#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Deborah Trouba

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Deborah Trouba, who served for 20 years in the Air Force and sews COVID-19 masks for a cancer center.

Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Deborah Trouba joined the Air Force in November 1972. She was inspired after witnessing military action at her father’s lake property near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. She spent over half of her career at Offutt and later retired there.

Trouba split time between Nebraska and Florida growing up. She graduated in 1972 and joined the service November of the same year.

Trouba went to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Her first direct duty role was with a combat support group at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota from 1973 until 1975. She then served in Korea at Kunsan Air Base with the 8th Security Police Squadron for one year. She returned to Offutt to serve with 554th Aerospace Reconnaissance Technical Wing in 1976. Afterward, she served at Grand Forks again with the 319th Bombardment Wing until 1979.

From 1979 to 1980, she served at Wake Island with the 15th Air Base Wing. After her stint in the Pacific, she worked with the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon for three years. In 1983, she returned to Offutt and the 554th Strategic Intelligence Wing. She then served with the 1811th Communications Group from 1984 until 1988.

Her final station was at Strategic Air Command, where she was stationed from 1988 until its de-establishment in 1992. Trouba retired from the service in December 1992. During her service, she received several awards including a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and three Air Force Commendation Medals.

After leaving the service, Trouba returned to south Florida, where she married and raised three children. She worked in the private industry until moving to northern Florida, where Trouba worked for the census and volunteered within her community. In 2018, Trouba was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. She continues to receive chemotherapy treatments but considers herself a survivor of the disease.

In 2019, Trouba learned to sew, a skill that has allowed her to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has sewn over 300 masks for her family and friends, doctor, nurses, teachers and the staff at the cancer center.

Thank you for your service!

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? VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Contributors

Writer: Katherine Berman

Editor: Lutfia Khaleque, Julia Pack

Fact checker: Alexandria Davenport

Graphic artist: Erin Gallagher