Oakland County Sheriff’s Office donated holiday presents to a veteran and his large family just before Christmas on Dec. 20 at the Oxford Township Substation.
Every year the Sheriff’s Office “adopts” a veteran in need in Oakland County through its “Adopt a Veteran’s Family at Christmas” program, the Sheriff’s Office community liason, Amanda Ford explained. The family is chosen based on a recommendation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
This year’s veteran, Daniel, who wished not to share his last name, recently moved to the area and has 100 percent disability status. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 2002 and served for 15 years until 2017. He specialized as an Infantry Unit Leader, Rifleman and Foreign Security Force Advisor. He was deployed twice to Iraq in 2003 and 2004, twice to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012, and to Burma in 2008.
Capt. Dale Miller formally thanked Daniel for his service, on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
Employees of the Sheriff’s Office donated money and items based on a wish list the family provided. The presents were a combination of clothing, essentials, toys, and monetary donations like gift cards.
Daniel said he was “super surprised” when then Sheriff’s Office called.
“We always try to be the family that helps other families. We always try to have a couple extra people at our table. Especially around the holidays, we try to have somebody that doesn’t have anywhere to go,” Daniel said. “We are just so blessed, being so fortunate with a good community around here.”
The program is “a small token of our thanks for all that our service men and women sacrifice for our freedoms,” a Sheriff’s Office Facebook post stated.
Daniel has been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation-Navy, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one star, Iraq Campaign Medal with three stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal for his service.