Veterans Day | ftcaresfoundation

Celebrating Military, First Responders & Their Families

Some of Our Own, the Best of the Best!

We are proud to highlight colleagues who have served our nation, along with family members who have, or continue, to serve. The Foundation thanks each of them for their service to the United States of America! As well, the Foundation thanks all who support their family members as they served or continue to serve.

Pictured left to right:

Shane Bageant, Armed Specialist, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Army, Special Operations Command, 4 years
Liam Hendricks joined the firm in 2023 after 5 years in the Army; was an Infantry Officer with the 101st Airborne Division and promoted to Captain; deployed overseas to Syria and Iraq
Rob Henneberry, E-4/Specialist, U.S. Army, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Mechanized Infantry, 3 years. Army Reserves, 1150th Transportation Company, Locomotive Crew/Operator, 6 years, and EMT/Medic, 4 years.
Kyle Ross, E-5 Sergeant, Army Infantry 2005-2009, stationed in Fort Lewis, WA. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 and was in country for 15 months.

Pictured left to right:

Julius Katz, U.S Army, 11B, E-5 Sergeant, 2018-2025, participated in OIR.
Damon Lane, E-4 Specialist, U.S. Army, 8 years.
Matthew Parker, Staff Sergeant, Army Special Forces, 2011-2019. Deployed to Thailand and South Korea and also trained counterparts from Taiwan and the Philippines.
Christian Scappin joined the firm in September of 2023 and served in the United States Marine Corps as a First Lieutenant, MOS 0203 Ground Intelligence Officer at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Pictured left to right:

Jeff Scott, U.S. Marine Corps, served in the Gulf War, 4 years.
David Rutherford, Navy SEAL and CIA Contractor, Director of Operator Syndrome Foundation, which is dedicated to helping Special Operation Forces personnel and their families with the lifelong disabilities related to their service to the country.
Christian Simpson, active member of the Illinois Army National Guard. He commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in August of 2022; branched Field Artillery (13A) and is currently with the 122nd Field Artillery Regiment as a Fire Directions Officer.
Andy Subramanian, Corporal, U.S. Army,11B (Infantry), 5 years.

First Trust Employees Not Pictured:

Chris Lagioia, Staff Sergeant, Crew Chief KD135, U.S. Air Force, 9 years.
Rick Lunde (deceased, but never forgotten), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps/Coast Guard P03.
Matt Lynch, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Air Force E5, 6 years.
John Synal, retired from the firm, U.S. Air Force, 6 years.
Michael Varga, Sergeant E5, U.S. Army, 2002-2006, served in Iraq 2003-2004 and 2004-2005.

Family Members who Served:

Pictured left to right:

Anthony DelGiudice, son of Debbie DelGiudice, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps/stationed in South Pacific, 10 years.
Felix Favreau, father of Carla Lovett, Air Force, Staff Sergeant, Korean War.
Benjamin Marcus, son of Jon Marcus, is a Lieutenant with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. On June 23rd, 2023, proud father Jon pinned on Benjamin’s newly earned Ranger tab.
Brett Peterson, son of Brenda Peterson, currently serves as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He leads the Avionics Integration Project Team at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, where his team focuses on engine and next-generation avionics upgrades to keep our 1960s-era fleet of B-52 bombers modern and mission-ready.

Pictured left to right:

Steven McDonell, son of Patti McDonell, is a Captain with the U.S. Air Force. He flies a KC135 refueling plane, based out of Andrews AFB.
Captain Orett Lyman Munger, great grandfather of Mark Redman, served in the Civil War, 44th NY Regiment Volunteer Infantry; saw many battles, including at Gettysburg; he was captured on May 8, 1864, and eventually rescued by General Custer's cavalry. Captain Munger lived to be 82.
Dan Pokorny, son of Laurie Pokorny, served in the U.S. Marine Corps, 2005-2011; was a Sergeant, non-commissioned officer (E-5); served two deployments: Iraq in 2006 and Southeast Asia in 2009.
Michael Pokorny, son of Laurie Pokorny, served in the U.S. Marine Corps, 2010-2015; was a Lance Corporal (E-3); served two deployments: Afghanistan 2011-2012 and Southeast Asia 2013-2014; he began his service in the U.S. Army in 2019 and is a Supply Specialist Sergeant stationed at Fort Liberty, NC.

Pictured left to right:

Gladstone Elmer Redman, grandfather of Mark Redman, served in the Army, 345 Infantry-87th Division in France, 1917, during WWI.
Wesley Schmidt, son of Greg and Terumi, Captain, U.S. Army, 11 years.
Clay Smoczynski, son of Christy Knierim, Airborne Infantry Rifleman, 211 Arctic Angels, U.S. Army, 3 years, still serving.

Family Members Who Serve(d), Not Pictured:

Michelle Abbott has two sons who are still serving:
- Josh Abbott, Sergeant First Class, 17 and a half years in the Army; served at Fort Bliss (twice), Suwon Air Base, South Korea, Fort Sill, OK, Sheik Isa Air Base, Bahrain, Ansbach, Germany, Monterey Bay, CA, Fort Riley, KS, Camp Humphreys, South Korea and Fort Huachuca, AZ.
- Sam Abbott, First Class Petty Officer (Master at Arms), U.S. Navy, 6 years; served in Gaeta, Italy and at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, OK; currently is with the Los Angeles Fire Department, Fire Station 10, Downtown Los Angeles; has been a firefighter for 3 years.
Rebekah Callahan has 6 family members who have served:
- Her mother and father, Terry and Paul Dudash, served in the U.S. Army, as well as her brother Douglas Dudash.
- Her Brother-in-law, Carlo Truppi, and her Sister-in-law, Jola Dudash, both served in the U.S. Army.
- Her niece, Alexis Dudash, also served in the U.S. Army.
Wayne Conn, husband of Debbie DelGiudice, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, served in Central America right before the Vietnam War, 4 years.
Craig Leshock has three family members who are veterans:
- Walter Leshock, United States Army (paternal grandfather).
- Benedict Matelski, United States Coast Guard (maternal grandfather).
- Branden Leshock, United States Army (brother).
Carla Lovett has several more relatives, in addition to her father, who served. Uncle Ferdinand Favreau, Army Air Force, Staff Sergeant, WWII; Uncle Rudolphe Favreau, Navy, Carpenter's Mate 3rd Class, WWII (made the ultimate sacrifice at the Battle of Okinawa); Uncle Paul Favreau, Army, PFC, 82nd Airborne Division, Korean War.
Robert Blankenhorn served in the Army. He is Barri Maaske's father.
Scott Patrick, son-in-law of Greg and Terumi Schmidt, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 9 years, still serving.
Mark Redman has two other relatives who served. Father-in-law, Robert Tomsky, served in the Navy during the Korean War. Uncle Robert Redman was in the Merchant Marines in WWII.
Katherine Scully, daughter of Greg and Terumi Schmidt, Specialist, U.S. Army, 3 years, still serving.
Milton and Elvin West, father and uncle, respectively, of Debbie DelGiudice, who were medics in the U.S. Navy during WWII and stationed in San Diego to tend to the wounded who were returning stateside from battles in the South Pacific.
Hazen Allred, USMC, is Deb Zowaski's son-in-law.