More than 10 local veterans will spend part of their Veterans Day at McHenry Community High School speaking about their experiences in military service.
The Nov. 11 program is planned for social science classes at both Freshman Campus and Upper Campus. The panel presentation is an annual event at McHenry Community High School and typically includes several alumni.
Veterans share their stories of service and answer student questions. Organized by the school’s social science division, the panel presentations are popular with students and staff alike.
“It is always a special day when we welcome our veterans to our buildings to talk about their experiences,” said Sean Sterner, chair of McHenry Community High School’s social science division. “We take this opportunity to honor them, too.”
Read on to read more about the veterans and speakers.
Ray Andresen
I am currently a business owner here in McHenry as well as Retired Marine. I served in the Marines for 20 years from 1997-2018. During that time, I was an aviation mechanic, recruiter and served in other roles during my time in uniform. I attended recruit training and Marine combat training in San Diego, California. I was then assigned as an Aviation Ground Support equipment Mechanic attending schools in Pensacola, FL, and North Island, CA before being stationed at MCAS Beaufort, SC.
While I was stationed in Beaufort, S.C I deployed several times overseas to Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and all over the western pacific. I served one tour on recruiting in Detroit, Mi and afterwards received order to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and then to Regional Southwest as a counter IED watch officer and detainee watch commander for 13 months in Camp Leatherneck Afghanistan.After returning home I was assigned to MCAS Miramar as the Maintenance supervisor and then received orders recruiting in Detroit, MI again. After another successful tour I was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC until my retirement in January 2018
Tom Bitterman
I was drafted in May of 1968 at the age of 23. I attended Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. I then was selected to attend a Non-Commissioned Officers Course in Fort Benning Georgia. I graduated 2nd in my class as a Staff Sergeant E-6. I then spent 12 weeks at Fort Benning as a Tactical NCO, training the next class. 30 days leave and then ordered to Vietnam to serve as an Infantry Platoon Sergeant with the 1st Cavalry Division. We were air mobile, so our Company was engaged in many firefights. I was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" twice. and I also received the Purple Heart twice during my tour in Vietnam. Thanks to the President I was granted a 40 day drop from my tour. This was part of the troop reduction act, designed to eventually get the USA out of Vietnam.
Sergeant Colin Brennan
My name is Colin Brennan. I graduated from McHenry West (Upper Campus) in 2014, leaving for Marine Corps boot camp shortly after. I went to MCRD San Diego for 3 months and then the school of infantry in Camp Pendleton for 2 months graduating as an 0351 infantry assaultman. After, I was stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii with 1/3. After 2 trips to Japan, South Korea, and surrounding areas, I got out in 2018. I now work as an emergency room nurse here at the hospital in McHenry.
Derek Franzen
My name is Derek Franzen. I am a student teacher soon to be a real teacher from Grayslake, Illinois. I served in the United States Marine Corps from 2017-2021. I was trained to be an Anti-tank missleman and cross trained as a Machine Gunner. I was in a CAAT (Combined Anti-Armor Team) Platoon, which was run out of different trucks. I was deployed to Syria to help in support of different Special Operation Forces. Then deployed during Covid to Australia to train with the Australian Forces. After my second deployment I got out of the military to pursue my future in education at Illinois State University.
Robert 'Bob' Haynes
I enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966 when I was 17 years old. The Vietnam War was the conflict of my era and I wanted to do my part to serve and protect my country. I was trained as a wheel vehicle mechanic but was trained as a soldier first. I fully expected to be deployed to V. N. but, was one of very few that did not go to V. N. Instead I was sent to South Korea to serve in an Infantry Division on the DMZ (demilitarized zone). Many did not and still do not know there was a war going on in Korea at that time. Many American and S. Korean soldiers were killed there. Agent Orange and other Rainbow Herbicides were used there, same as in V. N. I served 13 months there as a mechanic but also as an Infantry Soldier doing missions on the DMZ. I am now a 100% disabled veteran due to illnesses associated with exposure to the herbicides.
I retired as an engineering manager from a large Illinois based corporation. I then spent another 13.5 years running a military not-for- profit organization.
God bless America!
