Freedom Is Not Free
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MilitaryA Special Publication of the Vilas County News-Review and The Three Lakes News 2018Salute freedom is not free Memorial Day Preview Soldiers’ Stories Veterans Services Active-Duty Military Profiles PAGE 2 MILITARY SALUTE VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 We salute and support America’s veterans and active military personnel! VISIT US SOON Depend on the people at Nelson’s for all your needs • Hallmark Cards • Lawn & Garden Supplies • Automotive Supplies • Cleaning Supplies • Hand & Power Tools • Vast Battery Selection • Greenhouse • Propane Filling • Plumbing & Electrical Supplies & Fixtures • Keys Duplicated Nelson’s Hardware Open 7 days a week to serve you 606 E. Wall, Eagle River 715-479-4496 ACE IS THE PLACE WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS MILITARY SALUTE PAGE 3 Communities across the North Woods will host Memorial Day services to remember those who in Eagle River, Three Lakes, Land O’ Lakes, Phelps, Rhinelander and Woodruff. This was a died fighting for this country and its freedoms while serving in the military. Programs are planned Memorial Day scene at Three Lakes in 2017. —NEWS-REVIEW PHOTO Memorial Day services announced Men and women who died in military ac- grounds of the Vilas County Courthouse) in guest speaker. Bagpipe music will be pro- Wars (VFW) Post 8637 and the playing of tion for their country will be remembered Eagle River. vided by Tom McKale of the Emerald Soci- taps by the band. There will be another can- during Memorial Day services in communi- Ceremony participants are asked to as- ety of Wisconsin and the Greater non salute, the benediction by Fosdick and ties across the North Woods. semble at 10:45 a.m. at the park. In the Milwaukee Fire/Po lice Pipes and Drums. the band will sing “Amazing Grace.” Veterans, area residents, government of- event of rain, the program will be held at Other highlights of the program will in- McKale will conclude the program with a ficials and North Woods visitors are wel- Northland Pines High School. clude the placing of poppies at the Tomb of bagpipe solo. come to attend all the ceremonies. The program will open with the North- the Unknown Soldier by Eagle River area For more information, contact the Vilas Veterans organizations in Eagle River, land Pines High School band and choir per- Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, a reading of the County Veterans Service Office at (715) Three Lakes, Land O’ Lakes, Phelps, forming the “The Star-Spangled Banner,” names of the fallen by the Veterans Service 479-3629. Rhinelander and Woodruff have provided followed by the 8th Wisconsin Artillery Office, and Sliwicki and Vilas County Board the following details of Memorial Day Company cannon salute. The master of cer- member Marv Anderson laying a wreath at Three Lakes weekend programs. emonies will be retired U.S. Marine Corps the tomb. There will be another cannon Memorial Day in Three Lakes will be ob- Col. Michael Biszek. Pastor Patrick Mc- salute from the 8th Wisconsin Artillery served Monday, May 28. The program will Eagle River Connell will lead the opening prayer. The Company, followed by a moment of silence. start at 10 a.m. with a solemn procession The Eagle River Memorial Day cere- band will perform a medley of Armed The Northland Pines choir and band will from the Three Lakes Winery down Supe- mony is scheduled for Monday, May 28, at Forces songs. perform “America the Beautiful,” followed 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (front Army Veteran Ralph Sliwicki will be the by a rifle salute by Veterans of Foreign Turn to SERVICES, Pg. 10 PAGE 4 MILITARY SALUTE VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 Trenten J. Stefonek Thomas Hurtado Specialist Trenton Stefonek is a combat engineer LT Thomas Hurtado is a physician assistant in with Bravo Company 31st Engineering Battalion, the U.S. Navy. He has been stationed at Naval Sta- Army National Guard based out of Superior, Wis. tion Great Lakes, Ill., Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Trenten completed basic and intensive training at and is currently stationed at Naval Hospital Bre- Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., in August 2017. merton, Wash. He also served with a medical Trenton is a 2012 graduate of Three Lakes High trauma unit tending to wounded warriors while in School and a 2016 graduate of UW-Eau Claire, Afghanistan from 2011-2012. where he majored in Business Economics. He received Navy and Marine Corps Achieve- Trenten currently lives and works in Eau Claire, ment Medals and two Navy and Marine Corps and attends monthly readiness training and spe- Commendation Medals. cialized training with the rest of his unit in Superior, His family has a strong tradition of military ser- Eau Claire and Fort McCoy. vice. His