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Aaron Cheerman Honored with Marine of the Year
(May 6, 2008) |
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On the evening of April
26, Aaron Cheerman of Manchester stood in a
regal red military dress uniform in the VFW Post
511 Hall in New Britain and received the Marine
Corp League's Hardware City Detachment's Highest
Honor: Marine of the Year. Major General James
Williams, Commanding General of all Marine
reserve units of the 4th Marine Division, now
engaged in the Global War on Terrorism, was
present at the ceremony where he gave the
keynote address.
The honor is awarded annually for outstanding
work in support of the U.S. Marine Corps and the
Marine Corps League (a veteran's service and
support organization).
For those who know Aaron Cheerman, the honor
is a natural culmination of an entire adult life devoted to the
Marine Corps and its motto, Semper Fidelis, “Always Faithful.” |
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This was the kid who dreamed of wearing a Marine uniform after
seeing “The Sands of Iwo Jima” with John Wayne at the age of 5,
and, despite the tough-as-nails boot camp training, he made it. |
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famous Marine pride, that Semper Fi, that sense
of honor and duty so synonymous with the
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of Aaron Cheerman as is being a devoted husband,
a father, and an American.
He enlisted in 1963, at the start
of the Vietnam War, and served with the 6th
Marine Regiment. In 1964, he served as a weapons
instructor for first year midshipmen at the U.
S. Naval Academy and later participated in
Operation Steel Pike I training exercises in
Spain and Portugal, at that time the largest
amphibious operation since WWII. He was
honorably discharged from active duty in 1965
due to a physical disability.
He is a member of the Honorary Military Order of
the Devil Dogs, (the Marine nickname given by
the Germans from the 1918 Battle of Belleau
Woods, France), and in 2007 was appointed as the
Devil Dogs, National Budget Committee Chairman.
He is authorized by the |
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| Department of
Defense as a Provider in the Military Funeral
Honors Program and is an associate member of the
British Royal Marines Association. He is also a
member of the Jewish War Veterans. |
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In his civilian life, Aaron built a
successful career in the sewing machine industry, and in
2004, he was inducted into the Sewing Industry Hall of Fame
after receiving numerous awards. He is a member of the
Sewing Machine Dealers Trade Association, The Better
Business Bureau and the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. In
2003, he was nominated to receive a National Small Business
Award and was appointed to President Bush's Small Business
Advisory Council.
Aaron and the former Sylvia Gutterman of Marlborough, CT,
have been married for nearly 43 years and the couple has
been members of Temple Beth Shalom in Manchester for 41
years. Aaron is also a Past President of B'nai B'rith
Charter Oak Lodge.Daughter
and son-in-law, Lorie and Mark Zackin, are members of Young
Israel in West Hartford, and grandson Ari attends the Hebrew
Academy where his mother serves as a Board member. The
Cheerman's other daughter, Debbie, lives in New York.
Aaron has never left his beloved Marines. As a civilian, he
serves as Co-Editor of the Marine Corps Leagues' “Semper Fi”
Newsletter and as Co-Public Relations Officer for the
Department of Connecticut Marine Corps League.
For Aaron Cheerman, being named Marine of the Year is a
great honor.
Serving his country as a Marine:
priceless. | |
By
June Neal
Copyright
2008 About Author:
June Neal is a
freelance writer for the Hartford Courant and the Jewish Ledger Comment on this article |
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