PEOPLE Tribute for Heroes

After Congress passed a law allowing women to enlist with children, Margo Parker was the first woman in California to enlist. Years later, both Margo and her husband received orders for Desert Storm while they had six children at home in Tucson, Ariz. Fortunately, Margo was able to serve locally and her husband was deployed to the United Arab Emirates. She raised her children and worked tirelessly for her country while worrying about her husband. This was before the Internet made daily calls and emails possible. Today, Margo and her husband are retired from the Air Force, but she still works full time and helps her children and 14 grandchildren. Many have depended on Margo through the years; she serves a small community in big ways.

Grit and determination define Brian Hicks of Pike Road, Ala. Despite a 1998 hunting accident injury and those sustained in a 2003 Iraq deployment that led to his left leg being amputated, Brian has completed 35 triathlons and eight marathons. In 2012, he was awarded the USA Triathlon Comeback of the Year Award. When he isn't competing or working as resident engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers at Maxwell AFB, he mentors other disabled veterans through the Birmingham, Ala.-based Lakeshore Foundation, the Wounded Warrior Project in Jacksonville, Fla., and CAST (Christian Amputee Support Team) ministries based in Opelika, Ala.

Rob Jones is a study in bravery and determination. After losing both legs to an IED in Taliban territory in Afghanistan in 2010, the combat engineer might have given up, but instead he fought back. Rob, who lives in Charlottesville, Va., used his recovery time learning to use his new prosthetic legs and relearning other activities, including rowing. He enjoyed rowing so much he decided to try out for the 2012 Paralympics. After intense training and several qualifying events, Rob and his rowing partner won the bronze in London. Now, Rob plans to cycle across America for charity in fall 2013 to raise $1 million for charities aiding disabled veterans. He is also a motivational speaker, telling his story of triumph over adversity. Rob was awarded a Purple Heart and was honorably discharged in 2011.

Joe "Kap" Kapacziewski of Upatol, Ga., made history by becoming the first Army Airborne Ranger ever to return to combat after an amputation. Badly wounded in 2005 in Iraq by a grenade explosion, Joe suffered a severed nerve and artery in one arm, deep wounds on his hip and shattered bones in his right leg. He endured more than 42 surgeries on his leg, but it would not heal, and so he allowed doctors to amputate. Returning to Ranger duty on his prosthetic leg, Joe has served five combat deployments as an amputee. In 2010, he dragged a wounded Ranger to safety through relentless enemy gunfire, with the help of another soldier, to save the Ranger's life. The much-decorated Ranger is a mentor with CAF Operation Rebound.

Rich Bennett, of DeKalb, Ill., served in the Army's 101st Airborne Division. During a deployment to Afghanistan, Rich's unit came under fire on a daily basis. While on an air assault mission to the Korengal Valley, Rich, with no thought for his own safety, ran 35 meters through heavy enemy fire and threw himself on the platoon's fallen medic to shield him from further wounds. Heavy fire continued all around as Rich pulled his fellow soldier to cover. That solider is now recovering from his wounds. For his actions, Rich was awarded the Silver Star. He says he only did what any of his fellow infantrymen would have done. Rich is now pursuing a bachelor's degree at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, and hopes to work with the Wounded Warriors Project after graduation. He is also vice president of the Veterans Club at Northern Illinois University, which works with the local VFW and American Legion to support local veterans.

Israel Del Toro, of Cibolo, Texas, was given a 15 percent chance of survival after an IED explosion left him with third-degree burns over 85 percent of his body. The Air Force sergeant was in a remote part of Afghanistan in December 2005 when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. But Israel did survive, and after 120 surgeries (so far), he is the first 100 percent disabled Airmen to re-enlist in the Air Force, currently serving as an instructor. He also recently competed in the Warrior Games. Today the multiple medal winner speaks to students and military personnel, urging them not to give up on their dreams. He has been a board member of Operation Home Front, raised $25K for the Real Hero's Children's Charity, and participated in three home builds with Habitat for Humanity.

