Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Corps and Persian Gulf War Veteran Randy Hebert.
Randy served as an assistant operations officer with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. On Feb. 24, 1991, or G-Day, the official day the ground campaign of the Gulf War began, Randy and his unit were deployed to the border between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
In 1995, Randy was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease. After the diagnosis, he became an advocate for other Veterans also suffering from ALS. Randy later testified in hearings before the Congressional House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight regarding the Persian Gulf War Syndrome.
Randy currently lives with his wife in North Carolina. While ALS has affected his body, he is still able to communicate by blinking his eyes. In an interview with People magazine, when asked about his perseverance, he replied, “God made me a Marine: motivated and mentally tough.”
Thank you for your service, Randy!
Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.
Graphic By Kierra Willis: Kierra Willis is a Graphic Communication Major at the University of Maryland University College. She currently has an AAS in Graphic Design and Visual Communications.
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