Military Résumé – Steven Cummings
U.S. Navy (1973–1979)

Sonar Technician – USS Ozborne (DD-846) & USS Hamner (DD-718)

Served aboard two Gearing-class destroyers, with primary responsibility for maintaining the Underwater Battery Fire Control System (MK 114 UBFCS).

Completed Basic Training, Firefighting School, and Sonar School in San Diego, California.

Assigned to sea duty, stationed primarily out of Portland, Oregon.

Honorably separated following the decommissioning of final ship assignment.

Michigan Army National Guard (1993–2008)

31F – Switching Systems Operator, Mobil Subscriber Equipment (MSE)

Re-enlisted after attending a Vietnam Veterans Job Fair, bringing prior naval service experience into the Guard.

Operated Army’s Mobil Subscriber Equipment (MSE) systems, ensuring communications readiness and functionality.

Following the September 11th attacks, mobilized under Title 32 orders to support U.S. Customs at the Blue Water Bridge.

Mobilized to Active Duty in February 2003 for a 15-month deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom, returning in June 2004.

Retired in 2008 after 21 total years of military service, following a Stage 3 cancer diagnosis.

Career Summary / Bio

Born in Tecumseh, Michigan, and raised in Carleton, Anthony “Goose” Pegouskie grew up in a family with a proud tradition of service. His grandfather served as an Air Force mechanic, and Anthony, along with two cousins, became the first in the family to earn the title of United States Marine.

A graduate of Milan High School in 2006, he answered the call to serve shortly thereafter, enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 2007 to join the fight in the Global War on Terrorism. Over the course of 14 years of active and reserve service, he held the primary MOS of 0341 Mortarman, earned the secondary MOS of 0571 Advanced Foreign Security Forces Advisor, and concluded his career as an 0369 Infantry Unit Leader.

His service included three deployments: to Iraq’s Al Anbar Province (2007–2008), to Africa as part of Special Purpose MAGTF Africa (2011–2012), and to Afghanistan with Task Force South West (2017–2018). For Anthony, military service was defined not only by duty to country but also by loyalty to the Marines at his side—a brotherhood built on sacrifice, trust, and unbreakable bonds. Though service meant years away from family and friends, it forged experiences and relationships that remain unmatched.

Following his military career, Anthony transitioned into public safety. For nearly 11 years, he has served in the fire service and is currently a Firefighter/Paramedic with the City of Romulus, Michigan, where he has worked for the past four years. His dedication extends beyond the fireground, as he actively supports nonprofit organizations, including Foundation 14, which provides Harley-Davidson motorcycles to combat veterans as a means of healing from PTSD, and American Legion Post 268 in Milan, Michigan.

Today, Anthony is married to his wife, Chante, and together they are raising two children — Reagan (8) and Maverick (5). Whether in uniform, on the fireground, or serving his fellow veterans, he continues to embody the values of duty, sacrifice, and service.

John’s Story

I was born and raised in Mio, Michigan, a small town in northern Michigan. I have two older brothers and three step-sisters. After high school, I decided to attend Central Michigan University, drawn to its small-town feel. I graduated from CMU in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, majoring in Finance. At the time, my goal was to pursue a career in financial advising and personal tax services.

However, the financial world in 2009 offered very few opportunities for new graduates. My oldest brother and a cousin were both serving in the Coast Guard and enjoyed their work, which inspired me to consider that path. In addition, both of my grandfathers—Joseph Larrison and Stanley Holmes—served in the Navy during World War II. They had very different personalities, but both were deeply influential in my life, and I can see parts of each of them reflected in myself.

I ultimately decided to join the Coast Guard, where I served for four years. During that time, our primary focus was search and rescue, law enforcement, and ice rescue. I had the privilege of serving under many excellent leaders and learned invaluable lessons along the way. I was fortunate to be part of several search and rescue missions, helping people in distress on the water. Those experiences—working alongside dedicated individuals to save lives—were some of the most meaningful of my service. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve my country and to work with so many outstanding people.

At the end of my service, I was offered the chance to begin working in a financial advising and tax office, and I took it. Since leaving the Coast Guard in 2015, I have earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship and a Master of Science in Accounting. I’ve also obtained several financial licenses and became an Enrolled Agent, a prestigious tax designation awarded by the IRS.

