thedrifter
03-09-08, 10:25 AM
Ex-Marine aids fellow vets in 'labor of love'
Sunday, March 09, 2008
WILLIAM S. SIEBEL
67, Bound Brook
Achievement
Siebel advocates for New Jersey's disabled war veterans by helping them navigate the obstacle course to government benefits. For this, and numerous other military and civic service commitments and his leadership, Siebel was awarded the Philadelphia-based Chapel of Four Chaplains' Bronze Medallion.
Background
The son of a Coast Guard commander, Siebel went straight from a Woodstock, Va. Military Academy to the Marines for a tour of duty from 1959-1963. He started in Okinawa, went to Korea and then into Vietnam.
He witnessed the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 from a Navy ship, where he served as a field radio operator. The next year, during the Cuban missile crisis, he was on a ship at the time of the naval blockade. "It was the best part of my life," he said.
But after injuries to both kneecaps, Siebel had to leave. He took a job in Morristown at AT&T as a manager of information systems, retiring after 17 years, in 2003. Since then he's remained active in a wide range of U.S. Marine military fraternities and charities, and the Bound Brook Council.
Fighting for veterans
These days, Siebel is using his contacts and fighting spirit for other vets, mostly those men and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. From his chair at the state Department of Labor office in New Brunswick where he works full-time as a veterans representative, Siebel meets with veterans with disabilities, empathizes with their plight and pushes for their benefits.
Sometimes he visits shelters in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy to help young, homeless vets. He also occasionally speaks to soldier and sailor units on the eve of their deployments, advising them of their rights, and asking them to come see him on their return. "It's a labor of love. I don't want to see any veteran left behind," he said.
Recently a 24-year-old Marine called on him for help in getting a law enforcement job. Siebel checked on his Veteran Affairs claim, got him fitted with a prosthetic leg to replace the metal rod and curved foot he was walking on, talked to him about post-traumatic stress therapy and started calling around. But it's hard. "Companies do absolutely nothing for returning vets, that's my problem," Siebel said.
He often recommends they consider the National Guard, where they can go in at their prior rank and receive a free college education.
Stress relief
For fun, Siebel runs the U.S. Marines Youth Foundation's high school physical fitness competition, which will be held on Wednesday at Rutgers' College Avenue gym. High schools have been invited to send boy or girl teams to compete in five timed events: sit-ups, push-ups, standing long jumps, pull-ups and a 300-yard shuttle.
"Even if they are neophytes, they go out and bust their backs to do the best they can do. Then they come back the next year. I'm happy as hell with that," said Siebel.
Veterans representative Bill Siebel (pronounced SEEbul) can be reached by e-mail William.siebel@dol.state.nj.us or by telephone at (732) 418-3359.
Family
Wife, Rae; daughter, Dawn.
-- Christina Johnson
Ellie
Sunday, March 09, 2008
WILLIAM S. SIEBEL
67, Bound Brook
Achievement
Siebel advocates for New Jersey's disabled war veterans by helping them navigate the obstacle course to government benefits. For this, and numerous other military and civic service commitments and his leadership, Siebel was awarded the Philadelphia-based Chapel of Four Chaplains' Bronze Medallion.
Background
The son of a Coast Guard commander, Siebel went straight from a Woodstock, Va. Military Academy to the Marines for a tour of duty from 1959-1963. He started in Okinawa, went to Korea and then into Vietnam.
He witnessed the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 from a Navy ship, where he served as a field radio operator. The next year, during the Cuban missile crisis, he was on a ship at the time of the naval blockade. "It was the best part of my life," he said.
But after injuries to both kneecaps, Siebel had to leave. He took a job in Morristown at AT&T as a manager of information systems, retiring after 17 years, in 2003. Since then he's remained active in a wide range of U.S. Marine military fraternities and charities, and the Bound Brook Council.
Fighting for veterans
These days, Siebel is using his contacts and fighting spirit for other vets, mostly those men and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. From his chair at the state Department of Labor office in New Brunswick where he works full-time as a veterans representative, Siebel meets with veterans with disabilities, empathizes with their plight and pushes for their benefits.
Sometimes he visits shelters in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy to help young, homeless vets. He also occasionally speaks to soldier and sailor units on the eve of their deployments, advising them of their rights, and asking them to come see him on their return. "It's a labor of love. I don't want to see any veteran left behind," he said.
Recently a 24-year-old Marine called on him for help in getting a law enforcement job. Siebel checked on his Veteran Affairs claim, got him fitted with a prosthetic leg to replace the metal rod and curved foot he was walking on, talked to him about post-traumatic stress therapy and started calling around. But it's hard. "Companies do absolutely nothing for returning vets, that's my problem," Siebel said.
He often recommends they consider the National Guard, where they can go in at their prior rank and receive a free college education.
Stress relief
For fun, Siebel runs the U.S. Marines Youth Foundation's high school physical fitness competition, which will be held on Wednesday at Rutgers' College Avenue gym. High schools have been invited to send boy or girl teams to compete in five timed events: sit-ups, push-ups, standing long jumps, pull-ups and a 300-yard shuttle.
"Even if they are neophytes, they go out and bust their backs to do the best they can do. Then they come back the next year. I'm happy as hell with that," said Siebel.
Veterans representative Bill Siebel (pronounced SEEbul) can be reached by e-mail William.siebel@dol.state.nj.us or by telephone at (732) 418-3359.
Family
Wife, Rae; daughter, Dawn.
-- Christina Johnson
Ellie