JACKSONVILLE, FL – Congressman Ander Crenshaw today (11/8) formally honored 96 Northeast Florida veterans during his 11th annual Congressional Special Veterans Recognition Ceremony at the Naval Air Station Jacksonville Officer’s Club.
The 2012 ceremony recognized the contributions of 96 veterans who served in Operation Desert Shield and/or Desert Storm with all honorees previously receiving the Southwest Asia Service Medal. Crenshaw, joined by Vice Admiral and Chief of Naval Personnel Scott Van Buskirk, presented each veteran with the 2012 Veterans Special Recognition Certificate at the event which included a reading of Old Glory, a 21-gun salute, and the playing of taps.
A member of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Crenshaw has hosted 11 Special Veterans Recognition Ceremonies since 2001, honoring more than 2,000 Northeast Florida veterans. He issued the following statement:
“Jacksonville’s ‘Week of Valor’ is a fitting time to honor all our veterans, including 96 servicemen and women from 15 Northeast Florida communities who received Special Recognition during my annual ceremony at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Brave Americans all, they answered the call of duty and served a grateful nation alongside our allies in the First Gulf War.
“Let us never forget that our nation’s greatness is drawn from the blood and sacrifices of honorable and courageous men and women. I thank each of our honorees for standing in the face of incredible danger and hardship and give them my deep appreciation.
“While every veteran honored this year may not be here in person, he or she has a valuable story to share about their contribution to our nation. We shine a bright light on their service and formally thank them today and every day.”
The following is a list of veterans honored in the 2012 Congressional Veterans Special Recognition Ceremony:
Jacksonville
Charles R. Armstrong - Navy
Leoncio Asencio - Navy
James Barron - Navy
Nestor Bautista - Navy
David Bennett - Navy
Mark Boensel - Navy
Keith Burt - Navy
James Butters - Navy
Eduardo Callao - Navy
Brandy Campbell - Navy
Ted Carter - Navy
Arthur Catullo - Navy
Paul Cerrato - Navy
Edward Champagne - Navy
Jan Christiansen - Navy
Leon Davis - Army
Brian DeVine - Army
Randy Dockery - Navy
David Dupree - Navy
Eric Eilkin - Navy
Charleton Flores - Navy
Lorenzo Fox - Navy
Anthony Gesuele - Navy
Paul Getman - Army
Donald Harnish - Navy
Sinclair H. Harris - Jacksonville
David Harvey - Navy
Joseph Harvey, Jr. - Marine Corps
Calvin Henderson - Navy
Clarence Hill - Navy
Christopher Imbach - Navy
James Jennings - Army
April Johnson - Army
Scott Kelley - Navy
Charles King - Navy
Donna Leduc - Navy
Dewayne Lowery - Navy
Mery Martinez - Army
Michael McLaurin - Army
Desmond McMullan - Navy
Maurice Menchan - Army
Timothy Metcalf - Navy
Jermome Morgan - Army
Michael Morgan - Army
Arleigh Nain II - Navy
Robert Nuss - Navy
David Pierce - Navy
Steven Piffer - Navy
Renato Quini - Navy
Michael Rau - Marine Corps
Michael Rawls - Navy
Paul A. Restivo - Navy
Daniel Rodriguez - Navy
Robert Sanders - Navy
Harry Shaffer - Army
Bradley Shepherd - Navy
Adam Thomas - Navy
Arthur Thrash - Navy
Cedric Twillie - Navy
James Young - Army
Nancy Weinberger - Army
Raymond Wikstrom - Navy
Michael Wilson - Air Force
Kenneth Wood III - Navy
Orange Park
Robert Bryson - Naval Air Reserves
Roderick Dejesus - Navy
Gary Josey - Navy
Roland Lewis - Navy
David Newman - Army
Joseph Rush - Navy
Barry Summers - Navy
Arthur Turner - Navy
Steven Welch - Air Force
Fleming Island
William Blacklidge - Navy
Robert Buehn - Navy
Curtis Stubbs - Navy
Scott Studer - Air Force
Jacksonville Beach
Linda Brown - Navy
Sean Galen - Army
Robert McNulty - Navy
William Rubino - Navy
Atlantic Beach
Dawn Stratton - Marine Corps
Patrick Stratton - Marine Corps
Neptune Beach
Albert Whisman - Navy
Douglas Bagdasarian - Army
Fernandina Beach
John Ashmead - Navy
Macclenny
Dean Berger - Navy
Middleburg
Wayne Elliott - Navy
Emerson Johnson - Navy
John McGriff - Navy
Donald Moore Air Force
St. Johns
Daniel Rees - Army
Bryceville
John Woods- Armor First Sergeant
Orlando
Stanley Arthur - Navy
St. Augustine
Mark Widener - Army National Guard
Palm Coast
Michael Lum - Marine Corps
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