The eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918 when fighting ceased between the Allies and Germany; this was the beginning of Veterans Day, originally Armistice Day. The day that we have set aside to show our gratitude for those men and women of the armed forces, living and deceased, that have served and are actively serving our country.
As we say “Thank you” to these men and women who have so selflessly served our country, we would like to spotlight Buzz Hefti, a Harbor’s Edge resident since Spring 2020. Buzz was a small-town Iowa boy with dreams of being the world’s best sportscaster who ended up joining the US Marine Corps at the age of 23 to avoid being drafted into the Army. His decision to join became a military career that saw Buzz deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Japan, and Vietnam, where he served for 14 months during the Vietnam War. He was the first of his family to join the military but not the last; his son John retired from the Navy in 2013 and Buzz’s grandson John Jr is a 1st Lt in the USAF and training in the F-15 fighter. Buzz’s granddaughter Jameson is a high-school senior working on an ROTC scholarship to study nursing with the ambition of becoming an Army nurse. Buzz has secured his military legacy.
Although Buzz is retired from the military, his service to our great country continues. Near and dear to Buzz’s heart is the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). TAPS is an organization that helps families that have lost a military loved one by providing a variety of programs and resources to survivors. Buzz is a member of the Board of Directors and knows that his position as a Casualty Assistance Call Officer (CACO) during his military career helps him greatly in this capacity. Unfortunately, Buzz did not have the resources that TAPS provides available to him while he served as a CACO and he understands the profound difference such an organization makes to families and loved ones.
Today, Veterans Day, let us say Thank You to Buzz Hefti and the millions of men and women who preserve our freedoms and ways of life. Your service is greatly appreciated.
