Henderson rolls out the banners to honor military

With a town built from military roots, it’s fitting why the city of Henderson supports its military members.

Fourteen banners featuring active-duty members are set to be displayed along Water Street and Green Valley Parkway through November 2015 as part of the city’s Military Banner Program.

The individuals are Henderson residents or immediate family members of Henderson residents.

“With a community deeply rooted in the military, the program is really a continuation of what we’re all about,” said City Councilwoman Debra March. “The city really supports its military members and makes it an important priority to celebrate and honor them.”

AIRMAN 1ST CLASS JAMES DUNN

Henderson resident James Dunn joined the Air Force three years ago after graduating from Foothill High School in 2010.

The 22-year-old was stationed in San Angelo, Texas, where he trained as an emergency medical technician, according to his mother, Terri Dunn.

“We’re a very governmental and politically oriented family, so we’re very involved in service work,” Dunn said. “My son grew up working on political campaigns and doing volunteer work, so he’s always been servicing the community one way or another.”

In April, Dunn was deployed to the United Arab Emirates and returned home in late October.

“The banner program is important because it shows kids who are struggling to figure out what they want to do that the military is an option,” Dunn said. “It shows that they can serve their country and work towards goals and still be represented by their community.”

PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS JESSE LAMB

Las Vegas native Jesse Lamb, 21, enlisted in the Navy in August 2013 after attending UNLV for two years.

The Green Valley High School graduate returned to the United States in September after a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, where he served as an engine mechanic on the USS Vella Gulf.

“We got to see his ship dock in Norfolk, Virginia, when they returned,” said his mother, Laurie. “We met with other parents and watched 350 sailors dressed in white standing on the deck. It was nice to see them reunite with their families.”

Laurie nominated her son to honor him and all other military members.

“We’re excited, and we’re very proud,” she said. “It’s going to be nice too for all his family and high school friends to see his banner.”

ENSIGN SCOTT MARCUS AND STAFF SGT. CODY MARCUS

California native Scott Marcus surprised his mother, Margie Harmon, when he came home from high school announcing that he wanted to be a Navy SEAL.

“I didn’t even know what a Navy SEAL was,” Harmon said. “I looked it up, and I was like, ‘No, you can’t do that.’ It made me nervous, but he took it upon himself to join.”

After 15 years of continued service, Marcus, 33, is stationed in San Diego with SEAL Team 7 and is set to deploy early next year.

Coronado High School graduate Cody Marcus followed in his brother’s footsteps when he joined the Air Force in 2006.

“Their grandfather was a pilot in the Air Force, their dad was a firefighter, and I was a teacher,” Harmon said. “They grew up serving the community, so it made sense for them to join.”

The 27-year-old returned from an Afghanistan deployment in April and is working as a federal agent in the Office of Special Investigations.

“I’m so proud to call them my sons,” Harmon said. “It’s been a wonderful journey watching them going in as enlisted men and being willing to do what has to be done to keep them safe.”

SPC. AARON MARSHALL

Chasing his dreams of being in law enforcement, California native Aaron Marshall joined the Army in 2011, according to his mother, Angela Krause.

“He always wanted to be a cop when he was little,” Krause said. “He’s working on his degree in criminal justice, and then he’ll decide if he wants to join the FBI or California Highway Patrol or be a police officer.”

The 23-year-old worked as an information technology specialist during a two-year deployment in Guam. He returned to Fort Campbell in Kentucky in January 2013, when he earned his aircrew badge to serve aboard military air crafts.

“My son is currently deployed to Afghanistan for a nine-month tour,” Krause said, “so I’m very much in touch with his courage to serve our country at such a young age.”

CMDR. JAMES PALOMBO AND SEAMAN ALEX TORRES

Military blood runs through Henderson resident Judy Hohenstein’s family, as her son, James Palombo, and grandson, Alex Torres, serve in the Navy.

“My husband, Ron, was in the Navy, so we’re just a military family,” Hohenstein said. “I’m so excited about them every time they do something. I can’t be prouder of three generations of Navy men.”

Palombo, 45, joined the Navy out of high school and is set to be stationed in Salt Lake City in December.

“He went to the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated class of 1990,” Hohenstein said. “He’s been in the Navy ever since.”

Palombo’s nephew, Torres, 21, also enlisted in the Navy after graduating from Del Sol High School and is stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

“I’ve always taken (Torres) to military-style celebrations, and he’s always been very patriotic,” Hohenstein said. “He saw it, he loved it, and that was it. I’m very proud of his decision to join.”

ADDITIONAL HONOREES

The city of Henderson is set to also honor Alysa Kehl and Katlyn Porter in the Air Force; Jeffrey Hopkinson in the Army National Guard; Thomas Troia in the Coast Guard; Christopher Garibay and Christopher Wolfe in the Marines; and Nathan Swingle in the Navy.

For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com/community_development.

Contact Henderson View reporter Caitlyn Belcher at cbelcher@viewnews.com or 702-383-0403.