Robert Tinsley: Bob served in the Army and was drafted, serving in Vietnam. According to Bob, the nineteen day boat ride to Vietnam was some of the longest nineteen days of his entire life!

Tony Mays: For 16+ years Tony served in the National Guard in Mt. Vernon. During that time he was deployed to the Springfield Air Force base to cover the soldiers who were leaving for Iraq. When finished with his deployment, he came home and decided he was going to sign up to go to Iraq himself. It was his turn to serve in that capacity. Assigned to the Mattoon Unit, he left for Iraq just a few weeks after returning home from Springfield. Tony loved being a soldier. He also loves his country and grieves every year for the brothers and sisters who were close to him and all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Jimmie Beasley: Since the age of 18, Jimmie has been serving in the Navy. Going on 23 years in service so far, he has risen through the ranks and is now a Chief Warrant Officer 3. Currently he is aboard the USS Nitze. Over his career he has been on seven overseas deployments and served one year in Afghanistan with NATO. His family is very proud of him and his service.

Jennifer Gaines (middle of photo): Jennifer joined the military after watching a commercial on TV. Since then, she served for six years, going from E1 to E5 in just three. She was a 74D, Chemical Operations Specialist. During her deployment to Afghanistan, she was a 50 Cal and 240 Bravo Gunner for a Personal Security Team where she protected her LTC along with several other Officers. Jennifer is selfless and is part of several organizations that give back to the community, quick to help anyone in need. From her daughter, she is the true definition of a hero.