Veterans start service as sheriff's officers

Veterans start service as sheriff's officers
Philadelphia Inquirer - Philadelphia,PA,USA
By Edward Colimore

Inquirer Staff Writer

Lou Tomassone of Atco has vivid memories of his service as a turret gunner in a cavalry unit in Tikrit, hometown of Saddam Hussein. The 24-year-old former Army specialist once escorted an Iraqi police chief through town when a bomb blew up, spraying his turret with shrapnel and miraculously missing him.

Sean Smith of Runnemede recalls coming under fire in Fallujah, guarding prisoners and teaching Iraqis how to police their country. The 22-year-old, who was in the Marines, showed the recruits how to conduct house raids and patrol the streets.

Louise Bazelak of Barrington remembers taking cover as insurgent mortar rounds fell into her camp at Balad. The 33-year-old former Air Force staff sergeant and F-16 aircraft mechanic still kept the planes flying.

After years in the military, Tomassone, Smith, and Bazelak now have changed uniforms and begun service of a different kind - in their own community.

The three were among 14 military veterans sworn in as Camden County sheriff's officers yesterday during a ceremony to mark the opening of the Camden Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic adjacent to Cooper University Hospital.

The 12 men and two women were immediately marched to Camden City Hall to undergo processing. Another Iraq veteran was in Marine reservist training yesterday and will be sworn in later, officials said.

Police departments across the country typically have a high percentage of veterans, he said.

"They have discipline and are used to stress," Billingham said. "In the Middle East, they were also used to confrontation, used to dealing with innocent people in crisis."click link for more

I couldn't agree more!