MURRIETA – Hundreds of military veterans, their friends and family dined among the 2,024 flags at the Murrieta Field of Honor in Town Square Park on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The luncheon, which is free to all veterans, is hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Murrieta and Old Town Temecula.
In addition to the veterans, city and county officials, local dignitaries and members of at least four local-area Rotary clubs were in attendance. Dr. Jim Yanoschik, president of the Murrieta club, and Kevin Willis, president of the Old Town Temecula club served as masters of ceremonies. Judy Zulfiqar, Rotary District 5330 Governor, welcomed guests and spoke on Rotary.
Kenneth Hedrick, a veteran, community contributor and Grand Marshall of Murrieta’s Veterans Day parade, sang the National Anthem and the Salute to the Armed Forces. All veterans present were invited to introduce themselves and say where they served.
While the lunch celebrates all veterans, the Murrieta Field of Honor selected four Heroes based on nominations from friends and associates for special recognition. This year’s honorees included:
Robert “Deke” DeCubellis, Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
Colonel DeCubellis enlisted in the Air Force in 1968 and retired in 2006. Locally, he is known for his service to our community. He served as President of the Murrieta Veterans Foundation which was instrumental in the creation of the Veterans Memorials in Town Square Park.
Colonel DeCubellis served two tours as a security specialist and law enforcement specialist at Hamilton Air Force Base. He was an Air Base Defender and night shift Security Controller at Bien Hoa Air Base Vietnam 1970-1971. While there, he was the Quick Reaction Team machine gunner that helped thwart the August 1970 attempted C-141 Starlifter hi-jacking.
Transferring to the Air Force Reserve in 1973, DeCubellis continued to take on more responsibilities. He received a direct commission in 1977 at McClellan Air Force Base and became 4th Air Force Chief of Security Forces. At March Air Reserve Base, he became Commander 604th Regional Support Group, and finally the 4th Air Force Inspector General. He was actively involved in every major conflict, contingency and humanitarian operation from Grenada, Panama, the Loma Prieta San Francisco Earthquake, to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition to his work with the Murrieta Veterans Memorial Foundation, he is First Vice President of the Vietnam Security Police Association and a former multi-term member of the Murrieta Public Safety and Traffic Commission. He continues to perform docent duties at Murrieta’s Memorials and volunteers at his local church’s food pantry.
Alan R. Hulett, Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
Alan Hulett joined the US Marines just 13 days after his 17th birthday in 1978. After boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina, he entered Basic Combat Engineer school at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, and served his first enlistment at 7th Eng Support Bn. 1st FSSG, Camp Pendleton, CA. His subsequent duty station assignments, deployments, and world conflicts took him to a wide range of locales including Okinawa, Japan, Korea, Norway, Africa, South America, Haiti, Cuba, Bosnia, and San Diego.
Now living in Temecula, Alan, a service-disabled veteran, started his own company, ARH Universal Corp which serves the Department of Defense and Uniformed Services, First Responders, Federal Agencies and citizens with equipment, logistics services and training. He is also dedicated to giving back, to better the lives of veterans, active-duty, retired, families, and widows of Marine Corps Drill Instructors who fall into emergent need. He currently serves as President of the West Coast Drill Instructor Association, a 501c (3) nonprofit.
Patricia “Trisha” Ceranek-Sanders, U.S. Navy
Trisha was born in Heidelberg, West Germany, where her father was serving in the U.S. Army. She entered active service in the U.S. Navy in 1985 and entered Radioman Class A School at Naval Training Center, San Diego, following boot camp.
As a Radioman, she was responsible for all forms of telecommunications through various transmission media aboard ships, aircraft and at shore facilities. During her six years of active duty, she spent three years at a Naval Telecommunications Station in Subic Bay, Philippines and three at Naval Telecommunications in Naples, Italy. The Naples assignment included support of forces deployed in Desert Storm.
Today, Trisha is called a “pillar of our school community.” She left active duty to start a family, and has been employed with Murrieta Valley Unified School District where she is currently the Dorothy McElhinney Middle School bookkeeper and liaison with military students and family who attend the school.
Markiest Sanders, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Mark entered Navy service in 1983 and after recruit training in San Diego, he attended Radioman Class A School. He advanced to the rank of Radioman Chief Petty Officer before receiving his commission in 1995. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 2008. His last assignment was with Program Executive Office, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence, San Diego. During this assignment, Lt. Cmdr. Sanders completed individual augmentee tours to Kabul and Khandar, Afghanistan where he was responsible for programming and implementing reform of the Afghan Security Forces. These included the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.
Earlier in his Navy career, Mark served on the USS John Rodgers, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea. He also served aboard the USS Coronado where staff supported two Rim of the Pacific exercises and numerous Third Fleet Battle group workups and training certifications. With his commission, he served aboard the USS Essex where he deployed twice in the North Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch and Desert Fox. His last sea assignment was onboard USS Milius as Combat Systems Officer and Electronic Material Officer deploying twice to the North Arabian Gulf and the Western Pacific in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Since retiring, Mark has worked for the Department of Navy as program manager for networks and has served his community as a basketball and football coach for youth sports, including coaching Murrieta Mesa football for six years.
Submitted by Murrieta Rotary Club.
