This Veterans Day, New York’s Office of State Parks and Historic Sites honors and recognizes our military veterans around the country. We are fortunate to have a number of veterans as members of our Parks family, and we thank them, not only for their service, but for sharing how their military experience informs their civilian roles within our agency.  

 
Andrew Bresett is an Army veteran and a maintenance worker at Lakeside State Park in Waterport.  He says his service taught him perseverance. “No matter the situation, we can always get through it,” he said. “I can get through any challenge that’s thrown my way.” 

Neil Briggs is an Army veteran and a seasonal maintenance worker at Selkirk Shores State Park in Pulaski. As an equipment operator in the Army, he brings a wealth of experience to his position. He says that a highlight of his service was loading a multi-million-dollar computer onto a C145 airplane guided by a ‘Full-Bird’ Colonel. 

Francis Cleveland works at Robert Treman, Buttermilk Falls and Allan Treman State Parks in the Finger Lakes. Before that, he served in the Marines. “I was a ‘jar head’ for six years,” he said. “I appreciated the comradery we all had. Gung Ho!” He credits his service with his strong work ethic and attention to detail. “I take my work seriously. Things need to be done right.” 

Evon Cesar works at Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor. She is also a Navy veteran who worked in a highly scientific role. “I assisted the Pilot Briefer at the Naval Air Station in Memphis, Tennessee by gathering weather data to keep pilots updated about weather conditions at the stations where they are bound,” she said. “My military experience was very specific to atmospheric sciences, but it trained me to be detail-oriented and accurate in my work.” 

Carlos Cortes is a Navy veteran and a Park Manager at Peebles Island State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park. When he recalls his service, the people he served with are what he thinks of the most, adding that he remains in touch with many of them decades later. He feels that his service prepared him well for his current role. “It has given me a level of organization I need to carry out my day-to-day tasks. Discipline to be the best worker and supervisor I can be,” he says. 

Steve Gibbon is a Park Manager at Bowman Lake State Park in Oxford. He is also an Army veteran who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. “The experience gained by my time serving in the United States Army was invaluable. I learned a lot about evaluating people and getting difficult jobs done. I learned how to delegate, make decisions, and get unpopular orders carried out. In the military, I learned to adapt and overcome to complete the task and mission. What stands out most of all to me was the sense of comradery with fellow soldiers,” he said. “The Army taught me leadership, teamwork, discipline, punctuality and work ethic along with commitment to service and the ability to work under pressure.” 

Robin Hammond is a Park Manager at Bear Mountain State Park in the Hudson Valley. She is also the Unit Training Manager for the 439th Aeromedical Evaluation Squadron at Westover Air Reserve Base. She says one of the most rewarding and memorable parts of this role is seeing an airman’s face when she tells them they have completed all the requirements for their skill levels. 

Lisa Kenny is an Army veteran and works in the Niagara Region’s business office at Deveaux Woods State Park in Niagara Falls. “My military experience has helped in my career by allowing me to be flexible with any changes that may arise, showing me how to be a team player and giving me the skills to get tasks down in a timely manner,” she said. 

Donald Lovelace works at Robert Treman, Allan Treman and Buttermilk Falls State Parks in the Finger Lakes. He served in the Army Reserve for 14 years. “It gave me leadership abilities that I use with seasonal employees. I respect them and get their respect in turn,” he said, adding that the friends he made and the discipline and training he received were among the most meaningful aspects of his service. 

James Mortis works in maintenance at Delta Lake State Park in Rome. A United States Marine Corps veteran, he brings the values he learned in military service to his work with Parks. “Boot camp taught me discipline and life lessons. It taught me to always show up on time and to do the best job I possibly can,” he said.    

Mike Petti is the Assistant District Manager in the Western Capital District Letchworth Office. He’s also an Army veteran. He credits the Army with teaching him resilience, adaptability, and teamwork. “You are never out of the fight until you stop trying to get back up,” he said. “My military experience provided me a definition of duty and to realize that we are here to serve the people of the State of New York. We are only temporary stewards in the long future of New York State Parks, and we should always be looking well past our time here. Our decisions today should be in that light, as the future will live with our choices. Just as we live with the choices of those that came before us,” he said. 

Ken Reich is a Historic Interpreter at Fort Montgomery State Historic Site in the Hudson Valley, and an Army veteran. He says that he’ll never forget being in Europe during the Cold War and seeing places that were still recovering from World War II. “My military experience and my work this season? Keeping the goals the same as the patriots back in 1776. Freedom, liberty, and representative government.” 

Lumo Tsungu is a Golf Course Ranger/Starter at Bethpage Golf Course on Long Island and an Air Force veteran. “What stands out to me [when I look back on my service] is the comradery amongst the servicemen deployed during the Vietnam era’s unpopular war and the pride we all took in serving our country.” He feels that his military experience has shaped his life in many ways. “Working as a Golf Course Ranger/Starter, being punctual, adhering to Parks policies, pride in wearing issued Bethpage State Park hats and shirts when working and being flexible in work scheduling are some of my reflected attributes from my military service.” 

Stacey Whitsell-Dickinson is a Park Worker at Fillmore Glen State Park in Moravia and a Navy veteran. As a Mess Specialist from September 1989 to November 1992, she says that what stands out the most in her memories of her service is the long hard hours and the required attention to detail. 

Donald Williams is Golf Course Manager at Soaring Eagles Golf Course in Mark Twain State Park in Horseheads. He served in the Army during Operation Desert Storm and says that his time in the military helped him learn how to deal with difficult situations and solve the problem at hand.