DVIDS – News – Air Force Veteran Fort McCoy Dispatcher Receives Quilt of Valor in Special Ceremony

Dispatcher Aaron Demarte of the Fort McCoy Division of Emergency Services received a Quilt of Valor linked to the Superior Quilt of Valor group from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9084 in Wakefield, Michigan – Demarte’s hometown.

Demarte has served multiple military deployments for the Air Force as a military working dog handler and has 12 years of active duty military time and more in the Air National Guard. He also completed years of service as an Army civil servant at Fort McCoy.

Demarte is also active, supporting veterans’ causes and more. This ceremony was officiated by Michelle Royal, Demarte’s cousin and a quilter and also a native of Wakefield. She was supported by Heather Spring, a longtime Air Force family member and quilter and member of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, and many others who helped make the quilt in the Superior group, Royal said.

“Our Quilting Friends Facebook group was formed on May 1, 2022,” Royal said. “We all met through various virtual quilt retreats. Friendships were formed and we wanted to make a quilt together. So the group was formed and grew to 130 members across the United States.

“We have Zooms once a week, and some have gone on vacation together,” Royal said. “We love participating in Quilt of Valor events as well as quilts for needy children. We also participate in group challenges to develop our skills. Through quilting, I have formed friendships that will last a lifetime.”

In building the quilt for Demarte, Royal said 20 quilters from eight states combined to make one beautiful piece of quilted art. These people include Royal, Mary Lou Anderson, Lee Baker, Kathy Bartel, Linda Bigelbach, Dawn Bigelbach, Kathy Clancy, Christine Eid, Linda Fergusun, Kathy Flynn, Cyndy Fremling, Linda Grabow, Pam Hennessey, Linda Hinde, Judy Hunter, Kay Kammeyer . , Lori Lizak, Michell Shook, Nancy Simonson, and Lore Stanley.

During the ceremony, Royal reviewed Demarte’s Air Force career and his accomplishments during several deployments. Spring also discussed Demarte’s many medals. She also discussed the Quilt of Valor Foundation.

“The Quilt of Valor Foundation was a mission of mine,” Spring said. “I have been part of Quilts of Valor for over seven years. And when I finally made the move to UP, I was amazed that there wasn’t yet a Quilt of Valor group representing the Upper Peninsula. So from January this year I started the Superior Quilt of Valor group.

“And it’s amazing that the first person I worked with was Michelle,” Spring said. “I’m grateful that he reached out to me and I’m grateful to be here today. Quilts of Valor is a national organization that was founded by a military mom who wanted to give back, who wanted to say thank you, and who wanted to hug everyone who supports our nation and defends our freedom.

“Volunteers from all over the country actually participate in making these quilts,” Spring said. “They are made with love and they are made free of charge to any of the veterans. They are given for free and we expect nothing in return. So today it is my honor to present Aaron Demarte with this Quilt of Valor, lovingly made by a wonderful group of quilting friends.”

Demarte’s daughter Zoey Demarte and mother Judy Kahila officially presented Aaron with the quilt, laying it out for full display for the audience at the ceremony. Then they folded the quilt and put it over her shoulders.

Demarte later expressed his appreciation: “Thank you to everyone who was part of making this happen. I felt extremely honored to receive the quilt. To be recognized by such a prestigious and wonderful group of organizations with the most important people who mean the most to me in my life. I am very grateful to be among the 500,000 veterans who were also honored.

“And in terms of what the quilt means to me, when I see and think about the quilt, it makes me think about how kind and special these members of the Quilt of Valor organization are,” Demarte said. “How important all veterans are to us. And how are they important? They provide support and continue to provide the warrior ethos within us veterans to never give up no matter what we have been through and to always stand strong, defeating the evil that is thrown our way. I think about previous generations of veterans and especially the generation of veterans around my two heroes growing up. My grandfather Renaldo Boetto and my father John Kahila are both veterans of different eras of war who inspired me to serve at such a young age.”

According to the Quilts of Valor Foundation website, https://www.qovf.org, the foundation’s mission is “to blanket service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.”

The website also lists Catherine Roberts as the founder.

“Founder Catherine Roberts’ son, Nat, has been deployed to Iraq,” the website states. “According to Catherine: The dream was as vivid as real life. I saw a young man sitting on the edge of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The overwhelming feeling was one of utter despair. I saw his war demons pile up around him, dragging him into an emotional gutter. Then, as if watching a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole attitude changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my dream was: quilts = healing.”

Royal said her group will continue to support Quilts of Valor’s efforts. Spring also said the Superior Quilt of Valor group is also growing, which people can learn more about by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/293910897061704.

Demarte continues to serve in one of the busiest jobs in Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Emergency Services 911 Communications/Security Center. In a past news article, he described how he loves what he does.

“Working as a 911 dispatcher has been very rewarding for me,” Demarte said. “Getting people the help they need has sometimes been a challenge, but knowing you can help save someone’s life can also be very rewarding.

“I love coming to work every day and I really enjoy it here at Fort McCoy, especially with my fellow dispatchers,” he said. “In my opinion, this dispatch section is the best I have experienced in my entire… career both in law enforcement and as a dispatcher.”

Demarte’s Quilt of Valor ceremony also included a special color guard by members of VFW Post 9084.

Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy” and on Twitter by searching for “usagmccoy”.