(Submitted Photo)

BINGHAMTON – On Veterans’ Day, local officials joined Senator Fred Akshar at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena to induct local veteran and veterans advocate Sergeant Eric Fetterman into the New York State Senate Veterans' Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Each year, the New York State Senate honors veterans who have distinguished themselves in both their military and community service.

Sgt. Eric Fetterman enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1987, serving as a Light Armored Vehicle Crewman during Operation Desert Storm. Fetterman also cross trained as a Mortarman and was the Vehicle Commander of Mortar Variant #023 in Camp Pendleton, CA.

Fetterman served on the USS Comstock in 1991 in the Pacific Ocean, visiting Iwo Jima to honor and remember the fallen Marines of 1945. En route to Hong Kong, he was re-routed to the Philippines during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo as part of the relief effort for Operation Fiery Vigil.

Six months after being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps, he returned to the Marine Corps Reserves in Buffalo, NY in 1992, eventually exiting the Marine Corps as a Sergeant.

As a civilian, Fetterman has been at the center of community efforts to help and support local Marines and their families.

In 2014, Fetterman joined the Marine Corps League, and has served as Senior Vice Commandant, the “workhorse” of the League, since 2015. During his time with the League, Fetterman has earned the Distinguished Citizen Bronze, Marine Of The Year, Distinguished Service Bronze, and the Meritorious Individual Commendation Ribbon.

In 2019, Fetterman organized a benefit for former Marine Corps League Commandant Eric Bellamy, a local veteran battling pancreatic cancer. In one day, the benefit raised $24,000 in contributions from the community to help support a veteran in need.

That same year, Fetterman organized the First Annual Chenango Bridge Community BBQ Rib Cook Off, raising $1,500 for the Chenango Bridge Fire Department.

Sgt. Fetterman also led the Marine Corps League’s efforts to restart the Toys for Tots program, which distributed over 2,400 toys to more than 1,200 children across his community and raised $15,000 dollars for next year’s efforts.

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fetterman led the League’s efforts to assist the CHOW food bank to put together hundreds of meals in Johnson City for families and students stuck under lockdown.

Fetterman has served as a member of the Broome County Veterans Memorial Association since 2016, participating in dozens of local veterans funerals as part of the Broome County Veterans Memorial Association Honor Guard

“While his active duty service to our country has long since ended, Sgt. Eric Fetterman has devoted his time and attention here in our community to serving others and advocating on behalf of his fellow veterans,” said Senator Fred Akshar. “His tireless dedication to serving others deserves to be celebrated. On behalf of a grateful state and a grateful nation, we thank Sgt. Fetterman for his continued service.

“Sgt. Fetterman is an example of how one individual can have a big impact their entire community,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “On behalf of Broome County we thank Sgt. Fetterman for his service. His unwavering support of local veterans shows exactly why this induction into the NYS Senate Veterans Hall of Fame is so well-earned.”

"Congratulations to Sgt. Eric Fetterman on being inducted into the New York State Veterans' Hall of Fame," said Broome County Legislature Majority Leader Cindy O'Brien. "We appreciate Sgt. Fetterman's service in the U.S. Marine Corps and his service with many local Veterans organizations right here in our community."

You can read more about Sgt. Eric Fetterman at www.Akshar.NYSenate.Gov.