Veterans Day 2024 - Virtual Tribute to County Veterans
We proudly pay tribute to the Veterans living in our County who have served our country in the U.S. uniformed and armed services. We also solemnly remember and pay tribute to the County’s fallen service members who have died in service to our country on our Fallen Heroes site.
The records show these men and women as enlisting, being originally from, or having at one time lived in Montgomery County, MD. We consider the U.S. Department of Defense home of entry records as the official designation of military residency.
Please click on the tabs below:
Gulf War (August 2, 1990 – February 28, 1991)
Soren Ashmall
LtCol Soren Ashmall served from 1988 through 2009 as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He served in combat during the first Gulf War in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He later supported combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. LtCol Ashmall held leadership positions throughout his career around the world, including in Panama, deployed aboard ship, and on land. In the later half of his military career, he served at Headquarters United States Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. for eleven years in multiple leadership roles. Following his exemplary service, he retired as a highly decorated combat veteran first in Arlington, Virginia and then Montgomery County, Maryland. Dr. Ashmall is currently a Doctoral Chair at a private university in Maryland. He currently resides in Germantown, Maryland.
Veronica Childers
Veronica Childers served as a nurse in the U.S. Army for 12 years. She worked out of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. She was promoted to Captain during her time in the Army. Childers has lived in Montgomery County since 1997. She has lived in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, and Olney and currently resides in Gaithersburg. She works for the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) of Montgomery County.
Christopher Freeman
Christopher Freeman served as Sergeant and Tank Gunner in the U.S. Army in the Thunder Run which resulted in the fall of Baghdad. He named his tank California Dreaming for his home state. Freeman was also deployed to a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. He currently lives in North Potomac, Maryland with his wife and two dogs. He is employed as a civilian librarian for the Carderock Naval Warfare Station in Bethesda.
Shaun Harris
Shaun Harris served in the U.S. Army from 1990 to 1998. He served at Fort Dix, New Jersey; Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Hood, Texas; and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Throughout his military career, he was promoted from the ranks of several Privates to a Specialist to a Sergeant. He was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield-Desert Storm; to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy; and to Thailand for Operation Cobra Gold. In recognition of his dedicated service, Harris received many honor awards including two Army Commendations six Army Achievement Medals, two Good Conduct Awards, an Army Expedition Award, a South West Asia Medal for Desert Shield-Desert Storm, and The Cease-Fire, an Overseas Ribbon, an Army Service Ribbon, a Liberation of Kuwait Medal, a Superior Unit Citation, a Driver Medal, a Mechanic Medal, an Expert Rifle Badge, Airborne Wings, an Air Assault Badge, and Australian Jump Wings. After being honorably discharged, Harris established a federal career as a Deputy U.S. Marshal and subsequently a Police Officer, a Master Patrol Officer, a Sergeant and currently a Lieutenant. Harris attended John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Maryland and currently resides in Georgia with his wife and children.
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Malcolm Johns
Malcolm Johns served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1991 to 1999 during the Gulf War working on Counter Biological Warfare. He also served in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics where he analyzed bomb fragments. In 1999, Johns transitioned to the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps where he served as a liaison to the FBI in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks as well as on detail to the Department of Homeland Security working counter biological terrorism from 2003 until his retirement on October 1, 2021 as a Captain. He currently resides in Olney, Maryland.
John Paul Lavelle
John LaVelle spent his teenage years performing search and rescue operations for lost hikers in the Civil Air Patrol, inspired by his Marine father's and uncle's Vietnam military service. After high school, LaVelle joined the U.S. Army completing Basic Training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri and then went on to Airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He served two years in the 101st Airborne Division with the 2/17th AirCav Scout Brigade training for combat reconnaissance operations. Once LaVelle became a civilian, he spent 9 months at college but got reactivated for Desert Shield and Storm. This reactivation was due to the advanced desert training he received in the Mojave desert. He left the service proud to have served as a Corporal. He is often quoted as saying, "I did not serve with any particular distinction. I had the distinct honor to serve." LaVelle is now a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivor and a proud resident of Rockville, Maryland.
