My son’s name is SSgt Kevin R. Stahly who served with the USAF Security Forces from January 2007 to December 2013.

He was deployed to Camp Bucca Iraq with the US Army in November 16, 2007 on his 21st birthday and landed in country on Thanksgiving day. Camp Bucca is a prison camp. His duties varied from base perimeter security, prison security and convoy duty. Kevin’s position with the convoy duty was in the turret of the Humvee. He had to use that gun, and I’ve never asked questions related to it. All I’ve said is “I expected you to use that gun, if you needed to”. He was also deployed to Qatar in 2012 for 6 mos with the USAF. Kevin has the Army Combat Action Badge.

I also believe Kevin was effected greatly by the events of 9-11. These kids were in school and saw everything on television. When I was young, I saw the news footage of Vietnam. I saw the body bags, the faces of our men, and heard the stories of brutal firefights for position, etc. Then we would hear stories that we gave up that position or hill that cost so many young lives to achieve. So my viewpoint was a bit different, and we discussed the possibility he would be asked, and expected to do things he wasn’t in favor of. But Kevin volunteered to deploy, and wanted to make sure no more planes were ever used as weapons of mass destruction on our homeland and it’s people.

There have been some changes in Kevin since he came back. My son doesn’t like fireworks so much anymore. He is a law enforcement officer now and is very much in the mindset to be of service to people and to serve and protect. I’m sure he thinks about the things he’s done and memories, that he’d rather not have. His service in the military means a lot to him. He has been thanked for his service often. His response is always, “I was proud to serve”. Kevin’s paternal grandfather Frederick S. Stahly Army served in WWII and his maternal grandfather David L. Zawadzke with the US Navy in Korea. Kevin’s uncle Roger A. Stahly was USMC, and on a U boat waiting to invade Cuba during the cold war. So, Patriotism runs in his blood. Many, many more family members have served our country. Veterans of war have a common knowledge the rest of us do not have. For that I am thankful, as I wouldn’t do well with it.
Our Vietnam Veterans now have a whole new generation of warriors to join them in the ranks of heroes.
~Teresa Zawadzke Wells

We are very grateful to Teresa for sharing her family story.

God Bless all who serve and keep us safe.

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