grandfather, Thomas A. Thiele, served as Trenten is the son of Lou and Margo Smith and a Seabee in the U.S. Navy and his uncle, Arthur Bruce and Jan Stefonek of Sugar Camp, and Thiele-Sardina, is a retired colonel in the U.S. grandson of Robert and Betty Stefonek (de- Army. ceased), Sugar Camp, and the late Jack and Mar- He and his wife, Jenny (née Sobecke) have garet Olkowski, Three Lakes. Trenten’s family incudes brothers Jeff, Erik and Paul Stefonek, and two children, Leo (4 years old) and Penélope (2 sister Trisha Stefonek. years old). Jenny’s parents own a home in Eagle River. Brian Krieck Charles Starke St. Germain native Maj. Brian Krieck is currently the Executive Charles “Charlie” Starke commissioned as Officer for the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) in Green Bay. an Air Defense Artillery Officer upon graduation Maj. Krieck entered active duty service in 2002, as a lieutenant from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in upon graduation from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the New York, in May 2016. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. In 2008, then Capt. Krieck left active duty and joined the Wis- He served for a year in South Korea as a consin Army National Guard. After a successful two-year command Patriot Battery Executive Officer, and is now the and honor graduate of his Captain’s Career Course, he was pro- Fire Control Platoon Leader for a Terminal High moted to Major. He graduated in March 2018 from the John F. Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) Battery at Fort Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Ft. Bragg, N.C. Hood, Texas. Maj. Krieck is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, the Merito- rious Service Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal, Army Charlie is a graduate of Three Lakes High Achievement Medal (2), National Defense Service Medal, Army School and is the son of Kim and Ginny Starke Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve of Eagle River. Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Parachutists Badge and the Combat Action Badge. Awards: Army Commendation Medal, Army Maj. Krieck is married to his wife and best friend, Alexis, and to- Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, gether they have three children, Madison (14), Bella (14) and Zan- Overseas Service Ribbon, Global War on Ter- der (7). His parents, James and Marsha, live in St. Germain with rorism Ribbon, and Army Service Ribbon. his brother, Michael, and his sister is Bethany of Appleton. Nathan Pirus Anthony Giebudowski Nathan is a 2017 graduate of Northland Pines Anthony “Tony” Giebudowski is a 2016 grad- High School. He graduated boot camp from uate of Lakeland Union High School. Tony en- Lackland Air Force Base on Sept. 27, 2017. He listed in the Marine Corps and graduated boot spent the next four weeks training in Texas, and camp MCRD San Diego, Calif., on March 10, graduated from the Security Forces Apprentice 2017. Course on Jan. 30, 2018, as Airman First Class Tony is currently serving with 1st Marines Pirus, Nathan E. LAR Battalion, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Tony is carrying on the family tradition of the He is currently stationed at Whiteman Air Marine Corps with his older brother, Marine Sgt. Force Base in Missouri, where he is continuing Matthew Giebudowski; their father, Mark Giebu- his training. dowski (USMC 1986); grandfather, John Giebu- dowski (U.S. Army 1959); grand-uncle, Walter His parents are Mike and Tanya Pirus of Ea- Figura (USMC, World War II); uncle, Stanley gle River, Wis. Nathan has two sisters, Britney Frydrych (U.S. Army, Vietnam) from Armstrong of Port Washington, Wis., and Cortney of Eagle Creek, Wis., and cousins currently serving in River, Wis. the USAF, Craig and his wife Julie Frydrych of Armstrong Creek. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 VILAS COUNTY NEWS-REVIEW/THE THREE LAKES NEWS MILITARY SALUTE PAGE 5 Grandfather inspired Kelly Keating to serve her country, community ___________ BY GARY RIDDERBUSCH NEWS-REVIEW EDITOR ___________ Kelly Keating moved to the North Woods said Keating. “Being a year in Iraq, I in 1998 and graduated from Three Lakes learned about how their culture is and how High School in 2000. She always had an in- they live day-to-day — how they survive, terest in the military, but didn’t know work and what they think of the U.S. and which branch. other countries.” After a few years of thinking and debat- She also witnessed plenty of bad days ing, she called the recruiter and signed up while in Iraq. for the Army National Guard. She finished “Every day was a struggle, praying that her spring semester of college and left in I make it back and make it to the next day. the fall of 2002 for training in South Car- Every day was a different experience and I olina at the age of 20.