In her 22nd Veteran Spotlight interview, Senator Lisa Murkowski featured highly decorated Air Force Veteran Gary Turner of Soldotna.
Turner, who is now the CEO of UAA’s Kenai Peninsula College, reflected on how his brother in-law, who lost limbs in Vietnam, inspired him to serve.
Turner: “This man who had lost so much still loved his country, he was still a patriot. And here I am, trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and I thought well I owe my country something and so I had a debt that I needed to pay so I enlisted in the Air Force and started my career.”
He said that his brother in-law passed away last year but Turner will always remember his impact.
Turner: “He really opened my eyes to what I feel all American citizens owe to our country. I think it’s even more now that when I was a teenager.”
Turner served for over 15 years in the Air Force and was named one of the 12 Outstanding Airman of the Year in 1982, the only public affairs specialist to ever receive the honor.
He also worked for NASA before returning to Alaska and still participates with wounded warriors each year in the Wounded Warrior Kenai River Fishing Event.
