Good Tidings We Bring
The Changing of the Guard
Barrington area soldiers talk of their life-changing service
At any given moment in Barrington, there are 800 military veterans and 3,000 more if all community neighbors in the 60010 zip code are included. It’s always about 12 percent of any local population – and the number drifts higher when the nation has spent prolonged years in foreign conflict.
These men and women have served their nation on large stages around the world, and often found that duty was more fulfilling than they had ever suspected. It became a habit. It became who they were.
Then they come home. Luckily, they come home for themselves and their families – and for us, too. They mostly come home strong, more adult, and somehow more fully formed as humans than when they left as children. They come home changed.
Most come home ready to be a full partner in their community and, as they have been changed by military experience, they inevitably change their communities, too. They become citizens with stronger hands and shoulders able to lift us all collectively and make it more vital and energized. Many others, still wearing the uniform, yearn for the day when they won’t need to arise at dawn to answer reveille.
They are pillars, both large and small, public and private. They are teachers, business leaders, store owners. Some take public leadership; others quietly raise families, serve their churches and their children’s schools. Many, like local business entrepreneur Frank Perhats, went off to war a teenager, served in the 77th Infantry, and came home an adult. Others are like Petty Officer Caitlin Fitzgerald, who took her 1993 Barrington High diploma and transformed it into a Navy career. Or Marine Lt. Colonel Tim Raynor, an American Airlines pilot whose hands and heart connect to veterans from Barrington to the Great Lakes Naval Station.
So, meet some of them now. They are your Barrington area neighbors and, though they seldom make any pronouncement of how military service cha nged them, you can see it if you look around you. In fact, each and every soldier we spoke with wanted to emphasize the need to support their military brothers and sisters. They are selfless, and they have worthy lessons to share.
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When children say thank you
Frank Perhats
Commander of Barrington Veterans of Foreign Wars, President of Autotherm, Inc.
Frank Perhats was among the American soldiers who got the first up-close look at a vanquished World War II enemy. The Japanese were not whom he thought they would be.
Quintessential Barrington: Did you learn things serving in World War II that you couldn’t have learned any other way?
Perhats: Oh, I definitely think so. You can’t possibly be in the military for any length of time without learning something which otherwise would have been unteachable.
QB: What were those qualities you learned?
Perhats: Basically, it’s a sense of discipline. Of doing things together. Respect for those who are in control above you in command and about how to be a teammate in cooperation with those around you. You learned how to put aside your own feelings to get the job done. I learned that as a young man when I was 18.
QB: What did you learn about the world from your experience?
Perhats: I had the great opportunity to survive the war without being seriously wounded. I was 18 when I got the draft letter from President Roosevelt. I was part of the convoy that sailed from the Philippines to Okinawa on its way to Japan for the occupation. That experience taught me how human beings are pretty much the same all over the world. When you look back on a life you spent with a wonderful wife and four children and seven grandchildren, you can start to see the universality of love between all human beings.
QB: What similarities did you see?
Perhats: Landing in Japan we were all being exposed to a former enemy. We expected to see the enemy when we arrived – whether to greet us to possibly attack – but there were none there. They were ordered to flee the area. I had been three weeks on the island of Hokkaido when we started to see small groups of Japanese residents returning to their homes. There was a young boy who called out to us. We had to be careful, as women and children were often used as traps for soldiers. The boy led us to his home. This young boy who pursued us said his family wanted to share something with us. We went.
He was the only one in the family who could speak English. So the father and mother invited us to join. And they presented us with this little can of Mandarin oranges. We shared them. The mother had saved them from before the war, and was now opening them to celebrate that her 17-year-old son returned home safely from the war. The enemy? The enemy is an aggregate, a nation. I learned that people are just individuals.
QB: The VFW’s role is to help returning service members re-integrate themselves into civilian life. How do you rate Barrington as a welcoming environment?
Perhats: Barrington is a very welcoming place, especially when you read about veterans’ experience elsewhere. We get great support in every direction. When we rode in the (July 4) parade, you get more applause and thanks than you ever get in a 100 years in any other business. We were in the big tent later and these two 13 year old girls came up and thanked me for my service to the country. Thanked ME! It was moving. This is a community that wants to pass on its best values to the children which isn’t the case in other communities. People here are aware of what people have sacrificed for the next generation.
QB: Does Barrington’s VFW have any challenges on the differing generations fitting together?
Perhats: That’s always been a challenge with new and younger people coming back into the community. It was the same for me when I was their age. I had a family and a business and didn’t join until 10 years ago. I started five companies and they’re all still running and making money. There are always many younger servicemen and women and they don’t always get involved (with service affiliated groups) They are just busy with life. They got married, have children and a job, and so you can’t put blame on them. For us older fellas, when some of those responsibilities diminish, that’s when we can make a difference. It’s why were are so involved in helping with the VA hospital and halfway houses for veterans.
QB: Do you think the times and the current culture are changing who veterans are?
