The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Younger veterans sought
Veterans council leaders invite younger vets to join
New leaders of the Lorain Veteran’s Council are inviting younger veterans to step up for community service.
On April 15, the Council of representatives of local veterans service organizations installed new officers.
Mike Kachure began his two-year term as president; Joseph DelMonico, vice president; Stephen Sturgill, secretary; and Michael Simpson will remain treasurer another year.
The transition came a year later than usual. The leadership change typically happened as part of Lorain’s Veteran of the Year celebration in April, but that event went on hold in 2020 and 2021 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Kachure said.
Outgoing President Tim Carrion stayed on a year longer due to the pandemic.
Meet the officers
Kachure, DelMonico and Sturgill all are alumni of Lorain’s former Admiral King High School and all served in the U.S. Army.
Kachure, a 1993 West Point graduate, served as a combat engineer officer and now is vice president of strategic partnerships for a health care performance company.
He is post commander for AMVETS Post 47 in Lorain.
The 2018 Lorain veteran of the year, DelMonico served in Germany while in the Army from 1969 to 1971.
DelMonico has served as state and national commander for the ItalianAmerican War Veterans.
He operates his own barbershop with his son, John, and grandson, Gino, and credited his wife, Gina, for her support while he works with veterans issues.
A longtime Lorain City Schools administrator, Sturgill is chief of staff in Sandusky City Schools.
On the Lorain Veterans Council, he represents the Italian-American War Veterans and his son, Army 2Lt. Brandin Sturgill, is stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.
Simpson, a U.S. Navy veteran, works as a medical technician for the VA clinic in Sheffield Village.
He is a member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 20 in Lorain.
Advocates for good
The new officers have been involved with veterans issues for some time, Sturgill said.
He predicted that transition will be pretty easy.
The officers said they will continue to be strong advocates for veterans issues.
Advocacy is probably the biggest thing the veterans service organizations do, Sturgill said.
Community involvement follows from there, he said.
“We continue to advocate for Lorain, the Lorain city and Lorain community, when it comes to civic improvement,” Sturgill said. “I think that’s important.
“It’s equally important as advocacy because we want to see our communities thrive.”
Leaders remembered
The veterans council includes members of nine veterans service organizations in Lorain.
The officers noted Lorain has lost two veteran leaders since the start of 2020.
Samuel Felton was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who received the Navy Cross for his valor in combat in Vietnam.
A member of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, Felton died in May last year at age 70.
Art Goodman served in the Army in World War II and became an elder statesman for veteran and community service in Lorain.
He died in June at age 94.
COVID-19 hit the world harder than anyone expected, but losing Felton and Goodman hit the Lorain Veteran’s Council harder than the pandemic, Carrion said.
“They were kind of our heroes — not kind of, they were our heroes, our leaders, for so long and many of us are involved and began to be involved because of their mentorship and guidance,” he said.
“They were a backbone for Lorain veterans,” DelMonico said.
Kachure said Felton was an inspiration to get involved with veterans and the community.
“What he taught me was, you could serve your country for a year, or for 25 years, and retire, but you have an opportunity to serve your community as a veteran for a lifetime, for your life,” Kachure said.
“And, I think we all should step up,” he added.
Goodman was “near and dear to me,” and their weekly Friday morning breakfasts at Chris’ Restaurant were the highlight of the week, Kachure said.
“Certainly, this community has a big gap, from a veteran’s perspective for sure, with their passing,” he said.
Call to serve
Lorain County, Ohio and the nation are losing World War II veterans due to age.
Vietnam-era veterans have stepped up and some Gulf War-era veterans are getting involved.
The veteran service organizations want to add younger members to the ranks, Carrion and Sturgill said.
“Trying to get those young veterans out has been difficult,” Sturgill said. “I think I’m one of the youngest ones there and I’m 49.
“So, we’re trying to push and get more of those young veterans involved in our groups.”
Membership offers camaraderie, Sturgill said, and many veterans join more than one organization.
The groups can help members navigate the systems for health care and education, or basic food and shelter if veterans are in need, he said.
Supporters without military experience should know some veterans service organizations have auxiliary groups for women and children of veterans, Kachure said.