By Debbie Adams
The Town of Vinton honored its employees who have served or are serving in the military with a veterans luncheon on November 9 at the Vinton War Memorial.
Town employees who have served in the Armed Services include Chief of Police Fabricio Drumond, Public Works employees Kevin Orange and Jimmy Brown, Police Det. Cpl. Silas Chapman, Sgt. Brandon Alterio, and Officer Jesse Dibble along with Vinton Mayor Brad Grose.
Mayor Grose served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 during the Vietnam era, stationed in Korea, achieving the rank of Sergeant E-5. He worked as an electronics technician and in tech/supply. He was elected to Vinton Town Council in 2000 and has served the town as mayor since 2004.
Jimmy Brown served stateside in the Marine Corps for three years. He has worked in the Vinton Public Works Department since November 2, 2020, and holds the position of Chief Mechanic.
Kevin Orange served in the U.S. Army from 1982 through 1986 with the rank of E-4. He was in light infantry and stationed in Georgia and Kentucky. He has worked in the Public Works Department for 17 years, currently as Stormwater Technician.
Police Chief Drumond served in the United States Marine Corps from 2002 to 2006. He earned the rank of Sergeant, E-5, and was stationed in Camp Lejeune, N.C. He was deployed to Africa, Cuba, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He was trained as an assault man. He has been employed by the Vinton since 2009 and was appointed Chief of Police in December 2020.
Sgt. Brandon Alterio served in the U.S. Air Force from 2008-2014 and reached the rank of Staff Sergeant. He joined the Vinton Police Department in March 2019.
Det. Cpl. Silas Chapman served in the U. S. Army infantry from 1997 to 2008 with the rank of Staff Sergeant E-6. He was stationed in Germany, the Middle East, Fort Benning, Georgia, and, also in Texas and California. He has been with the Vinton Police Department for seven years.
Officer Jesse Dibble served in the United States Navy from 1994-1996. He is the founder and director of the Master Sergeant George A. Bannar Jr. Scholarship. Bannar was a high school friend killed in action in 2013 as a Special Forces Medic. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually in his memory to graduating JROTC cadets at Orange County High School.
Dibble is also co-founder and vice president of the “Queen City Rucking for 22,” a veterans and first responders-based non-profit designed to align veterans and first responders with outreach programs to reduce veteran and first responder suicides.
He was sworn in as a member of the Vinton Police Department in May 2022.
The veterans luncheon was organized by Human Resources and Risk Management Director Donna Collins, Community Programs Director Chasity Barbour, and Community Programs Supervisor Amanda Payne.
Collins thanked the veterans for their service to the United States and also to the Town of Vinton.