Perhats: The military had a profound influence on me. It taught me that you just don’t give up. Kids from different eras obviously will see some things differently. I grew up in Chicago during the Depression and many kids like me weren’t exposed to the excesses of life. Many people are spoiled now. But the new generation of veterans? I think they’re just fine. In many ways they were just like we were. Life doesn’t change that much. Society doesn’t always treat veterans very well. But I’m glad the VFW is here to make their lives better.
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A lifer calls Barrington home
Taylor Kennedy
Navy petty officer, Semi-reti red (he hopes)
Taylor Kennedy is a helicopter mechanic who has served in four branches, but likes the rank of “citizen” best. Wife Juanita and their children, Taylor, Alexander and Catharine, think it’s time for dad to stay home.
QB: Your resume seems amazing. Was being a career soldier your goal?
Kennedy: It’s just kind of worked out that way. When I got out of the Navy in 1981, there was a 17-year break before I decided I wanted to go back in. I was 43 at the time and the Navy recruiter suggested, very politely, that I was a little too old. But my wife said the Army had helicopters and needed mechanics. So I asked and, counting my four years in the Navy, it allowed me to reach 20 years of service by age 60. That’s the rule.
QB: So, just for accuracy, what’s your service resume?
Kennedy: I was in the Navy, then Army National Guard, then the Active Army and now the Navy Reserve. First tour was Iraq where I was a gunner, and then in Kuwait. They’re supposed to leave you alone for two years after your deployment ends.
QB: What do you think those years have changed in you?
Kennedy: That experience has given me a great feeling of honor to have done what I’ve done. I was with the guys in the Fourth of July parade and the town of Barrington is so patriotic. It’s made it important for me to do things with the VFW and help educate kids in the schools learn about the history of the country and the history of the military. They are taught about World War II in two weeks. That doesn’t quite make it. It’s important not to forget.
QB: Do you sense that the service has taught you lessons that have changed you as a person?
Kennedy: Yes, definitely. I was born in the 50s and grew up in Chicago in the 60s and there was a lot of turmoil then. The military taught me not to be prejudiced. The 60s had a lot of prejudice. But the military just wouldn’t tolerate it. There were training programs that showed there was just no point to racial prejudice. The black guy next to you in combat is the same as you.
QB: You’ve seen a lot of the world. Is Barrington where you want to be?
Kennedy: Oh yes. I have one more year that they might call. But I hope not. I think I’ve had enough of deployments. I’m trying to relax. Maybe fix a few things around the house.
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Veterans who can lean on their elder brothers
Bobby Matthews
Retired U.S. Army, V. P. Business Development, Chairman, Operation Homefront, Illinois
Sometimes success is just fixing a guy’s roof.
QB: You’ve been through many aspects of the Army. What was your path?
Matthews: In 1983, my Dad, a Colonel, swore me in as a Private. I moved to rank of Sergeant and then went to officer candidate school. In 1987, my Dad, now a Brigadier General, gave me the oath of office when I became a Lieutenant. I was in active duty, the Army National Guard, the Army Reserves and now I am retired.
QB: In addition to your full time business position, you are the chairman of the board for the nonprofit, Operation Homefront-Illinois. What does the organization do?
Matthews: With corporate sponsors and a private donors and volunteers, Operation Homefront helps families of soldiers, and soldiers in transition with some vital necessities, when it is needed most. We find them jobs; we fix roofs and cars; we find social services, or we replace appliances. Operation Homefront gets the job done...we have our own ‘Special Forces’.
QB: Would you recommend a military career to young people in the community?
Matthews: I do it all the time. I believe that every young man should consider at least four years of service – it’s an honor to serve. It’s a right and a duty.
QB: How did life in the military change you?
Matthews: You grow up quick. There is a lot of responsibility. You make decisions that affect the real life people you are leading. You create missions knowing some of them may not come home. Sometimes you lead people old enough to be your dad. You have to develop interpersonal skills.
QB: Does your military experience help you in business?
Matthews: Absolutely. You learn to make clear decisions. You find that even though you are intimately involved with a process, you can also step back and view it objectively. You come home with leadership skills.
QB: Are we treating our soldiers right when they come home?
Matthews: When they come home, it’s our duty to show them preference in society – such as for placement in jobs.
QB: What is your view of the military?
Matthews: I have a deep passion for this country. Regardless of political affiliation, or the next battle we may endure, we have to be able to separate the politics from those who serve. The troops don’t make the decisions about where they go – but they did take an oath of office to protect our country. Today we have the best military – it’s an all-volunteer military – one of the strongest we’ve ever had. People are stepping up.
QB: What is your favorite military slogan?
Matthews: Adapt, modify, overcome.
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Remembering the lessons of Vietnam
John Schwan
U.S. Army retired Vietnam Veteran, Chairman, CTI Industries
Separating politics and service to see only human values.
QB: Where did you serve?
Schwan: I served in the First Air Cav in 1968-69 in Vietnam. I returned home at the age of 25.
