Virginia

Steve Bozeman

Steve Bozeman is an iconic figure in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is the epitome of a Marine. He works tirelessly to support and uplift veterans recently returned from contemporary battlefields with housing and transition needs.

His vision and commitment to the Monument Terrace Troops Rally event in Lynchburg has turned a local response to the 9/11 attacks into a weekly remembrance and celebration of veterans and active military members in Central Virginia. This event at Monument Terrace has been held each Friday at 12 noon since November 30, 2001.

Note: Chris Hughes provided the following articles about Steve Bozeman published in a Lynchburg local news outlet as well as va.gov, Internet Archive, and marinemarathon.com hall of fame.

https://goodnewsmags.com/lynchburg-va/steve-bozeman-lynchburg-veterans-unite-to-serve/
https://www.va.gov/salem-health-care/stories/vietnam-veteran-inspires-others/
https://archive.org/details/lynva-Building_Our_Community_Mr_Steve_Bozeman_Vietnam_Veteran https://www.marinemarathon.com/hall-of-fame/

Location: Lynchburg, Virginia

Submitted by: Chris Hughes

SgtMaj Justin LeHew

Justin LeHew concluded his Marine Corps Service as 3D Marine Regiment Sergeant Major in charge of the largest Marine infantry unit, Pacific Theater of Operations. He has dedicated his post-service years to veterans issues and currently serves as Special Advisor to the Governor of Virginia, Joint Leadership Council. He is also concurrently Team Long Road founder and has walked 3,365 miles coast-to-coast to support veterans charitable causes; co-founder Amphibious Tractor Memorial and Association, seeking to build a memorial at the National Museum of the Marine Corps; board member Faithful Service for Veterans, which pairs disabled veterans with service dogs; and CEO of History Flights, a missing and killed-in-action search and recovery organization.

Among accolades LeHew has received are the Navy Cross and Bronze Star with Valor, Ohio Hall of Fame 2011, and American Legion Auxiliary National Public Spirit Award.

Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia

Submitted by: Aisley LeHew

Lieutenant Colonel Kevin A. Williams (Ret.) and Staff Sergeant Daniel Strong (Ret.)

Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Williams, retired, Senior Marine Instructor, Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (MCJROTC), and Staff Sergeant Daniel Strong, retired, Marine Instructor, MCJROTC, positively impact children's lives every day at school. The MCJROTC program spans grades 8 to 12 at our relatively small and rural middle and high school, includes well over 100 students, provides before and after school extra-curricular activities, and has led to many scholarships for recently graduated seniors.

I have known Strong as a neighbor for about 10 years but only met Williams a year ago when my daughter wanted to join MCJROTC her first year at Goochland High School. With the 2024-2025 school year coming to a close, I have seen my daughter and her fellow cadets from various grades grow in discipline, respectfulness, thoughtfulness, friendship, and confidence. I have observed how these cadets thoroughly enjoy MCJROTC, looking up to and respecting Williams and Strong as teachers and leaders that will likely inspire these students into their adulthood, whether they follow the call of military service or not.

I have witnessed my daughter grow into an even stronger and better human being, and I know Williams and Strong have been instrumental in that growth. Whether through the regular MCJROTC classes, marksmanship before school, Raiders training before school that led to an undefeated competition season and winning the 2024-2025 regional championship, and other events and opportunities, Williams and Strong are making a difference in many of these children's lives. To see such dedication from Williams and Strong after already having served our country in the USMC has become an inspiration to parents like me as well.
https://sites.google.com/glnd.k12.va.us/goochlandhighschoolmcjrotc/the-marines-of-goochland-mcjrotc

Location: Goochland, VA

Submitted by: Wes Royer

Major Robert Bradley

Major Robert Bradley, my uncle Bob, started out in the Marine Corps as a private and fought in the Chosin Reservoir battle during the Korean War. During the Vietnam conflict, he was a staff sergeant and bulldozer driver and later served as a drill instructor at Parris Island. Uncle Bob went on to Warrant Officers School, worked his way through the Officers Corps, and finally retired as a major and the warehousing officer of the Marine Corps at Headquarters Marine Corps. My uncle, along with my father, a Marine who was in the Occupation Forces in Japan at the end of WWII, and my cousin Michael, who left the Marine Corps having worked in the budding discipline of computing in the early 70s, encouraged me to become a Marine in 1974.

One of my favorite stories (which Uncle Bob never forgot, even after suffering from dementia in his final years) was when I was working at the Subsequent Term Alignment Plan (STAP) in Camp LeJeune in 1977, and he was on the Inspector General (IG) team that year. You should have seen the look on the lieutenant’s face (as well as the gunnery sergeant and staff sergeant) who was in charge of the unit at the time, when after the warehouse I worked in was called to attention announcing the arrival of the IG team, I yelled out, "Hey Uncle Bob Sir! I'm glad to see you. Are we getting together with Aunt Dody later for dinner?" My uncle passed nearly 20 years ago and is interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

Location: Stafford, Virginia

Submitted by: Mark Bradley

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Clyde Dennis Taylor

Clyde Taylor was in Beirut, Lebanon during the bombing of the barracks. He became the first commander of radio reconnaissance platoon and set the groundwork of what radio reconnaissance would be in the future. He continued after retirement to support the radio reconnaissance community with his company Radio Reconnaissance Technologies, which he co-founded with Capt. Gillespie, his company commander at the time he was in radio reconnaissance platoon.

Location: Fredericksburg, VA

Submitted by: Gavin Taylor