Bexley Hometown Heroes
About the Banner Program
Newly launched in 2024, the Bexley Hometown Heroes Banner Program is a tribute created for the community to recognize Bexley connected veterans who have served our country in the United States Armed Forces. Banners are displayed on E. Main Street within the City of Bexley during the month of November.
The City of Bexley Hometown Hero program provides the opportunity for the community to recognize and honor Bexley residents and their immediate family members who have served or who are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces, as well as Capital University ROTC graduates. The Hometown Hero banner will include the Service Member’s name, rank, branch of service and photo and will be displayed along E. Main Street during the month of November 2025. National Guard, or Reserves all qualify (ie: “who have served or who are currently serving in the Active or Reserve Components (National Guard, Reserves) of the United States Armed Forces”).
Honorees Added in 2025
As our community celebrates Veteran's Day, we hope you'll take time to check out all of the Hometown Heroes Banners on Main Street, reflecting on the dedication and sacrifice so many have offered through their service in the United States Armed Forces.
We're proud to share four new honorees for 2025 below:
Spotlighting Bexley's Veterans
As we celebrate veterans and their families in honor of Veteran's Day, we wanted to learn a little more about our Hometown Heroes. We interviewed two of our banner honorees this year and we'd encourage you to check out their moving and thought-provoking answers below:
At the time, my decision to enlist was primarily for my own personal benefits, I shipped off to Basic Training that summer and came back in August 2001. Little did I know that less than a month from my return 9/11 would happen and my inspiration and desire to serve would evolve from personal reasons to patriotic and selfless service reasons. I still vividly remember the Veteran's Day parade the band did right after 9/11. The parade-goers stood stoically and saluted as we marched by and I was overcome with the emotional impact of going out and performing patriotic music to Soldiers, families, veterans, and civilians.
How has your service shaped the way you view community, leadership, or everyday life here in Bexley?
Having grown up and lived most of my life in Bexley (BHS class of 1997, and Capital University grad), I don't think I really appreciated holidays like the Fourth of July, Veteran's Day, and Memorial Day until after I started serving. I would often joke as a young Sergeant that I had traded in all my patriotic holidays when I joined the Army Band. What I find now is that I live for getting to serve communities (sometimes Bexley!) and help them celebrate and honor veterans past and present and their love for this country of ours.
What would you want to tell your younger self about service, patriotism, and supporting one another?
What inspired you to serve, and what stands out most when you look back on your time in the military?
From a young age, I always thought I would join the military. I admired how my grandparents had served. My grandfather told me a story about when he had lied about his age to join the merchant marines as a teenager and then later when he served in the Korean War and some of the experiences he had along with receiving a purple heart. That is something that always stuck with me from the age of 10 years old. Being in high school during 9/11 definitely played a role in me joining as well. I had never really considered the Marine Corps, but my football and strength coach Mike Knapp was a Marine. He was the first person I remember talking to me about the Marines. I believe I also needed the structure and discipline that the Marine Corps provided.
We traveled around the world multiple times and the relationships that developed during that time are what I remember most. I still talk to the people I served with and will never forget those times or the ones that are no longer here.
How has your service shaped the way you view community, leadership, or everyday life here in Bexley?
Serving allowed me to develop as a person to better understand society and those around me. It helped me realize how fortunate I was to grow up in a community like Bexley. When I chose to return home instead of reenlisting it was because I wanted to continue to develop and be a part of a community. The Marine Corps helped me lead as a coach of my peers and for the last 15 years, I have coached at Bexley and tried to mentor along the way our student-athletes.
What would you want to tell your younger self about service, patriotism, and supporting one another?
This is a tough one because my younger self would likely not have listened, but I actually believe that my experiences are something that I needed to have to become the person I am today.
That being said, it is what I tell my kids. Always work hard and it is important to serve your community in some capacity. You may not always understand the why, but show respect, try to understand each other, and help others when you can.
Lastly, and probably one of the most important things that took me a long time to learn was ask for help when you need it.
Thank you, Sponsors!
The 2025 Hometown Hero program is generously sponsored by the City of Bexley, Bexley Community Foundation, Magnum Press, NRS Injury Law, and Capital University ROTC. Thank you!