QB: What is the value of service to those who’ve been in the military?
Schwan: It’s the little things, like visiting a V.A. (Veteran’s Administration) Hospital … talking to a soldier who just returned … helping them find a job…attending the Freedom Festival and other events like it…writing a letter. It’s a privilege to serve your country and our duty is to support all of those who currently serve.
QB: What lessons did you learn from Vietnam?
Schwan: Serving your country is not a political judgment. None of us should allow what happened to those men and women who served in Vietnam to ever happen again—they did not get full benefits of their service. Soldier support should never be politicized. Military service is one of those things that sets the tenor for your life. The experience is who you become.
QB: Do the changes that veterans experience in their view of the world relate to your personal experience?
Schwan: I like to recruit employees with military experience. Typically, the candidate with military heritage demonstrates characteristics of loyalty, mission-oriented problem solving, and diligence. We like that in business.
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He needed answers and he found them
David Shotts
Retired U.S. Army and Defense Intelligence officer
South Barrington Police commissioner (retired), Former South Barrington councilman, Barrington substitute teacher
David Schotts didn’t run from the Vietnam War; he ran toward it. It was the only way for him to understand the world.
QB: It’s been 40 years since you served actively in the military but it seems as though service has become a theme of your life. How did that happen for you?
Shotts: The military was a maturing device; it put my feet on the ground. The service provides an opportunity to look into the black hole and realize there is so much you don’t know and it suggests taking the easy way leads to faulty reasoning. The service doesn’t allow for easy answers or short cuts; especially when other people depend on you for their life. Anyone who has served and come out looks back upon it as a beneficial service—it all comes back to duty. Duty is the cement that holds the block of principles together. It’s my duty to serve my country when it needs me, or be prepared to serve. It’s cannot be compromisabled. Not transferable.
QB: Do you think your middle school students “get it?”
Shotts: History is a phenomenal teacher. There is always a lesson.
QB: You left the University of Illinois and launched yourself into the Vietnam War. It was just as common for college students to seek to escape that trip. What was different about you?
Shotts: I needed to get some firsthand experience and get answers to questions that were plaguing me. I also believed the U.S. was in trouble and needed my help. Answers don’t come easy, and they are not always neatly categorized into a box …Where is the sense of duty today? For example, the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools is so minimalized. We used to have a greater sense of pride. The Vietnam War took such a toll on the military. Soldiers were spat on. I saw it; I was depressed, I couldn’t believe that was once tolerated.
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Once a Marine, always a Marine
Tim Raynor
Lt. Colonel Marines | 11-year pilot with American Airlines
Tim Raynor is not shy about learning the values of Washington, Jefferson and Adams.
QB: You’re the leader of Sentinels of Freedom which helps disabled veterans transition into civilian life. What motivates you? You had a great career as a commercial pilot, yet decided to return to active duty. Why?
Raynor: This is not about me. When you serve, it’s being part of something bigger than me. It’s a great job; it’s great to work with Marines. They are very selfless.
QB: So now you also lead a Marine unit at Great Lakes in addition to the community service with returning veterans?
Raynor: It’s a very fulfilling job. I love it. I get a lot out of it (return to active duty). I get paid well and receive excellent benefits. I’d prefer we acknowledge those soldiers who are leaving their families for a six-month deployment because they believe so strongly in something, like our forefathers did.
QB: You’ve been a part of the military for a long time, out of it for a long time and then back in. What have you learned from it?
Raynor: The military teaches leadership and accountability, historical knowledge and appreciation for my forefathers who fought before us. It sounds cliché, but it’s so true.
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Building an admirable life on admirable traits
Caitlin Fitzgerald
Barrington High, Class of ’93, Petty Officer, U.S.S Enterprise
Caitlin Fitzgerald is one of those Navy petty officers who make any enterprise work. In fact, she makes THE Enterprise work.
QB: You’ve served eight years now. How do you see yourself having been changed?
Fitzgerald: When you come into the Navy, you have a few admirable traits and the military is very good at honing those traits, like commitment, and courage, and integrity and honor, and a sense of being more humble and appreciative of what we have in the U.S.
QB: How is it different than what you thought it might be?
Fitzgerald: To me, it’s a gift to serve and have a chance to see the world, and help people. My next deployment is a global aid mission. We’ll be building, and fixing and helping all over the world.
QB: Do hometown contributions such as patriot festivals make a difference for the military?
Fitzgerald: The Freedom Festival was amazing. To have everyone there from my hometown, seeing familiar faces and my family being supported – it’s what we all really appreciate. Taking the time to volunteer and send packages. It’s wonderful. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
QB: Petty officers function in the Navy as sergeants to in the Army. They essentially make the service work as a bridge between senior officers and enlisted personnel. Is it what you thought it would be?
Fitzgerald: I do my job day after day, and everything about my job might be routine, but nothing about my job is boring. When you’re on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, things happen very quickly and you have to have your head on a swivel at all times.