Richard J. Hazdra, Col. (R) USAF
I’m Colonel “Duke” Hazdra. I began my military career in 1985 at the Air Force Officer Training School. Following flight school, I flew KC-135 Stratotankers, refueling other aircraft while airborne. I flew 200 combat and combat support missions during the Gulf War and subsequent operations.
Reassigned to U.S. Transportation Command in 2000, I was a transportation planner for The Iraq War. On September 11th 2001, I became the Crisis Action Team Executive Officer where we conducted the transportation of the military buildup for the War in Afghanistan.
In 2002, I took command of the 34th Education Squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where we established the Military Strategic Studies Bachelor of Science degree program. In 2006, I was reassigned to the Pentagon and held various positions under the Chief of Air Force Operations. In 2009, I became the Vice Commander of the one of the Air Force’s largest Air Force Bases with over 26,000 personnel and $5.4 billion of infrastructure, supporting the Air Force’s Research and Development Headquarters. I retired from the Air Force in 2013.
Brett Kinney
My name is Brett Kinney. I am a police officer here in the City of McHenry. I served in the United States Army from 2004- 2010. In that time I was trained as a Combat Medic and a Physical Therapy Technician. Early in my career, I worked at multiple hospitals helping wounded soldiers coming home from combat. In 2008 I was attached to a National Guard unit out of Woodstock Illinois. We deployed to Mehtar Lam Afghanistan, a village near the Pakistan border, where we conducted many different types of missions. While In Mehtar Lam, I helped run an aid station that treated soldiers and Afghan nationals.
Barry Phelps
Captain Barry Phelps served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force for 4 years (1969 - 1973) during the Vietnam Era. He took Aerospace Science classes through ROTC in college and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (and declared an "Officer and a Gentleman") the same day that he graduated from the University of Iowa with his Bachelor's Degree. He went on active duty a month later and was stationed at a Strategic Air Command base in Michigan. He was assigned as a Personnel Officer in the 379th Combat Support Group, which supported a nuclear-equipped B52 bomber squadron and a KC135 air refueling tanker squadron during the Cold War (while also shuttling those air crews on a rotating basis to bases in Thailand to fly bombing missions over North Vietnam). Captain Phelps served an additional 8 years in the Air Force Reserves before resigning his commission and receiving an Honorable Discharge.
Lolly Peters
My name is Lolly Meyer Peters, and I’m a 1975 graduate of MCHS…Go Warriors! I enlisted in the US Army’s delayed entry program in July of 1975, and left for basic training at Ft. Jackson, SC on 6 January 1976. At the time of my enlistment, I was a member of the Women's Army Corps (WAC), which was disbanded in 1978. I also went through AIT at Ft. Jackson, becoming a 75D10, Personnel Records Specialist. My first duty station was Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. I was also stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington, Seoul, Korea, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, Ft. Lee, Virginia, and Ft. Bliss, Texas. While at Ft. Bliss, I was a part of the reactivation of 4/3 ADA (PATRIOT) Battalion, which became instrumental in the Iraq war. My favorite duty station was Ft. Lewis, simply because of the scenery.
Dave Shafer
Drafted into the army in Jan, 1970. Basic Ft Campbell Ky. Advanced training Ft Polk La. Completed 26 weeks of scout dog training at Ft Benning, Ga. Sent to Vietnam in Feb of 1971. Assigned to the 101st airborne division at camp eagle in the far northern part of Vietnam. Left the service in Nov of 1971 to attend college.
James Wautelet
My name is Jim Wautelet, I grew up in Wonder lake, and graduated from McHenry West (Upper Campus) in 1986. In September I went to basic training at Bliss Texas where I completed basic training. My first job was at Fort Lee Virginia to become a petroleum engineer. After graduating I went to Dix New Jersey where I completed 88 Mike school which is truck driving. After that I was assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. My second job training was the patriot missile where then I was assigned back to Fort Bliss Texas and my company was Delta 343 Air defense artillery. So at this time I was trying to find my way and needed more of a presence in the military so I put up my packet to become a Green Beret, took my written test, went through an interview process, and it was called a Q test to see if you can even qualify for school. Finally in 1989 I was assigned back to Ft Campbell Kentucky 5th group special forces. Well then I began tours, desert Storm, the battle of Mogadishu Somalia, Haiti, Djibouti Africa, Bosnia. With several battle injuries I retired in 2006.