Retiree Appreciation Day

Greg Mask served in the Air Force for 26 years. He is a first year Trustee at the Scott Veterans of Foreign Wars and does it as a way of continual service. Laughing, Mask said the best thing about the military was simply making it to retirement. Then he added that there’s no other place with camaraderie like in the military. For him, the VFW is a way to keep that camaraderie.

Retiree Appreciation Day

Wilma St. Onge served as a communications officer in the Air Force and retired after 20 years. She met her husband in Germany, married him in Denmark, and noted how traveling and seeing so many different cultures was one of the best things the military gave her. She served in the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm and continues to serve by being a part of the Red Cross, acting as a special events coordinator and ensuring loved ones are connected in emergency situations. “I like helping people,” St Onge said. “Messaging is the most meaningful part of what I do.”

Retiree Appreciation Day

Chuck Jorgenson gave 37 years to the Army, retiring as a Colonel. He started as a morse code interceptor in the enlisted force before becoming a warrant officer. Just two years after that, however, he made another big change after he was accepted into the Army's Officer Candidate School. He continues to serve by being a part of the O’Fallon American Legion. Despite his lengthy service and impressive history, he insists that his wife, not him, is the truly inspiring one because of all the hard work she puts in while working at the Transportation Command.

Retiree Appreciation Day

James Calvin Quaid showed up to Scott’s Retiree Appreciation Days wearing Air Force suspenders and a sharp Air Force tie. “They put me in the color guard because of my height,” he said, reminiscing about his younger military days. “I remember one day I was marching, and the flag knocked my hat off,” he said laughing. “But I just kept on walking." Overall, he served 26 years in the military. He served six years in the Army before giving the Air Force an additional 20, where he was a T-37 pilot.

Retiree Appreciation Day

Steve Zalesky served in the Air Force for 21 years. He started out as a security forces member and later moved to manpower. A humbled man, he shied away from the veteran appreciation attention and offered names of other veterans he felt deserving. In responding to what the most meaningful part of the military was for him, Zalesky said, “I think in the end it always comes down to the commitment to serve.” Even though he retired, he continues to work on base, extending his commitment.

Retiree Appreciation Day

Allen Depping retired from the Navy after serving in Vietnam and ultimately giving the military over 20 years of service. His strongest memory during his career, Depping said, was the USS Enterprise fire of 1969 that occurred off the coast of Pearl Harbor while they were preparing to go to war. “I was 60 feet below sea level,” he said, when a Zuni rocket detonated, causing a series of additional explosions. Fires and blasts burned through the flight deck, creating a hole right next to Depping’s bed. Although 28 sailors were killed that day, he was not harmed, but the accident resulted in over 300 injuries and the loss of 15 aircraft.

Retiree Appreciation Day

Published Sept. 29, 2016
By Staff Sgt. Jodi Martinez
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Greg Mask served in the Air Force for 26 years. He is a first year Trustee at the Scott Veterans of Foreign Wars and does it as a way of continual service. Laughing, Mask said the best thing about the military was simply making it to retirement. Then he added that there’s no other place with camaraderie like in the military. For him, the VFW is a way to keep that camaraderie.