Local veterans reflect ahead of Veterans Day

WASILLA — Valley veterans Dino Beligotti and Dave Kenison reflected on their service in the U.S. military and the importance of Veterans Day during a recent interview at AMVETS Post 9.

Beligotti and Kenison have a lot in common. They both served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and they both worked as jet mechanics throughout their active duty years and they both take great pride in the fact they got to serve their country with their fellow patriots.

"Once a marine, always a marine," Kenison said.

Kenison served around the time of the Desert Storm operation. He said that he's glad that he joined the military for many reasons, namely for the friendships he made.

"I took away a lot from the service but that was the biggest one," Kenison said.

The camaraderie didn't stop when he moved onto civilian life. He said that he's found a lot of solace in veteran organizations like Amvets, getting the chance to share stories, drinks, and laughs with his fellow veterans on a regular basis.

"I think that AMVETS is a wonderful organization. A lot of people don't understand where we've been and what we've done but people here do," Kenison said.

Beligotti served in the military during the 1970s, following the family tradition. He said that he went on to work 30 years in the aviation industry thanks to his military training and experiences.

"Best thing I ever did in my whole life was join the Marine Corps," Beligotti said.

Both Beligotti and Kenison call the Valley home. Beligotti said that he feels very welcome in the community as someone who's served in the military.

"I think the state of Alaska is the most supportive state for that. It's not perfect by any means but it's a lot better than a lot of states," Beligotti said.

Kenison said that he attends the Mat-Su Veterans Wall of Honor Veterans Day Ceremony every year.

"I think it's a wonderful thing. It's very nice to honor the people that came before us. Tip a hat to make it all possible for us to sit here," Kenison said.

U.S. Army veteran Kevin Cash recently started visiting AMVETS. He said he served as a paratrooper and combat engineer from 1999 to 2002, and he feels right at home with the various generations of fellow veterans across all branches.

"They're very welcoming," Cash said.

Barbara Montagne and her husband Scott Montagne have run AMVETS Post 9 for many years, actively supporting local veterans throughout the year with community events, projects, or simply taking the time to interact with visitors.

"It keeps us patriotic. The country has lost a lot of that. We're here to help you remember because we take care of our heroes. They're the ones that signed on that dotted line that could include your life," Montagne said.

For more information about AMVETS Post 9, call 907-376-2999.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com