Jayne Lura-Brown
Jayne Lura-Brown served as a personnelmen in the U.S. Navy at the National Naval Medical Center (now Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) in Bethesda, Maryland. She was attached to the USNS Comfort (T-Ah-20) hospital ship as part of its Deployable Medical Unit (DEPMED). During the ships dock times, Lura-Brown facilitated shipboard trainings to military personnel attached to the ship in Norfolk, VA. As a member of the Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) Manpower Management team, she was instrumental in deploying 2000 plus Navy personnel in 1990 (with only 24 hours notice) to the ship at the onset of the first Gulf war, while also preparing for her own deployment thereon. Lura-Brown served on the USNS Comfort (T-Ah-20) during Operation Desert Storm, Operation Imminent Thunder, and received the armed forces National Defense Ribbon for her service aboard the USNS Comfort during the Persian Gulf War. She continues to serve the Nation through her 30+ continued years of Federal Government service as a Program Analyst with the Department of Health and Human Services. She also continues to serve her fellow Veterans through her membership and leadership activities with the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Veteran Recruitment and Retention Force (VRF) developed in 2011 to support and mentor veteran employees at the NIH, and to engage and facilitate veteran recruitment strategies within the agency. Lura-Brown currently resides in Germantown, Maryland.
Lisa J. Markland
Lisa Markland joined the United States Air Force in September 1985, initially through the Air National Guard and later served through the Air Force Reserves at what was then Andrews Air Force Bace. She was permanently injured at her first reserve drill in March 1988, but served through the Gulf War and was honorably discharged in the summer of 1992. Although Markland completed her master’s degree while still in service she chose to serve in aeromedical evacuation, and left service as an E-5 staff sergeant. She currently resides in Germantown, Maryland. View full profile
Anthony J. Ramienski
Anthony Ramienski served 24 years as a United States Army officer specializing in both tactical and signals intelligence. He served twice in combat with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada) and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (Saudi Arabia and Iraq). Ramienski was a rated master parachutist with 94 parachute jumps. He retired from service as a Lieutentant Colonel. He currently resides in Olney, Maryland.
Stewart Van Redfield, Jr.
Chief Petty Officer Stewart Van Redfield Jr. proudly served in the U. S. Navy for over 21 years. Chief Redfield grew up in Wheaton, Maryland and attended Montgomery County Public Schools. After graduating from Albert Einstein High School in Kensington, Maryland, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was trained as a Cryptologic Technician. Chief Redfield served in numerous assignments from the Naval Security Group Activity, Misawa, Japan, where he deployed on 13 different combatant ships, to being stationed on the USS Nimitz and other U.S. military installations throughout his career. Even more, Chief Redfield was instrumental in forming the USO’s “Operation Care Package” Program in support of troops deploying to Afghanistan as a result of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. Upon retiring from Naval Service, he began working as a contractor in the Intelligence Community. Later, Chief Redfield founded The Birchmere Group, LLC where he serves as the President/CEO and employs over 15 people. Chief Redfield holds a master’s degree in Information Assurance and several graduate certificates. His family, lifelong residents of Montgomery County, are extremely proud of his Naval Service and all he has accomplished and continues to do in service to others.
Julien Singh
Julien Singh served in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) as a Sergeant from 1992 to 1998 during the Gulf War. He was handpicked from the 10% of the USMC for diplomatic security across three U.S. missions where he was immersed in conflicted environments, fostering diplomatic and personal relationships. Notable experiences include St. Petersburg, Russia, where Singh supervised Marines and initiated the “Toys for Tots” program for a local orphanage. In Karachi, Pakistan, he operated amid violence and received the Marine Security Guard Detachment of the Year award. He led a squad of 10 Marines in Cairo, Egypt, and served as an Infantry Rifleman with deployments in the Middle East and Somalia, demonstrating unwavering commitment. Singh currently resides in Poolesville, Maryland.