I worked at the financial advising and tax office for five years before moving to southern Michigan, where I married my wife. Together, we are raising two children, Drake and Eric. I have since built my own tax business while continuing to work in the financial advising field.

In my spare time, I enjoy coaching my oldest son in soccer and basketball and look forward to doing the same with my youngest. I love spending time outdoors whenever possible, whether it’s playing or watching sports, hunting, or traveling.

My Story

My name is Jeffrey Locke. I was born in McAllen, Texas, just a stone’s throw from the border of Mexico. I have three brothers and three sisters. When I was three, our parents passed away due to medical issues. We were sent to the Rio Grande Children’s Home in the Rio Grande Valley. It was a good place to grow up, where we were cared for by loving Christian house parents.

As we grew older, we eventually went our separate ways. One brother and a few brothers-in-law joined the Air Force. Others went into the corporate world or blue-collar jobs. We’ve always stayed close—we have family reunions every two years and talk often on the phone, sometimes daily.

When I was 14, a couple from Michigan, Dan and Lori Blair, came to work at the children’s home. They worked on the farm where we had dairy cows, pigs, and steers. I loved working there and they taught me how to care for animals and agriculture in general. We became close, and to this day I call them Mom and Dad. A few years later they moved back to Michigan, and six months after that I followed them. They were a loving Christian couple with five children of their own—and then I made six.

I graduated from Delton Kellogg High School in 1982. Soon after, I moved back to Texas and bummed around for about a year until my brother Ron, who was in the Air Force, talked to me about the opportunities in the service. I had always wanted to join the military but hadn’t really thought much about it. In the summer of 1983, I went to Lackland AFB in Texas for Basic Military Training. Eight weeks later, I was sent to Chanute AFB in Illinois for four months of technical school to become an Aerospace Ground Equipment Technician. We maintained the equipment aircraft mechanics used to service their planes.

I was stationed at Dyess AFB, Texas, and later at Incirlik AB, Turkey. I served from August 17, 1983, to May 1989. I enjoyed all the opportunities the Air Force gave me, including traveling to 12 different countries in Europe. During this time, I got married (now divorced) and eventually left the military. I’m not even sure why I got out, but I did.

Afterward, I worked a few odd jobs before starting as a truck driver for Central Freight Lines. I retired 34 years later with Arkansas Best Freightways, having driven 2.7 million miles safely without a single accident—something I’m very proud of. Along the way, I had two children, a boy and a girl, who have since blessed me with seven grandchildren and one more on the way.

While stationed in Turkey, I met Roxanne. She was TDY from Upper Heyford, England, and she became the love of my life. As life would have it, we lost touch, but 24 years later we met again and eventually got married—the best decision of my life. Roxanne has two sons, now grown, so together we are a family of four. After I retired from trucking, we moved back to Michigan. I drove a school bus for a year, but it wasn’t for me. Now I’m happily retired.

I never attended college, though I wish I had. I could have used my time in the military more wisely. Still, I talk to young people about the opportunities the military provides. I tell them, “Three hots and a cot—and they even pay you to learn a trade while you figure out what you want to do with your life.”

Brotherhood is something that means a lot to me. In the military, you join a brotherhood. Whether male or female, you share a bond—a relationship built on trust and having each other’s backs. That bond lasts a lifetime. I still talk to many I served with, and just last weekend five of us met up in Indiana. We laughed, cried, and remembered the ones we’ve lost along the way.

Later, when I lived in New Mexico, I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT. That was also a brotherhood. Just like in the military, we trusted each other with our lives. I had a great partner in the fire service, Jennifer Lou—we always had each other’s backs.

Now, in retirement, I’m busier than ever, which helps keep me young. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and tinkering with old Coleman lanterns and lawnmowers. My grandkids keep me on my toes, especially when we go fishing and hunting together. We haven’t caught the “big one” yet, but the little ones keep things fun at the local fishing hole down the road.

In closing, I believe that in life we all have regrets—things we wish we’d done and things we’re grateful we did do. That about sums up my life. Good or bad, it’s what we live with. I’ve been blessed and I love sharing those blessings with the people I love.

God bless,
Jeffrey Locke