Month of Heroes: John DeCillo

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 from Japan to many different locations in support of operations around the South Pacific.

Tell us about your service experience. I am lucky to have served and come home the way I did. I don’t like the term disabled veteran because that hasn’t kept me from doing anything: great career, great education and an Ironman finisher. If people are looking for inspiration, I would tell them to get involved with the Wounded Warrior Project. They are the inspirational people in society. If you take the time to hear about their struggles, our lives look great on the worst of days.

What are some of your memorable experiences in college? Some of my best experiences were waiting for class and talking with different professors, including Dr. Murphy, Dr. Horner and Dr. James. This was my first on-campus experience on a traditional college campus, and I can honestly say I loved it.

Any favorite classes? I really enjoyed the leadership and organizational behavior classes the most, but because I was working on my MBA at the time, I enjoyed them all.

Tell us about JU’s role in your transition to civilian life. I was out of the military for about six years when I started to attend classes at JU. I would not have my current position without having completed my MBA at JU. The experiences and time spent at JU allowed me to advance my career and better provide for my family.

What sets JU apart? From the registration process to the bookstore, JU could not have been easier to deal with. From my first call to inquire about the MBA program through my last, I had a great time, and everyone made the experience fun.

What might surprise others about you? I don’t consider myself any different from people who didn’t serve in the military. I have a deep passion and love for our country, and I would serve again.

Meet the other students we’re recognizing during the Month of Heroes, learn more about our military students and alumni here on Wave Magazine, or visit the Veterans and Military Resource Center online to learn how JU serves those who’ve served.