Dr. Stephen Sturgill named Lorain Veterans Council 2023 Veteran of the Year

LORAIN — The Lorain Veterans Council named Dr. Stephen Sturgill The 2023 Lorain County Veteran of the Year at a banquet Saturday for his outstanding service, civic service and outstanding leadership. Sturgill, a retired 23-year veteran of U.S. Army, served in Operation Enduring Freedom, assisted in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina, and was a lieutenant in the 1483rd Transportation Company, after which he served as company commander in Afghanistan. This year's three nominees were Sturgill, General Brown and Edward Deeb. "I'm definitely kinda speechless," Sturgill said upon receiving the award. "I'm honored and privileged." Turning to his fellow nominees, he told them that he was "taken aback by their service." They are "very kind gentlemen," Sturgill said. All should be inspired by those who came before, he said. "All our candidates are worthy," said Don Attie, commander of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 20 and the 2013 Veteran of the Year, who presented the award to Sturgill. Sturgill is the executive director of Wraparound Services for the Lorain City Schools and a member of the district executive leadership team. His military awards include the Bronze Star, NATO Award and Army Commendation Medal. A member of numerous military veteran organizations, he also volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio's food pantry. It was the 66th annual awards event for the Lorain Veterans Council. The event's guest speaker was Tim Russell, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Navy Cross recipient and former Cleveland and Vermilion police officer and Lorain and Erie county sheriff's deputy. Russell told the crowd at the Antlers banquet hall that he had no prepared speech and no war stories, only advice that "served to motivate me and my service and my life." He recalled how leadership roles were placed on him by fellow Marines when he volunteered to go to Vietnam. "'Keep your mouth shut, kid, and maybe you'll learn something and stay alive,'" he recalled being told. Then-Cpl. Russell won the Navy Cross for his actions on Feb. 2, 1968, when his unit came under attack at its base at Cam Lo, Vietnam. Wounded by shrapnel, he refused medical attention, directed his unit's defense for five hours and "forced the enemy to break contact and withdraw" while capturing 38 enemy soldiers and their equipment, according to his medal citation. "The greatest reward any of us can have is serving others," Russell said. "I have to do that: God's watching." The Nathan Perry Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution was given the Lorain Veterans Council's first ever Community Service Award for "devoted service to our mission," said Sturgill, who on Saturday also was newly installed as president of the Lorain Veterans Council. Along with Sturgill, the Lorain Veterans Council also installed the following officers: Vice President Nelson Dunfee, Parliamentarian Mike Kachure, Treasurer Leo Citro, Secretary Tim Carrion and Chaplain Michael Simpson. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @DaveOBrienCT.