As soon as he could after Sept. 11, 2001, Joe Carroll joined the military where he served as an Army Ranger. Joe deployed to Iraq on three separate occasions where he participated in over 100 combat missions. After Joe returned home to Cincinnati, he founded Helping Hands of Cincinnati, a nonprofit that helps families fight the financial burdens of cancer. He came up with the idea after his mother, brother and many family friends were diagnosed with the disease. HHoC helps families facing cancer meet financial obligations that insurance typically doesn't cover, including travel and living expenses, physical and psychotherapy costs, deductibles and co-insurance payments. Joe also volunteers his time with the American Cancer Society.

WWII vet Raymond Matwich peformed a critical job during the war: guarding the door of the war room in which Operation Dragoon -- the invasion of south France -- was being made. General Truscott asked him to guard the door from the inside, which allowed Ray to see all the plans laid out on the table. He said the generals must have had a lot of trust in him to let him into that room. That trust was well deserved. Ray, now 92, received five Battle Stars and was discharged as a Corporal after the war ended. The Leavittsburg, Ohio, resident was active in American Legion and is a lifetime member. He was also active in the community as a baseball coach for all ages.

William Hess of Colorado Springs, Colo., has served 10 years in the Army, with two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. As Platoon Sergeant in a Combat Engineer Company, his primary job is finding and destroying IEDs to clear the way for follow-on forces. In August 2011, after roadside bombs struck three separate vehicles, William disregarded his own safety and, while under enemy fire, rushed to the aid of wounded soldiers. William has two sons, Aiden and Luke. Aiden has Down syndrome, and so William gives presentations about the condition to educate his peers and subordinates about the condition.

Cory Gritter, of Rockville, Md., was an accomplished athlete in high school, but passed up his dream of playing collegiate soccer to join the Marine Corps. He even achieved his dream of becoming a Marine Scout Sniper. During an early mission in Afghanistan, Cory suffered significant shrapnel wounds to his leg, torso, hand and shoulder caused by an IED explosion. After three years recovering at Bethesda Naval Medical Center, he was recently discharged and founded a cyber security company to help transitioning veterans like him find careers. Despite his struggles, he has the desire to help others. He has volunteered with Toys for Tots and with his church, helping run activities for children with autism. Cory also recently completed the Marine Corps Marathon to raise money for Hire our Heroes.

Dennis Derr of League City, Texas, served honorably as an Infantryman in the Marines for seven years, but was medically retired due to injuries he received in combat. In addition to being awarded the Purple Heart, he received the Bronze Star medal with Combat "V". Dennis works full time, but finds time to help other wounded warriors. He volunteers with Houston-area organizations such as Impact a Hero and Combat Marine Outdoors, which takes wounded vets from their San Antonio hospital on fishing and hunting trips.

Clayton Zupon passed up potential baseball scholarships to join the Marines. On his second deployment to the Middle East, doctors discovered a plum-size tumor in his brain and later, another on his spine. Clayton, a single father with a 2-year-old son, was given 12 months to live. Three years later, he's still beating the odds. Clayton was honorably discharged with a medical retirement at 100 percent in 2010. Throughout radiation and chemotherapy, Clayton has kept a positive attitude and continues to volunteer. The Peculiar, Mo., resident enjoys spending time with the kids at the Cancer Center at the Children's Hospital in Downtown Kansas City. He also teaches and coaches kids' bowling on Saturdays. Clayton is a big supporter of The Wounded Warrior Project, participating in various motorcycle rides to raise money for wounded vets.

Above and beyond doesn't begin to cover it. Shortly after returning from Iraq, Kevin Burciaga learned he was a perfect bone marrow match for a complete stranger. Without hesitation, he flew to Washington, D.C., donated his marrow in a week-long procedure, and then spent his birthday in the ER as a result of the procedure. The patient fully recovered and is now close to Kevin and his wife. While in Iraq (9/07-9/08), Kevin was on the Incident Response Team, doing the dangerous work of detonating IEDs. He received numerous medals for his work. Kevin, who lives in Upland, Calif., coaches a YMCA league basketball team, but his favorite volunteer job is with Young Marines, a program that helps kids stay off the streets and out of trouble through community service and a focus on education.

