By Brandon Kurzawski Maria Bardakos knows her life’s work connects directly to her service in the U.S. Coast Guard.  It taught her, she said, to work hard and always to be organized, and Bardakos helped create a special force at her base that still remains. Her...

By Samantha Hindman Robert Mastraieni made his slow trek to his first assigned base. His orders were scanned, and he was allowed to step within the cold metal gates. He looked around and realized that what was meeting his gaze – a  100,000-ton aircraft carrier, the...

By Natalea Hillen It all started one day when a 12-year-old boy, Carlos Jativa, saw a commercial on TV that changed his life. “I saw a commercial of a dude scaling a rock, and once he got to the top of the rock he fought a dragon. Once he defeated the dragon, he...

By: Noah Marshalek Chris Moore decided he was not in the right state of mind for college after completing only two semesters in a little over two years. Moore, who is 73 now, knew he was going to be drafted because of his poor grades, so he enlisted instead. This...

By: Mason Strawn The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, played a massive part in many people’s lives. In the year following 9/11, over 180,000 Americans enlisted in the military, including Pittsburgh native Steve Snyder. Three days after the attacks on the nation,...

By: Jordan Yaniga Christopher Rolinson’s journey in the Army was the kick start he needed to get out of his hometown life and build who he is today, he said, and it has led him to much success and happiness. His service led him into the field of communications and...

By: Erin Yudt The year is 1950. Henry Yudt Jr. had dropped out of his senior year of high school with his group of friends to work at Westinghouse in Sharon, Pa., joining his father at the electric manufacturing company. Yudt believes he is about to start his...