Category Archives: Vet of the Month

Vet of the Month: Jim Setzer

12 August 2014By Daniel Gagnon

Jim Setzer was born and raised in northwestern New Jersey and enlisted in the Army in January 1969. After completing basic training at Fort Dix and advanced training at Fort Monmouth, he was qualified in the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of Cryptographic Equipment Repairman and sent to a security post near Bad Aibling, Germany, arriving Halloween night 1969. The specific mission of the unit was a classified operation of the U.S. Army Security Agency, a military forerunner of the National Security Agency, with origins dating to the First World War.

Vet of the Month: Fred T. Buch

14 July 2014By Kevin Conroy

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During the course of his service, Fred was stationed in Saudi Arabia. He arrived prior to the first Gulf War, helping to build a camp from which stealth bombers would restock and take off on missions. “We were the first in and then last out,” he recalled. He said that the bombers would take off in the middle of the night, their engines so powerful that the ground would rumble. Luckily, he worked night shift at the time, so they didn’t interrupt his sleep.

Vet of the Month: Daniel Gagnon

19 May 2014By Kevin Conroy

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Daniel was sent to serve in Germany. The first two years he worked as a personnel clerk for Army Security Agency, a precursor to the NSA. This involved studying the North Vietnamese language. His daily duties included processing soldiers, both those returning from and being deployed to Vietnam. During this time, American deaths in the war reached their apex, and pressure was on to start pulling back. The ASA program was dissolved by President Nixon in the winter of 1969. During the last two years of his service, Daniel worked within the US Army mortuary system, which involved assisting morticians and funeral directors, processing the remains of the fallen, and occasionally holding funerals (though typically this was done back in the States).

Vet of the Month: Diana Casper

15 May 2014By Staff

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Diana trained at Fort Jackson and Fort Lee, serving in Alaska and Iraq. A flag was flown in Iraq in Diana’s honor after she assisted in battling two fires with Engine Company 311 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in May 2009. She has been awarded the following medals and ribbons: Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign
Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon.

Vet of the Month: Michael Kacer

12 March 2014By Ingrid Martinique

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Michael Kacer is a 31-year-old veteran hailing from Throop. He joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard on February 3, 1999, at the age of 17, and served for over 11 years until turning 28. Completing basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia, he was then assigned to his home station in New Milford, Pennsylvania.

In honor of Veterans Day 2013 we introduce our Vet of the Month: Joseph F Tunis

25 October 2013By Kerry Schimelfenig

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I had the great honor of sitting and talking with Joseph F. Tunis, a WWII veteran from Scranton, for our new monthly segment, Vet of the Month. It always makes me feel so blessed when I get the opportunity to talk to a veteran who has served this country so honorably and loyally.