David E. Patterson Sr. of Rio Rancho, N.M., is among an elite group of marines who helped create the only unbroken code in modern military history. As one of the Navajo Code Talkers, David and other Navajos coded and decoded classified military dispatches during WWII using a code derived from their native tongue. The Code Talkers took part in every Marine assault, from Guadalcanal in 1942 to Okinawa in 1945, including the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein, Iwo Jima, and Saipan, and doubtless helped win the war. After he was discharged, David, now 90, went to college in Oklahoma and New Mexico, becoming a social worker. He married and raised his family on the reservation in Shiprock, N.M., and worked for the Navajo Nation's Division of Social Services until retiring in 1987. He was awarded the Silver Congressional Medal of Honor in 2001 and up until last year volunteered in a Shiprock school on the Navajo Reservation as a foster grandparent.

Husband and father of two, SFC John Kloiber of Crestview, Fla., has served in the U.S. Army for nearly two decades. Since 2001 he has been deployed nine times to Afghanistan; earlier deployments took him to Russia, Egypt, Korea and elsewhere. He has been a proud member of the 7th Special Forces for several years and has earned many commendations, including a Bronze Star. At home, John volunteers at the Special Olympics and for his sons' baseball teams and participates in charity road races. Ever humble, John doesn't boast about his accomplishments, because he believes that they are for his country and his family.

As a combat airlift crewmember, Brandon Nontelle of Altus, Okla., has participated in dangerous operations all over the world, including a search-and-rescue effort in Antarctica. During many Afghan missions, his crew flew treacherously close to the ground to drop supplies to bases throughout the country. He's been awarded six Air Medals for combat missions, an Aerial Achievement edal, and a Humanitarian Medal, among many other awards. Brandon is a passionate volunteer: He is program director for ASPIRE, an after-school study program for at-risk kids in Altus; has helped organize a Habitat for Humanity event; and participates in numerous food drives.

Patrick Nelson from Eden Prairie, Minn., has so many honors it is impossible to list them all. The former paratrooper logged 39 months of combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan while serving nearly seven years of active duty in the Army. After being wounded in June 2005 by a rocket near the Pakistani border, Patrick returned to Afghanistan to continue fighting. For his service he was awarded Bronze Star Medal in 2008. Patrick was the first-ever recipient of the NFL-Tillman Scholarship, which, honors an individual who exemplifies Pat Tillman's legacy of service. He graduated magna cum laude from Minnesota State University in 2012. Since leaving the Army, Patrick started Real Combat Life, a nonprofit that offers vets an online forum to share their stories from combat. Patrick has volunteered for the Greater Mankato Tee It Up for the Troops golf event raising money for wounded veterans and their families, and recently started working with Minnesota businesses to help end veteran unemployment.

Helen Fumo of Manor, Texas, has served her country, community and family all of her life. The 91-year-old enlisted in the Woman's Army Corps (WAC) in 1943. She receivied training in Massachusetts, New York and North Carolina, before taking an overcrowded troop ship from Stockton, Calif., to the Philippines and finally to her permanent station in New Guinea. Helen worked in the mess hall and any place else she was needed until she was honorably discharged on Nov. 5, 1945. Helen volunteered at St. May's Church in Norwalk, Conn., as a Sunday school teacher while her daughters were growing up. She was also a member of the Catholic Women's Club bowling team of Norwalk and of her local VFW. Her greatest service was as her role as babysitter to her four grandchildren.

