Military

Meet Danielle D’Amato.

Age: 30

Year and major: Senior/Biology

Hometown: Woodstock, N.Y.

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy/CS2 culinary specialist second class E5

Service: 8 years active duty; stationed at Tinker AFB for five years and NAS Key …

Meet John DeCillo.

Age: 42

Year graduated/major: 2010/MBA

Residence: Jacksonville

Branch/Rank: U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt.

Current: Manager Safety – CSX, Procurement & Supply Chain Management

Service: 12 years, 7 months, 19 days. Served in Texas, Illinois, Japan and Maryland. Deployed …

Meet J. Scott Drenning.

Age: 57

Year and major: Junior/Sport Business

Hometown: Harleysville, Penn.

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy/retired as a CMDCM (AW/SW) (MCPO E/9)

Service: 28 years of service. Enlisted 1984. Two Mediterranean deployments and two …

Meet Brian Dudley.

Year graduated/major: 1996, BS International Business; 2005, MBA

Residence: Jacksonville

Branch/Rank: U.S. Coast Guard Reserve/Lieutenant

Service: 11 years, tours in Search and Rescue, Marine Safety, Military Out Load and Coastal Riverine Warfare, including a tour in the …

Meet Shane D. Grindle.

Age:  27

Year and major: Senior/Nursing

Hometown: Gadsden, Ala.

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy/E-4

Service: Four years, stationed in NAS Whidbey Island with VAQ-138, an EA6-B Prowler squadron. Assigned to U.S.S. John C. …

Meet Joshua Hasty.

Age: 35

Year and major: Freshman/Business Administration

Hometown: Jacksonville

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy/AG2/E-5

Service: 1997-2004 (7 years); boot camp Great Lakes, 1997; Meteorology and Oceanographer school, Keesler AFB, 1997-1998; Naval Central Mobile Environmental …

Meet Horace H. Head.

Age: 32

Year and major: Sophomore/Psychology

Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.

Branch/Rank: U.S. Marines/Sergeant

Service: 8 years, 4 tours (Afghanistan, Iraq, Republic of Georgia)

Tell us about your service experience. During a …

Meet Samuel Helms.

Age: 46

Year and major: Sophomore/Management

Hometown: Jacksonville

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy, MM1/SS (Ret).

Service: Completed 20 years, with service on USS Scamp (SSN-588), USS Seahorse (SSN-669), USS Wyoming (SSBN-742 Gold) and USS …

Meet Melissa Jackson.

Age: 26

Year and major: Sophomore/Nursing

Hometown: Born in Memphis, Tenn., raised in Jacksonville.

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy/E4/Petty Officer 3rd Class

Service: 4 years in service: 3 active-duty, currently an active reservist. Stationed …

Meet Eric Lee.

Age: 27

Year and major: Senior/Finance

Homestate: Louisiana

Branch/Rank: U.S. Navy/E-5

Service: 5 years, Counter Narcotics (South America), Med Cruise, Baltic Cruise, and IA (Individual Augmentee) Tour to Guantanamo Bay.

What are …