RECOGNIZE A VETERAN

Rodney Charles Fuller was born in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1949, the youngest of nine children. He lived in Davisburg with his mother and father before moving to Atlanta, Michigan, where he attended high school. Sadly, Rodney lost his father when he was only 11 years old and his mother when he was 17.

As the Vietnam War raged, Rodney and several friends decided they did not want to be drafted into the Army. They had been told Army life in Vietnam was miserable. Instead, they planned to join the Navy. Their plan was quickly foiled when they discovered so many other young men had the same idea that there was a six-month delay before they could enter the Navy. 

So, Rodney joined the United States Marine Corps in 1968. He attended basic training in San Diego, California, which prompted some of his friends to jokingly call him one of the "Hollywood Marines." Following training, he was assigned to the 26th Marine Regiment.

Private First-Class Fuller was immediately sent to Da Nang, Vietnam. This would be the last military base—and the last hot meal—he would see during his service in Vietnam.

Upon arrival, PFC Fuller was quickly engaged in combat operations in the A Shau Valley. Just seven days after arriving in-country, he was standing next to a fellow Marine who stepped away to relieve himself. His buddy snagged a trip wire, detonating a mine that shredded Rodney's left leg with shrapnel.

He was medevacked directly from the jungle to a hospital ship offshore, where he remained for ten days while surgeons removed the largest pieces of shrapnel and patched him up. For his wounds, PFC Fuller received his first Purple Heart and was promoted to Lance Corporal.

Following his recovery, a transport helicopter dropped him into a rice paddy to join the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines—the legendary "1/9," known throughout the Marine Corps as The Walking Dead.

His new company greeted him as they began operations in the area known as Hai Van Pass, south of the DMZ. Lance Corporal Fuller would spend the next five months living and fighting in the jungle alongside the 1/9. These were the Marines that Ho Chi Minh himself had vowed to eliminate from the face of the earth.

On every mission, the Marines remained on constant alert for ambushes. In this area, the enemy frequently used tunnels and spider holes to harass American forces. While moving with his platoon, Lance Corporal Fuller came under fire from a Viet Cong fighter concealed in a spider hole. The first round shattered his kneecap. The second pierced his thigh and lodged in his hip—where it remains to this day. His injuries were severe.

Once again, he was medevacked, this time to the Naval Hospital in Guam, where he underwent surgery to repair his battle-damaged leg. He was later transferred to Okinawa, where he remained for the next three months to complete his tour.

During his military service, Lance Corporal Rodney Fuller earned the following decorations and awards:

• Three Purple Hearts

• National Defense Service Medal

• Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device

• Rifle Sharpshooter Badge

• Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign star

• Combat Action Ribbon

What happened next in Rodney's life reflects the stark dichotomy experienced by so many returning Vietnam veterans.

Lance Corporal Fuller boarded a commercial flight out of Okinawa with seven other servicemen and members of the public. They were still wearing worn jungle fatigues, stained white with dried salt from months of sweat and combat.

He arrived at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in California, where he was discharged from the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines in February 1970. No one greeted them, no one thanked them, and no one helped them. Shortly after returning home, Rodney received his third Purple Heart for wounds suffered in combat.

Back in Michigan, some friends wanted to set him up on a date. They showed a young woman named Bernadette Falen two photographs—one of Rodney in his Marine Corps uniform and one of Rodney's brother in his Army uniform, she chose Rodney. They quickly fell in love and were married within a year. Together, they raised four sons.

Rodney initially attempted to work as a bricklayer, but his combat injuries made the work nearly impossible. He eventually found employment near Holly, where Bernadette had grown up, and built a career with AC Delco in Flint before retiring.

Sadly, the love of his life, Bernadette, suffered a debilitating stroke. For the next ten years, Rodney cared for her. Remarkably, he describes those years not as a burden, but as some of the best years of his life. Bernadette passed away in 2018. Then, in 2023, the wounds of war finally claimed both of Rodney's legs.

Lance Corporal Rodney Fuller embodies the spirit of the United States Marine of his generation. He learned early that it was often easier not to tell people he had served in Vietnam. He didn't wear a hat. He didn't join organizations. He didn't seek recognition; he simply wanted to avoid the hostility that too many Vietnam veterans encountered when they came home.

Rod Fuller is a humble, decent, and proud man who will tell you with absolute sincerity, "I am no hero. I proudly served my country, just like everyone else." Rod navigates his world without complaint, without anger, and without despair. Instead, he speaks of his blessings.

Rod, you are your sons' hero, you were Bernadette's hero, you are our hero. Thank you for your dedication and service to our country.

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United States Army – Iraq / Afghanistan

There are veterans whose service can be measured by rank, medals, and years in uniform. Then there are those whose lives represent something even greater—the American dream, loyalty to country, devotion to family, and a lifetime dedicated to serving others.

It is our privilege to honor one of those individuals, Command Sergeant Major Joseph Nadhim Haddad.

Born in Highland Park, Michigan, to Iraqi immigrant parents who came to America seeking opportunity and freedom, Joe embraced the values of faith, family, and service from an early age. At just seventeen years old, he joined the United States Army Reserve as a Military Policeman while pursuing degrees in Criminal Justice from Oakland Community College and Wayne State University.

During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, despite being offered the opportunity to remain stateside because of his Iraqi ancestry, Joe chose to honor the oath he had taken and deployed in service to his country. His fluency in Arabic and understanding of Iraqi culture enabled him to defuse a potentially deadly prisoner riot, demonstrating the calm leadership and professionalism that would define his career.

Following the war, he reunited with his fiancée, Manar, and together they built a beautiful family with their three children, Joseph, Jade, and Mark.

Joe also dedicated himself to serving his community through law enforcement. Joining the Troy Police Department in 1997, he became the department's first Chaldean-American police officer and was later recognized as Troy Police Officer of the Year.

Over nearly three decades in uniform, he rose to the rank of Command Sergeant Major, becoming the first Chaldean American to attain the Army's highest enlisted leadership rank. Along the way, he earned numerous honors, including the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and The Order of Saint Maurice.

Yet if you ask Joe what he is most proud of, he is unlikely to speak of rank or medals. He will tell you about his family, the Soldiers and police officers with whom he served, and the privilege of living the American dream his parents envisioned when they came to this country.

We honor a Soldier, we honor a police officer, and we honor a husband, father, mentor, and leader. Above all, we honor a man who dedicated his life to something greater than himself.

Thank you for your dedication and service Command Sergeant Major Joseph Nadhim Haddad.

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