Sunday, May 4, 2014

A Tradition of Service

I was named after my late uncle William D. Aviles. Private First Class Aviles was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on October 15, 1951. Private First Class Aviles was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.

Other members of my family also served in the armed forces including four uncles, my dad, 3 cousins, brother and now my daughter. A strong commitment to community, public, and military service runs deep in the family.