Lieutenant Colonel Jeff and Faye Wishik have been married for 37 years. CONTRIBUTED

Veteran of the Week

MADISON – In Nov. 1966, Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Wishik was the first early commissioning candidate from Marion Military Institute.

He completed U.S. Army Infantry Officer Basic and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga. He was assigned to Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. and deployed to Vietnam in 1967 with 101st Airborne Division.

He then served with Delta Company, 3rd Batallion, 187th ABN Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, RVN and led as Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader.

In 1968, he was combat wounded and medically evacuated to hospitals at RVN Field; in Japan; Fort Gordon, Ga.; Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery; and Fort Rucker. Wishik was assigned temporary duty as Executive Officer for Training Brigade at Fort Rucker.

After completing Officer Rotary Wing qualification courses in Texas and Georgia, Wishik returned to Vietnam at Can Tho with 271st Aviation Company. His service continued ‘back home’ at Fort Still, Okla.; Fort Hood, Texas; and Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

From 1978-1981, Wishik was associate and assistant professor, Department of Behavioral Science and Leadership, at U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

He then served in Germany at Neu Ulm with 56th FA Command (Pershing) and Heidelberg as Director of Personnel and Community Activities. His last four years were completed at Fort Still as Commander and TRADOC System Manager. He retired in January 1988.

In 2001, he moved here with Lockheed Martin, Corporate Business Development for Aviation and Special Operations.

Wishik earned an associate’s degree at Marion, bachelor’s degree at University of West Florida in Pensacola and master’s degree at Purdue University.

His wife Faye volunteers with Huntsville Botanical Garden, Kids to Love, Semper Fi Community Task Force and Madison Street Festival. Their daughter Cody Anderson and husband Joe live in Madison with their son, 14-month-old Reid Parker Anderson.

Lieutenant Colonel Wishik is vice chairman, Semper Fi; judicial volunteer, Veterans Court; veterans director, Vets with Vettes and Corvette Owners; life member, Military Order of the Purple Heart and Marion Military Institute Alumni Brigade; and member, Legion of Valor.

In 2002, he was inducted into Madison County Hall of Heroes and Military Order of the Purple Heart Honor Roll. The Wishiks were named 2014 AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year, Redstone Chapter.

An outdoorsman, Wishik enjoys golf, fishing and hunting.