Veronica Minor, Persian Gulf War, U.S. Navy
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VERONICA MINOR
By Missy Klatt
Veronica Minor moved around a lot as a kid but has lived in Boyceville for the last 27 years. She and her husband, Don and now their son, Lucas were all in the United States Navy, with their son still on active duty. (You can read an article about Lucas in the October 11th issue of the Tribune Press Reporter).
Veronica enlisted when she was 17 years old and served from 1983-1992. Her time in boot camp was spent in Florida. She was then stationed in San Diego for schooling, and then she went to Guam. It was in Guam that she met her husband Don, as he too was stationed there.
After her tour in Guam she was at China Lake Naval Station in Ridge Crest, CA which is in the Mojave Desert. “I was there for quite a while and then I decided to get out and I was on my first reserve unit, first time being in reserves in Minneapolis at Fort Snelling and they activated me. So I wasn’t even out a month.” This was in 1990 at the beginning of then, Operation Desert Storm. At the time Minor’s daughter, Tayler was four months old and Minor was gone for nine months. Fortunately by that time her husband was out of the service, so he was able to care for Tayler with help from Veronica’s mom.
For the next two years Minor was all over the place, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Germany at various naval bases supporting troops in Desert Storm.
During this period women weren’t allowed to serve on ships, so she was always flown from base to base.
In the service Minor stated she was Airdale, which is anything related to aircraft. She was an aviation electrician, so she worked on jets and helicopters.
Although Minor wasn’t on the front lines in Desert Storm she saw the effects of war, especially when she was in Saudi Arabia because that’s where they flew in the wounded.
After she got out of the Navy Minor went to college which she admits was the main reason that she went into the service, so she wouldn’t have to pay for college. Originally she thought she would just do her four years and then go to school, but she ended up staying longer. She had thoughts at one time of staying in for 20 years but then she stated, “it was too hard trying to raise a family at the same time.”
Minor comments that she enjoyed her Navy career but the hardest thing that she went through was when she had to leave her daughter.
Conversely she states that there many good things about being in the Navy, number one, making life time bonds. Even though her friends from her time in the service live throughout the United States, Minor notes that they are all still close. Also Minor states, “when you meet somebody, a stranger, that has been in the military before, you form an automatic bond.” Travel was another perk, “I liked the traveling, I got to see a lot of the world. And then the pride of course, the pride of serving my country.”
Veronica’s family had no history of military service, but her husband’s dad and all his uncles served in the military. However, it was the stories that they told their children that inspired Lucas to join the navy. “We’d talked about things we did, places we’d been, what we did there. It’s really cool because he (Lucas) went to Spain and Croatia and he went to the same places I had been.” remarked Minor. She went on to say that her daughter also wanted to join but never did.
Minor states that Lucas, who never really applied himself in high school has excelled since he joined the Navy and they are very proud of him. He plans to be a lifer and stay in for 20 years.
Minor would recommend the military for any young person. She thinks it would be great for all youth to do two years of service. “It teaches them independence and respect.” comments Minor “Boot camp alone will change them. It’s a good career” enthuses Minor “I love the Navy, I love everything about the Navy.”
Due to time constraints and her work hours Minor hasn’t joined the VFW or the Legion but hopes to once she is retired.