Joe was nominated by Shelly & Gina:
Our father, Retired Chief Joe Marasco, is truly a man of service. His dream growing up was to be a sailor. He enlisted in the United States Navy right out of high school and served in the Vietnam War. He was forced to retire with 20 years of service as a disabled vet due to a diagnosis of cancer. He was so disappointed his naval career was over; however, his service did not end there. Pops continued his calling to the military as a volunteer at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. Nearly every day of the week, our father visits patients, bringing them hope, joy, and encouragement. He also serves his community in other ways: giving talks at schools to help students quit smoking or never start in the first place, feeding the homeless through his church and several local charities, raising funds for special needs children, and more. Our father has dedicated his life to being a man of service, and we believe is worthy of Military Hero of the Week!