Joyce Tabb
Served Active Duty Army during the Gulf War from 1975-1978 as a Finance Specialist at Fort Hood, Texas, with honorably discharge in December 1978 as Sergeant. She immediately joined the Army Reserves in January 1979 serving in Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia and later Riverdale, Maryland, serving until retirement in 1996 as Sergeant First Class. While assigned to the U.S. Army Reserves in Riverdale, Tabb served in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War at Fort Meade, Maryland, in 1991. During her 21 years of service she worked as a Finance Specialist, Administrative Specialist, Payroll Clerk, Supply Specialist, and Training Specialist and received numerous rewards for her service. Tabb has worked in Management and Budget for the Montgomery County Police Department since March 2014 as a Fiscal Assistant and Accountant/Auditor.
Ruben Doquenia Viray
Ruben Doquenia Viray joined the U.S. Army on January 28, 1977 and proudly served as an Infantryman and Administrative Specialist until he honorably retired from his military career after more than 20 years of service.
His military awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, “Ironman” Award, Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Lapel Button, and Expert Marksmanship Badge. Orginally from Sual, Pangasinan, Philippines, Viray spent most of his years as a resident of Montgomery County until he passed away peacefully at his home in Silver Spring, Maryland on April 17, 2023. He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Magdalina Lee Viray, and his children, Daniel Lee Viray and Maria Viray Ricasa, who currently reside in Silver Spring.
Joann C. Watts Moore
Technical Sergeant (Retired) Joann C. Watts Moore committed to signing up for military delayed enlistment on the buddy system with two friends during her senior year of high school. When her buddies were no shows on the day they were scheduled to enlist she stepped out on faith and entered the U.S. Air Force solo in the aircraft maintenance field at a time when females were exploring non-traditional careers. She served at the Dover Air Force Base (DAFB), Delaware with the 436th Airlift Wing as a C-5 aircraft maintenance crew member providing support to keep the C-5 Galaxy fleet airborne facilitating worldwide movement of outsized cargo and personnel. During her time at DAFB the bodies from the Jim Jones massacre were processed on base. After completing six years in the aircraft maintenance field, she transitioned to the U.S. Air Force Reserves and pursued a Medical Laboratory Technician career with the DAFB 512th Airlift Wing responsible for collecting and testing blood for military members and their families. As a reservist, she continued taking classes and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Math and Computer Science which allowed her to wear two hats contributing to military family health in uniform and information technology development as a civilian. As she neared the end of her military career her reserve unit was activated to support active duty during the Gulf War 1990-1991 (Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm). She is currently actively engaged in social justice and Get Out The Vote activism. Watts Moore lived in Gaithersburg, Maryland during her service and currently resides in Boyds, Maryland.
Robert Wolfe
Robert Wolfe served in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain from 1984 to 1992. He served in the 485th Engineering Installation Group, Rome, New York from 1984 to 1989 as a Communications Engineer and Chief of Data Automation. From 1989 to 1992 he served as Chief of the Wideband Special Team in the 435th Communications Group, Rhein-Main Airforce Base, Germany. Wolfe currently resides in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Laurence J. Zimmerman
Laurence Zimmerman served in the Air Force from 1965 to 1980, being promoted to Captain in 1969. During his service he was assigned to Germany and Thailand where he served during the Vietnam War. Zimmerman also served in the U.S. Army from 1981 to 1995. He was promoted to Major in 1990. During his service he was deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq during the first Gulf War. Zimmerman was born in Baltimore and attended Parkville High School. He earned his BA and MA from the University of Maryland. He has been a resident of Montgomery County since 1972 and currently resides in Rockville.
If you would like to share your story or the story of a friend or family member, please either fill out our Google form or fill out the PDF form. Questions can be directed to MCCVA@montgomerycountymd.gov.
For more information please call 240-777-1252 (V) or email MCCVA@montgomerycountymd.gov
