Military Veteran Stories

Dan Newberry, Manager of Goodwill’s E-cycle Operations, joined the Army right after high school, expecting to complete a lifelong military career. That plan ended abruptly in 2012. Honorably discharged due to a medical-related disability, Dan soon found himself adrift.

"I went from having a sense of responsibility, pride and direction in life, to nothing. It was incredibly difficult," he recalled.

Sarah Urban, It Support Services Manager, spent ten years in the military, a journey that began in 1994 shortly after high school.  “I was looking for professional direction and an opportunity to start a career. I wanted an adventure, to travel and to find new experiences,” she said. Knowing that the military provided career advancement and educational assistance, it seemed like the right path. Like her step-dad before her, Sarah chose the Navy. 

Goodwill is proud to support and employ veterans like Stephen Gielczyk, HR Generalist at Naval Station Great Lakes. He is one of six siblings (out of eight) that enlisted in the Navy, saying that he never considered another branch of service. Over 40 years ago he joined the Navy, spending 30 of those years traveling all over the world!

Assistant Store Manager Tyneisha Stroud, or TY, as she’s known, served in the Air Force from 2001 to 2006, enlisting just after high school. Ty joined the military hoping to gain some direction in life. “I didn’t have the maturity or the focus for college right then and I thought the military would help me gain some discipline,” she remarked.

Assistant Store Manager Stephanie DeSimone’s husband Neil is someone to whom we owe our deepest gratitude for his service and sacrifice to our country. Neil enlisted in the Marines at 18, just after high school, embarking on nearly a decade long military career.  His military service would take him aboard USS Anchorage in Hawaii, as well as Camp Pendleton, CA and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA.

November 10th marked the 242nd birthday of the Marine Corps and we have people like Chuck Rickenbaugh to thank for their service. He was just 17 when he enlisted in the Marines. “School wasn’t the place for me. My home life was chaotic. I thought the military could provide some stability, and it did. You got with the program quickly,” he remarked.

For Kersten Weber the military hasn’t always played a big part in her life. “I didn’t grow up in a military family. I recall one of my uncles served at some point. To be honest, we were not big proponents of the military because of concerns over war,” she admits. Kersten was completely surprised when Austin, the eldest of her seven children, decided to join the Army’s National Guard his freshman year at the University of Arizona. “Off he went to boot camp. I thought, oh my straight arrow. He will never survive the drill sergeants,” she recalled.

While some reserve Military Family Appreciation for the month of November, it is truly a way of life for Goodwill Director of Community Relations, Angela Adams, and her family.