Sgt. Dennis Terhune
--- Karen Terhune

Sgt. Dennis Terhune, a 19-year resident of Natomas and 23-year member of the Army Reserves, returned home in February from serving with the 257 Transportation Company (Las Vegas) in Kuwait. He received a hero's homecoming: a police escort accompanied his unit from Nellis AFB to the Sahara in Las Vegas, and on his flight back to Sacramento the airline treated him to a first class seat. When Dennis arrived in Sacramento he was surprised at the airport by family and friends, including several Viet Nam Vets. He has two more years to serve and will retire with 25 years of military service.


Staff Sergeant Lloyd F. Belsher
--- News Release

Staff Sergeant Lloyd Belsher joined the US Army at the age of 20 and has been an active member of the service for almost 15 yrs. He knew this is what he wanted to do as a young man. He is married and the father of two young children.

Staff Sergeant Belsher was recently he was awarded his Gold Recruiting Badge. His dedication and work ethics has also given him the honor of being inducted into the Black Horse Association of Fort Irwin, CA

Currently SSG Belsher is assigned to the community working as an Army Recruiter. He currently works with the Junior and Senior students of Inderkum High school. SSG Belsher has been a part of our community almost 12 months now and his goal is to stay within the community after his time is done. He enjoys talking to the youth of today and helping them make the right decisions should it be joining the service or helping them get into college.



Amelia D. Balzano
Eugene F. Burke
--- Randee Tavarez

My mother Amelia D. Balzano hailed from Brooklyn and served in the Women's Army Corps at Camp Upton, New York. My father Eugene F. Burke, also from Brooklyn, served in the 8th Army as part of the Army Air Corp out of Fort Dix, New Jersey. While my parents lived only about three blocks away from each other in Brooklyn, they only met when they were in London at a USO!

Major Andrew Bellocchio
--- Elizabeth and Michael Negrete

My brother US Army Major Andrew Bellocchio, deployed to Iraq in September. He is Team Chief to Military Transition Team (MiTT) for 2nd Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division.

Jason Quarles
--- Ryanne Quarles

Jason just returned from serving his 2nd tour in Iraq in August of this year (just in time for our wedding!). During this tour, his truck was hit with a roadside bomb (January of this year). He was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries during the attack. Thankfully, those injuries were not life threatening and he is now home safely.

My son and I, along with our friends and family, are so grateful for his service, and are so happy to have him home. We appreciate him being honored in the magazine.

Thanks to N magazine for recognizing the importance of our Veterans.


Dolly and Bob Evans
--- Dolly Evans

I enlisted in the Women's Air Corps in Los Angeles in 1943. My basic training was at Ft. Des Moines, Iowa. A group of us were sent to Daytona Beach, Florida. I didn't pass the physical there, so was given new orders and went to key punch school at the Pentagon. I worked for Army Intelligence until the war ended in 1945. I was then sent to Dallas, Texas, and worked at 8th Service Command Headquarters and was a Sergeant when I was discharged at Camp Beal, California.

Bob Evans: Almost 67 years ago, I decided to enlist in the Navy, but my eyesight wasn't good enough. I drank a lot of carrot juice to improve my eyesight but failed again. I tried to enlist in the Coast Guard, but failed again. On Nov. 11, 1942 I enlisted in the Army and requested the Army Air Corps. I was stationed in Miami Beach, Florida, and finally saw the ocean for the first time. I was stateside until the Bulge, then was stationed in Europe about a year. I spent three and half years in the Service, was very lucky with locations and leaders and returned to private life after the war.


Brett Henry
--- Todd Henry

My mother, Linda Adrian, has been a first grade teacher for the Natomas School District for 10 years. Her youngest son and my little brother, Brett Henry, enlisted in the US Army in 1999. He was assigned to the 25th Infantry's Long Range Reconnaissance Unit and graduated from Ranger School. In 2004-05 Brett was deployed to Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions during an ambush of his unit by enemy forces. Shortly after his tour ended Brett was accepted to the Army's Helicopter Aviation School and became a Black Hawk Helicopter pilot. In 2007 Brett was deployed to Iraq for his second tour, as a pilot with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. His assignments included flying General Petraeus on multiple occasions. During this tour Brett was awarded two Army Air Medals. He is now preparing for his third deployment. My brother has a very strong sense of dedication to this country and to the soldiers he serves with. Brett feels that his ongoing service may help newer soldiers to learn from his experience and training. Brett epitomizes the American Veteran, willing to sacrifice so much for the people and country he loves.

Sgt. Justin Kronenberg
--- Deb Kronenberg

We Americans owe our military a large "thank you" for their service. As a Marine mom, and Blue Star family, thanks to N magazine for remembering the reason we have a Veteran's Day. Our son, Sgt. Justin Kronenberg, volunteered for two tours of duty in Iraq in 2006-7 and 2008-09.


TSgt. Chris Rackley
--- Melissa Rackley

My husband, Chris Rackley, joined the US Air Force in 1999. He served in Kirkuk, Iraq in 2003-04 in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was a member of the Security Forces Squadron. He returned home safely in April of 2004 and is proud of his time served.


Spec. E-4 Josh Adams
--- Stephanie Adams

Spec. E-4 Josh Adams is in the 1/25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for one year (September 2008-2009) in Iraq's Diyala Province, north of Baghdad. He has been in the Army since June 2006.


Maj. Matthew H. Young
--- Lilia Young

My husband is on a one-year deployment at Camp Bondsteel Hospital in Kosovo. He left on December 26, 2008 and is scheduled to return in mid-November or early December of this year. We have two children, Jadine, age 5 and Ryan, 14 months. Thanks to Skype video calling we are able to keep in touch and my husband can still enjoy watching our children grow.


A1C Joseph (Joey) McCauley
Tsgt. Manuel LaForm
--- Carol Battle

My son, A1C Joseph (Joey) McCauley, is stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. He is deployed to Kuwait where he is a Ground Radar Systems Specialist (Air Traffic Control). Joey is 19 years old and is a graduate of Natomas High School. His parents are Art McCauley and Carol Battle.

My father, Manuel LaForm, now 86, served as a TSgt. in the 7th Air Force during World War II as a Radio Operator of B-24 bomber aircraft. His missions included the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Marianas Islands, Bonin Islands and Iwo Jima. He received the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Oak Leaf, Good Conduct Ribbon, Air Crew Aviation Badge and Bronze Campaign Star. Manuel and Ofelia LaForm, married for 60 years, have been residents of Gardenland since 1955,and still live in the home in which they raised 6 children.