Brock Gonzales wanted to get experience outside of the confines of Northwest Indiana, so he decided to join the U.S. Air Force. “My mentality was, ‘Okay, my dad just retired from U.S. Steel in Gary, and my brothers are getting laid off in the...
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Veteran Spotlight: Brock Gonzales
Veteran Spotlight: Rodney Watson
Rodney Watson had wanted to join the military since he was a child, so when he decided to enlist at 17 years old, few were surprised. Basic training was a challenge for Watson. The training was tough, and the fear of being cut from the program was a...
Read MoreVeteran Spotlight: Nicole Uran
At 21 years old, Nicole Uran decided she needed a change of pace – so she decided to quit her job as a cosmetologist and join the United States Air Force. “I really wanted educational benefits. I was a cosmetologist, but that really wasn't the...
Read MoreVeteran Spotlight: William Kewitz
At 18 years old, William Kewitz enlisted in the Marines as a way to figure out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Years later, he feels his time in the military shaped him to become a better person and taught him skills he will take with...
Read MoreVeteran Spotlight: Robert “Bob” Brabbs
While most of his peers were finishing up high school or working in the mills, Robert “Bob” Brabbs was enlisting in the military. Brabbs decided to enlist in the Navy at just 17 years old, and his decision led him to become a high-ranking officer...
Read MoreVeteran Spotlight: Jeffrey Imhof
Jeff Imhof joined the Army at 24 years old to fulfill a lifelong dream to serve in the military. The events of September 11, 2001, which occurred during Imhoff’s senior year of high school, made him especially eager to join. Though he attended...
Read MoreVeteran Spotlight: Paulina Huffman
As a Dutch native, Paulina Huffman never pictured herself as a member of the United States military. Though her interest in serving began while she was in high school, she assumed her citizenship status would bar her ability to join. A conversation...
Read MoreVeteran Spotlight: Jim Atkinson
Jim Atkinson grew up in a small town near Valparaiso and graduated from Boone Grove High School. He has a wife of 52 years, six children, and eight grandchildren. “I grew up on a small farm just south of Valparaiso where I milked three or four cows...
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