Trouble viewing on a mobile device? View the list here.
| Name | Branch | Years of Service |
| Cpl Chris Bragg | U.S. Marine Corps | 2005-2009 |
| Sgt Brian Taliber | U.S. Marine Corps | 2005-2010 |
| PVT Bill Harvey | U.S. Army | 1968-1969 |
| Spec 4 Lawrence E. Helman | U.S. Army | 1970-1976 |
| CPO Albert Valentino | U.S. Navy | 1966-1992 |
| LTC Steven M. Spiker | U.S. Army | 2003-Present |
| SPC Deanna Sullivan | U.S. Army | 1975-1978 |
| PO2 Jeffery Guernsey | U.S. Navy | 1995-2004 |
| GMM3 Robert DeBerry | U.S. Navy | 1990-1995 |
| COL Bill Butler | U.S. Army | 1990-2017 |
| PV2 Alex Peyton | U.S. Army NG | 2024-Present |
| MSG Jordan Lynch | U.S. Army Reserves | 2001-Present |
| Lt. Col. James Russell | U.S. Air Force | 1965-1985 |
| LTC Jon Rust | U.S. Army Reserves | 2000-Present |
| Capt Jake Deveny | U.S. Air Force | 1993-2000 |
| Cpl Thomas F. Beck | U.S. Marine Corps | 1951-1953 |
| SPC Edmund Strominger | U.S. Army NG | 2022-Present |
| MAJ L. Robert Polster | U.S. Army | 1971-1973 |
| Capt. Peter MacKay | U.S. Navy | 1979-2004 |
| Spec 5 Steve Stout | U.S. Army | 1967-1970 |
| CDR Charles "Chad" Cooper | U.S. Navy | 2004-Present |
| SGT Chase Andrews | U.S. Army | 2007-2016 |
| Commander Fred Grimm | U.S. Navy | 1982-2004 |
| GMM2 James R. Wood Jr. | U.S. Navy | 1963-1969 |
| LTC Christopher Shull | U.S. Army NG | 2005-Present |
| Capt Manika Williams | U.S. Air Force | 1996-2002 |
| Capt Robert E. Sharp | U.S. Air Force | 1958-1968 |
| SFC Brian D. Williams | U.S. Army | 1984-2004 |
| SrA Steve Johnson | U.S. Air Force | 2003-2007 |
| TSgt C-J Goins | U.S. Air Force | 2005-2014 |
| SrA Teague Beachler | U.S. Air Force | 2021-Present |
| LCpl Mark Watts | U.S. Marine Corps | 1992-1994 |
| Sgt Thomas Wing | U.S. Marine Corps | 2005-2010 |
| SGT Jacob Roby | U.S. Army | 2009-2019 |
| MAJ Sean Houck | U.S. Army | 2001-Present |
| 1LT Carl Bauer | U.S. Army | 1969-1971 |
| CPT Abbey Early | U.S. Army | 2019-Present |
| PO2 Sean Early | U.S. Navy | 2019-2023 |
| SSG Bill Early | U.S. Army | 1988-1991 and 2006-2009 |
| PO2 Simon Clute | U.S. Navy | 2020-Present |
| Lt. Terry L. Meyer (Dr.) | U.S. Navy | 1962-1964 |
| PO3 Jeremy Hinesman | U.S. Navy | 1997-2001 |
| James Merkel | U.S. Navy | 1963-1967 |
| Lt Mirosalv Steven Zilberman (KIA) | U.S Navy | 1997-2010 |
| Cpl Rayne Wilson | U.S. Marine Corps | 2022-Present |
| PO3 Reece Wilson | U.S. Coast Guard | 2018-2024 |
| SPC Jake Brigdon | U.S. Army NG | 2020-Present |
| David Madison | U.S. Navy | 1951-1958 |
| Ken Gough | U.S Army Reserves | 1988-1998 |
| Lt. Ron Kenefick | U.S Army NG | 2012-Present |
| Col Robert Kessler (MD) | U.S Air Force | 1942-1955 |
| Sam Earle | U.S. Army | 1941-1945 |
| SSG Patrick Jackson | U.S Army | 2002-2010 |
| Lindsay Eyears | U.S. Marine Corps | 1983-1989 |
| PO3 Nathan Toney | U.S. Navy | 2021-Present |
| Sean Haggard | U.S. Marine Corps | 2006-2010 |
Thank you to all who applied. The 2024 call for applicants is now closed.
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Active, retired, or honorably discharged member of the six United States Armed Forces service branches (Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force). Cohort members may be honored by family and friends posthumously.
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A current or former City of Bexley Resident; or a graduate of Bexley High School; or a graduate of Capital University Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC); or a Veteran who works within the Bexley City limits that does not live in Bexley.
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Proof of eligibility and payment will be required before the banner is produced.
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Proof of residency (i.e. copy of utility bill or driver’s license) of the nominee (or applicant who is the immediate family member of the nominee) or school transcript of the nominee Verification of active duty dates (i.e. copy of military orders or military ID).
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Honorable discharge or retirement papers with SSN redacted.
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High-Resolution digital image (minimum 300 dpi) in jpeg format or 5 x 7 photograph of honor. Military uniform is required for photo submission unless otherwise approved for special circumstances.
- Please apply before the Friday, August 23 deadline to be included with the 2024 banner cohort.
Contact Us
The 2025 Hometown Hero program is a collective effort of the City Banner Committee led by members of the community. For questions, please contact communicator@bexley.org.