November 11, 2023
Today our message comes from Corporal Mike Hilleger. Cpl Hilleger is our Iron County Sherrif’s Office Deputy Liaison to our Search and Rescue, but he is much more than that. He is also our friend and leader.
______________________________________________________________________
Happy Veteran’s Day to all the brave men and women who have served this great country, and to those who are serving now.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending Southern Utah University’s Veterans Day Program where they honored 11 Veterans within the surrounding community. I was reminded of how many incredible people there are in the world, how lucky I am to share the pride of being a Veteran, and what that word means to me. I had the incredible honor of shaking the hands of two 97-year-old Veterans of World War I and World War II. When I listened to their biographies, I couldn’t help but imagine what in their lives made them choose to serve. What culture and environment were they immersed in to decide to serve their country. One thought came to mind, we are separated by generations, but we are united in service. We know the feeling of bravely walking into the recruiter’s office with a higher purpose. We’ve raised our right hand in oath to protect this great nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Through blood, sweat, and tears we gave our all to something greater than ourselves; may we never forget that. It’s a somber feeling to truly acknowledge the sacrifice of others. My fellow Veterans, let this day touch your heart. Let it remind you of the magnitude of your service. May we live with that honor, share our stories, and carry that commitment in our everyday lives. Family and friends, I encourage you to thank a Veteran at every opportunity. YOU are what we fight so hard to protect. Thank you for your love and support. God bless our Veterans and God bless the United States of America.
Also, a very big Happy 248th Birthday to my fellow Devil Dogs out there. Semper Fi Marines!
Mike Hilleger
Sgt, USMC Veteran
_____________________________________________________________________________________
On behalf of the ICSSAR Team, we want to thank our fellow Volunteers who have served this great Nation and now continue to serve Iron County.
Iron County Sheriff’s Deputy Liason, Cpl Hilleger
Candice Hilleger
Sean Carr
Andrew Johnson
Nicholas Allen
Darren Fernandez
Jim Burton
Brant Palmer
Greg Coulter
Andrew Schellenberger
Pete Belay
Andrew Schellenberger
Caleb Blair
Iron County Sheriff’s Deputy Liaison for the Ropes Team Josh Winder
Sheriff Carpenter.
We are proud to serve next to you with ICSSAR and thank you for your service to our Country and to Iron County.
#IronCountySheriffsSearchAndRescue #ICSSAR #WeWillAlwaysComeToYou #VeteransDay #ThankAVeteran #November11
