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Decorated USAF veteran reflects on his service as he remembers the fallen this Memorial Day

Lt. Col. Charles Seidel credits the Milton Hershey School in Dauphin County with preparing him for life in the military.

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — Memorial Day during a pandemic means many parades and celebrations were canceled, but that did not stop families of the fallen and veterans from honoring the men and women who died fighting for our freedom.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles “Chuck” Seidel is a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran. He admits, Memorial Day was a bit off this year, with social distancing and the absence of large gatherings. He reflected on his service and remembered the fallen heroes.

“I’ve been prepared for every challenge and a lot of it has to do with those hard assignments.  And, I’ll tell you, my first hard assignment was nine years at Milton Hershey School,” said Lt. Col. Seidel, who retired in 2015 and continues to work as a contractor for the U.S. Military.

Lt. Col. Seidel was named 2020 Alumnus of the Year by the Milton Hershey School (MHS) for his distinguished military career. He enrolled in MHS when he was 8 years old and now lives in Savannah, Georgia with his wife Cyndi. As his Pennsylvania hometown honors him, Lt. Col. Seidel also wants to pay tribute to the men and women who died while serving our country.

“When we see an injustice, we’re willing to do something about it, and sometimes, we’re willing to die for it,” explained Lt. Col. Seidel. “I’m very proud of that. I was part of it for 28 years.”

In his 28-year active duty career, Lt. Col. Seidel completed 13 assignments and held numerous positions as he climbed the ranks of the U.S. Air Force. He has been recognized with the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, NATO Medal and many other notable decorations. 

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In 2015, Lt. Col. Seidel managed the Long Range Strike Bomber Program at the Pentagon. He oversaw the efforts to develop the B-21 Raider, the Air Force replacement of the B-2 bomber.

“And at the time, it was a classified program,” added Lt. Col. Seidel. “I got hired to be the integration chief and it was pretty fascinating.”

During his service, Lt. Col. Seidel made lifelong friends and faced devastating losses. He was a section commander in 1996, when the Khobar Towers were attacked in Saudi Arabia.

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“My troops made it out of the building. They did a head count on their floor. They knew they were missing [people] and they went back into the building,” remembered Lt. Col. Seidel. “The building was on fire. Huge chunks of concrete were still falling out of the building. I mean, that’s a hero.”

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On this Memorial Day, a salute from the U.S. Air Force veteran—honoring the men and women who served and sacrificed so that we could have a future. Their story of commitment to our country will not be forgotten.

“The veterans that we’re celebrating won’t hear our message this weekend. Their family and friends? They will,” declared Lt. Col. Seidel.

Visit Milton Hershey School website for more information on the distinguished military career of Lt. Col. Seidel.

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