MILFORD, Del.- A former tank commander during the Vietnam War, Dominic Stimola spends a great deal of his retirement helping other veterans in Sussex County, Delaware. And it is his dedication to public service that led to Dominic being named a 2018 WBOC Jefferson Awards winner, which are given annually to volunteers on Delmarva who provide extraordinary public service.
The woman who knows Dominic best, Marsha – his wife of 44 years – said her husband cannot but help others.
“Dominic draws on his experience on being a veteran and being a teacher,” she said.
Dominic’s friend, William Cooper said that at the veterans home Dominic looks up information for other veterans, ” when they jumped in WWII, what company they were with.”
“We kid him a lot about him talking too much,” Cooper said. “Sometimes the residents will go to sleep. But he’s just a great guy.”
Dominic also helped launch the Independence Veterans Club in Sussex County two years ago. Today it provides support to 82 members from all branches. The members come in all age ranges and some are battling PTSD.
“Dominic Stimola always taught me you’re not entitled to awards or recognition, you’ve earned it,” said Galen Kanode, co-chair of the Independence Veterans Club.
Dominic explained why he spends so much of his time helping others.
“There are three special people that I do this for: those are the members of my crew who were killed,” he said. “They never got home to have families, children, be the good people that I know they would have been. Dale, Jose and Jerry were just nice young men. That’s who you do it for. You don’t forget them.”
