After spending much of his life in the military as the son of a veteran, Downers Grove resident Donnie Fields has held various civilian job helping vets

Carol Stream veteran Dan Tully's for Congress is the next step in a career that includes several years as a judge advocate in the Army Reserve

Marine Corps veteran Ken Lager, a Lombard resident, has spent the better part of the last two decades molding young people as a teacher and coach. He teaches at Morton West and coaches football at Hinsdale Central.

Navy veteran Marylee Leu is serving her community after working as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman both home and abroad

Downers Grove National Guard veteran now serves vets as the Quartermaster of Downers Grove VFW 503

Downers Grove veteran Jason Wales joined the Army after 9/11 and had a military career that included serving as an air traffic controller in Iraq

Gallery

Check out the photos from our Thank You Veterans special section in DuPage County for 2025.

Nazareth Academy math teacher credits her father for inspiring career

Leann Philgren worked in corporate America out of college. Then she found her calling as a special education teacher and coach, which took the Chicago native to Westmont. Philgren has been there ever since.