Jonathan Popovich is a devoted husband and father, a decorated combat veteran and a readjustment counselor at a local Vet Center. He has dedicated his life to the service of this country and to those who defend it. All of Jonathan's active duty military service was spent with the 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Iraq in 2003 as part of the initial invasion force and has received many military honors including a Combat Action Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation and the Ranger Tab. The Pompton Lakes, N.J., resident has spent the better part of the last decade working to make the lives of our nation's returning warriors better. Through his work at the Vet Center, he has organized dozens of programs and outreach events. He provides counseling to returning veterans and their families and serves as a liaison between them and the job training, education and disability benefits they're due.

Corbin Cherry, of Hertford, N.C., is a hero. He lost his leg saving three soldiers and a medic while under heavy fire in Vietnam. He earned three Purple Hearts, five Air Medals and the Silver Star, among other awards. As chief of chaplains for the VA under President Carter, Corbin oversaw 1,500 chaplains in 50 states and Puerto Rico. He also served for 25 years as the San Francisco Veterans Medical Center chaplain, working with vets suffering from PTSD. In 2004, Corbin played golf on 165 of 166 days in 48 states to raise awareness for disabled people and vets in sports. And, in 2005, he started a wheelchair foundation for disabled children in Vietnam, where many have been wounded by landmines from various wars over the years. He has furnished over 1,000 wheelchairs and sponsored more than 60 surgeries and artificial limbs. He is a hero.

Louis Namm of Thorofare, N.J., has worked for the VA in the Vocational Rehabilitation office in Philadelphia for 39 years. There he encourages and guides veterans back into society, school and work. His clients appreciate his passion and drive, but also his honesty, as he pushes them to do and be better. As a sergeant in Vietnam, Louis stepped on a landmine while guiding his platoon. He lost both legs, but his actions saved his men. He received two Purple Hearts for Bravery and Injury. Golf is Louis' passion. He took it up as a challenge to himself and is now a semi-pro golf teacher. He is also a lead instructor for a charity called Amputee Veterans First Swing, which offers golf instruction to those with disabilities and those who teach golf to disabled individuals.

On July 7, 2005, Jeff Mittman of New Palestine, Ind., was serving as an advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior when a roadside bomb explosion left Jeff blind, without a nose, lips or teeth, and severely damaged his right arm. Jeff has endured dozens of surgeries to reconstruct his facial features and repair his injuries. He was awarded three Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge (second award), among others. Jeff is a requested speaker nationwide, sharing lessons he has learned from his experiences. He demonstrates that traumatic events may shape but don't have to determine a life's course. He inspires people to provide support for disabled veterans through volunteer, business and employment opportunities. Jeff has received awards from the American Foundation for the Blind and Lighthouse International and serves on the board of two separate nonprofits.

After graduating high school, Josh Hooker of San Diego enlisted in the United States Army and served as a member of an Army Scout team. In the summer of 2006, while deployed to Iraq, Josh's left leg was mangled in an explosion from an IED that struck the Humvee he was riding in. His good friend was killed before his eyes. Josh endured dozens of surgeries and skin grafts and was mostly bedridden. In an effort to regain his mobility, Josh decided to have his left leg amputated below the knee. Soon after, he was riding a bike again. With a bike borrowed from a friend, Josh began cycling throughout the city and would at times cycle up to 50 miles in a day. He now volunteers with CAF Operation Rebound and Canine Companions for Independence Veterans in addition to working as a high school football coach in San Diego.

Gil Calac of White Swan, Wash., has done much for veterans since he served in Vietnam and received the Bronze Star for meritorious service. Gil, a member of the Paiute/Mission tribe of Susanville, Calif., and his wife, Valerie, a member of the Yakama Nation, live on the Yakama Indian Reservation. Before retiring, Gil worked as the Center director of Fort Simcoe Job Corps Center. He is also a member and cultural leader of the Yakama Warriors Association, a veterans organization. As an honor guard member, he participates in flag ceremonies and burials of deceased veterans. Gil was instrumental in getting a Vietnam Veterans Day proclaimed in Washington state, working for months with Representative Norm Johnson. Now each year, March 30 is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.

