In 1999, May was established as Military Appreciation Month. It was created to honor and acknowledge the work and sacrifice that military members do for our country. We celebrate holidays like Memorial Day and Loyalty Day. In honor of Military Appreciation Month, I’d like to share the voice and story of a local veteran.
In July 2001, a fresh high school graduate named Jeremy Stover enlisted for active-duty training at Shepherd Air Force Base, Texas. He joined out of tradition; many of the Stover men served in the military in some capacity. He was on the path of doing six years of service, learning the trade, and then leaving. But in the post-9/11 climate, he decided to re-enlist and continue to serve.
While Stover had not intended to spend 20 years of his life serving, he did it with passion and pride. At the time of his re-enlistment, the US military had been in full deployment and FPCON Delta, essentially at war. But to him, it was more important to serve. He had a family and loved ones to protect, and knowing he could ensure they had a safe home was the drive he needed to keep serving.
Sergeant Stover had served in key positions throughout his career, including duties as an Element Chief on the B-52H Stratofortress, Flying Crew Chief on the C-5 Super Galaxy, Flightline Expediter on the KC-135 Stratotanker, and production superintendent on the F-16 Fighting Falcon. He had deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, Diego Garcia and Guam in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel. He also spent eight years living overseas—four years with his family in Misawa, Japan, a year alone in South Korea, and three years with his family in Yokota, Japan.
Stover worked in the operational military, working 14 hours daily to meet requirements and manage aircraft. After 10 years of service, he knew he would be a “lifer” and do 20 years of service. And in preparation for that end, he began earning a formal education. He knew he did not want to be another veteran with a poor transition to civilian life, so he worked toward an associate’s degree in aviation maintenance technology, a BA in homeland security, and an MS in global studies and international security.
In May 2023, Master Sergeant Jeremy Stover retired. He was working as the Quality Assurance Chief Inspector of the 353rd Special Operations Wing’s Detachment 1 in Yokota Air Force Base, Japan. Stover led the quality assurance section with an evaluation program of over 1,200 annual inspections supporting six CV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. He was a key advisor for the 753rd Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 353rd Special Operations Wing senior leadership on the fleet health, maintenance performance and policy of 189 personnel supporting special operations throughout the Indo-Pacific Command theater.
Using the degrees he earned during his military service, Stover took up an internship at the US State Department in hopes of pursuing a career in international relations. After six months, he was offered a contract to work for Pratt & Whitney, an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations, and is currently a senior program manager, overseeing the F135 Site and Ship Activation program. Stover makes his home in Granby.
In reflection of his years of service, Stover acknowledged that his career came with both massive pros and cons. Even though he experienced traumatic exposure overseas, he admitted that he loved his work. He loved that every base came with new challenges and every challenge had its pros and cons, and that he was able to find the best in every location that he was at. He also recognized that his constant traveling strained his family, making it challenging for his wife and children. But it was their support that kept him going. And he dedicates his successes to his family’s support.
Editor’s note: The author, Katie Stover, is a new volunteer writer at the Drummer. She chose to write about her father for her first article.