VOM – January 2023
Loyd Ray Barnes U.S. Army National Guard 1954 – 1991 Loyd Ray Barnes was born on March 15, 1935, and enlisted in the Army National Guard on April 1, 1954. He completed boot camp at Fort McClellan, Alabama, before returning home to Tennessee to serve his state. Although most of
VOM – July 2025
Valarie R. Bennett U.S. Navy 1966 – 2004 Valarie was born in May 1966 in Tuskegee, Ala., the third of her mother’s four children. The name on her birth certificate was Blank Blank Bennett, a common way to complete a birth certificate for a baby not expected to survive. Eighteen years
VOM – May 2025
Neil Andrew Higgins U.S. Army 1984 – 2009 Born in London, England and raised in Jamaica, West Indies, Neil Higgins was commissioned in the United States Army as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1984. Some of his key operational assignments during his 25 years
VOM – March 2023
Brian J. Styer U.S. Navy 1985 – 1996 Brian J. Styer grew up on a farm in rural Pennsylvania and was a 1985 graduate of Warrior Run High School in Turbotville, PA. Despite receiving a full-ride scholarship to college, college life had to wait. The invasion of Grenada and the
VOM – September 2024
Billy Thomas Rickard U.S. Army 1962 – 1965 Billy Thomas Rickard, the son of William Rickard, Jr., and Mary Elizabeth Rose, was born Jan. 6, 1945, in Shelby County, Tenn. He was a sophomore student at Byars Hall High School when he made the decision to enter military service, joining
VOM – June 2024
Cory Norwood USMCR / ANG Cory Norwood joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) for three primary reasons: (1) to serve his country, (2) to carry-on his family tradition of military service, and (3) to assist with paying for his post high school education. After four years in the
VOM – October 2016
Warren Richard “Rick” Willers US Army 1969-1973 / US Navy, 1973 – 1993 Our October Veteran of the Month is Warren Richard “Rick” Willers. He was born in Pensacola, Florida, and attended Livingston College (now the University of West Alabama) after graduating from Demopolis High School. During his Junior year
VOM – March 2019
Victoria Outlaw-Coone US Marine Corps, 1981-1987 Born and raised in Alabama, by the age of seventeen Vickie knew she wanted to leave Alabama and felt that joining the Army would provide that opportunity. However, once she arrived at the recruitment center and saw the Marine recruiter in his dress blues,
VOM – February 2016
Ted Kesler USN 1951-1972 Munford resident honored as Veteran of the MonthBy Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader Long-time Munford resident Ted Kesler, a 20-year Navy veteran, was honored as the February Veteran of the Month during a recognition ceremony held at the Tipton County Museum, Veteran Memorial and Nature
VOM – January 2025
Robert Earl Beckett, Jr. USAF 1967-1991 Robert Earl Beckett, Jr. was born Feb. 5, 1944, and grew up in South Memphis where he was captain of the 1962 South Side High School football team. At his graduation, the school honored him by retiring his jersey number. After Earl graduated from