Rob Dyer is an active duty Marine Corps aviation officer, a highly decorated combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and an entrepreneur. Rob and his team of Special Ops Marines came up with the idea for a nutrition product, RuckPack, that offers vitamins and energy without caffeine. He founded the company and created the product with his fellow Marines and has committed to hiring veterans and active duty military. In addition, he is giving 10 percent of company profits to military charities. RuckPack has already donated $5,000 to the MARSOC Foundation, $7,000 to the Navy SEAL Foundation, $3,000 to the Semper Fi Fund and $1,000 total to Wounded Warriors. Rob now lives in Annapolis, Md., and is stationed at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he teaches accounting, basic economics and terrorist financing (a course he introduced to the school).

Brian Taylor Urruela of Tampa, Fla., joined the U.S. Army Infantry in 2004 upon graduation from high school and served for more than six years. While serving in Iraq in 2006, he lost his leg after his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device, which also took the life of his commander. At home, Brian helped start VETSports, a non-profit organization that provides adaptive sports opportunities for returning wounded and combat veterans. The organization's mission is to provide veterans with physical, emotional and psychological rehabilitation through adaptive sports while also assisting them with their reintegration into their respective communities. His organization further provided assistance to his fellow warriors by setting up an annual college benefit for the son of his deceased commander. The Purple Heart recipient is currently attending the University of Tampa where he is studying sports management and plans on trying out for their JV baseball team.

Brad Snyder was in a combat zone in Kandahar in 2011 when an IED explosion injured two of his team members as they were walking through an uncleared field. While rushing to provide medical assistance, he stepped on a second IED. The explosion burned his face and blinded him, but Brad found a new way to excel in the world. After the accident, he rediscovered his life-long love of swimming. Less than a year later, he was selected for the USA Paralympics swim team for the 2012 London Games and won two golds, a silver and set a number of American records and a Paralympics record. Today, Brad advocates for wounded veterans and the Paralympics movement. He also supports charities that helped him through his rehabilitation. Brad has used his gifts as an inspirational athlete to serve as an incredible role model for thousands of veterans and disabled Americans who face similar challenges.

In 2007, while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, Zach Briseno's convoy was hit by an IED. The explosive blew a hole in the floorboard beneath him, mangling his legs and right arm. Within two days, he went from Iraq to Germany to Maryland, left lying in a hospital bed with no legs to ponder his future. A fellow double amputee from Fort Worth, Texas, visited with Zach and completely changed his outlook. He also received a visit from President George W. Bush at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., after he was awarded a Purple Heart and citation. The president showed Zach heartfelt gratitude for his sacrifice to our country. Zach was also was nominated for the American Patriot Award by Operation Military Embrace president Jerry Reed.

Nicholas Kerr of Victoria, British Columbia, is a Medal of Bravery nominee for saving a civilian's life after a car accident. As a member of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, he won several Canadian Forces National Sports awards. After Afghanistan, the artillery chose the decorated infantryman -- a first -- to join Avalanche Control Operation Palaci (AVCON). His howitzer training was put to use supporting Parks Canada's Rogers Pass, BC, program. Currently, he is a member of the Canadian Forces Reserves and volunteers with community and veterans groups, such as Victoria Urban Search and Rescue and a wilderness rescue team, the Patricia Veterans Program, Thank A Soldier, and Cat Daddy Fishing Guide Services, a wounded veterans program. He has also patrolled for polar bears at the northern-most settlement in the world.

John Belcher of Tunkhannock, Pa., served honorably as a Marine in the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars for nearly 10 years, winning numerous citations and medals for his bravery in combat. After his discharge, John began his career of helping vets. He worked for a federal government official, and after only a few months was promoted to the office's Veteran Affairs representative. There he helped more than 600 veterans resolve issues with the VA and to obtain the medals they deserved. After one year, John was again promoted, to his current position of district director, where he continues to help vets. John has also been the Veterans Service Officer with his local American Legion post for the past couple of years.