning. “I get...
Serving Is Believing.
K. Madison Carter has always believed in doing his part to protect and serve. When asked to become an active duty, U.S. Naval Chaplain, his answer was clear: “I had no choice but to say...
We Can Do It.
Nearly 19 million women in the wartime workforce stepped forward during WWII to make a difference, producing munitions and supplies. Wilma Foster was just 16, and never hesitated to serve her country. Hear her riveting...