During the month of November, WDML, Swole Stop, Jules Joint and A&A Armory will be honoring all those who have served with a salute to veterans and active duty military. Committing yourself to service, whether in the past or in the present, is a brave and selfless act that should be honored and acknowledged. You answered the call and made sacrifices to defend our nation, ensure our freedoms, and protect our way of life. For that, we thank you.
To enter, nominate the veteran or active duty member in your life by submitting a photo and telling us a little about them! We will pick one winner at random each week to win the veteran salute prize pack, courtesy of Swole Stop at 2225 Broadway in Mt. Vernon, Jules Joint at 185 E. St Louis St. in Nashville and A&A Armory at 135 East Broadway in downtown Centralia. Swole Stop will give out four certificates valued at $25 (one per winner), Jules Joint will provide a free lunch (one per winner) as part of the prize pack for veterans and active duty military and A&A Armory will supply four $20 gift certificates (one per winner). Submitted photos will be assembled into a gallery to honor all of our winners and nominees throughout the month!
ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED
Thank you to everyone who has nominated the veterans and active duty military in their life! We salute you! Check out our winners and the nominees below!
Congratulations to our Salute to Service Winners!
Robert Tinsley: Bob served in the Army and was drafted, serving in Vietnam. According to Bob, the nineteen day boat ride to Vietnam was some of the longest nineteen days of his entire life!
Tony Mays: For 16+ years Tony served in the National Guard in Mt. Vernon. During that time he was deployed to the Springfield Air Force base to cover the soldiers who were leaving for Iraq. When finished with his deployment, he came home and decided he was going to sign up to go to Iraq himself. It was his turn to serve in that capacity. Assigned to the Mattoon Unit, he left for Iraq just a few weeks after returning home from Springfield. Tony loved being a soldier. He also loves his country and grieves every year for the brothers and sisters who were close to him and all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Jimmie Beasley: Since the age of 18, Jimmie has been serving in the Navy. Going on 23 years in service so far, he has risen through the ranks and is now a Chief Warrant Officer 3. Currently he is aboard the USS Nitze. Over his career he has been on seven overseas deployments and served one year in Afghanistan with NATO. His family is very proud of him and his service.
Jennifer Gaines (middle of photo): Jennifer joined the military after watching a commercial on TV. Since then, she served for six years, going from E1 to E5 in just three. She was a 74D, Chemical Operations Specialist. During her deployment to Afghanistan, she was a 50 Cal and 240 Bravo Gunner for a Personal Security Team where she protected her LTC along with several other Officers. Jennifer is selfless and is part of several organizations that give back to the community, quick to help anyone in need. From her daughter, she is the true definition of a hero.
