I chose the Army primarily because of my grandfather, my mom's father. He was an infantryman with the 86th Infantry, 10th Mountain Division during World War II. The stories I heard from him and the experiences he had ... I knew even before I was in high school it was what I wanted to do. My parents couldn't talk me out of it.

My dad was a Vietnam War Navy veteran. I joined the Army right after high school. I graduated from Fort Benning and became a 11c Mortarman. My duty station was in Baumholder, Germany, with the 1st Armored Division 4/12 Infantry. I deployed with them to Bosnia. I got out after that and went on to become a paramedic. However, after 9/11, I got the itch again to serve and went back in and became a combat medic. I served with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division and did multiple deployments. Then I went to Walter Reed's DiLorenzo TRICARE Clinic at the Pentagon, and from there 2nd Battalion 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Korea. My last duty station was at Fort Drum with Charlie Med, 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 10th Mountain Division.

I continue to serve in my community with American Legion Post 1451 in Wheatfield, N.Y., just outside Niagara Falls. I am currently post vice commander, and am a past post and county commander as well. I am a fourth-generation combat veteran on my father's side, having served in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. My dad served in Vietnam, his father served in World War II, and my great-grandfather served in the Spanish-American War. My family's service on both sides goes back to the Civil War.