My brother lives here in Peoria with his family, as did our grandpa, who lived here with his wife, mom, and seven sons. Grandpa was originally born in Liverpool, England, moving to the states as a boy. Kevin is the first member of our large family to join the military since our grandpa, who served in WWII. Our family is very big and very close!
My grandpa, Joe Spears, was drafted and served in WWII as an army soldier with Company E. 383rd Infantry, 96th Division. He was injured in a kamikaze attack on April 27, 1945, after being shot in the neck by a sniper.
He served as a communications sergeant during WWII. During attacks on Okinawa, he was injured in a kamikaze attack on April 27, 1945, after being shot in the neck by a sniper. He was then moved to a Navy hospital ship, the USS Comfort. In the days following, the ship was also attacked. My grandpa made it home and went on to raise seven sons with his beloved wife, Theresa. He was a hero to everyone who knew him, but especially to his sons and his 19 grandchildren.
Kevin, my brother, enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard as 11B Infantry in February 2011, and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School as a Medical Service Officer in 2014. He is currently a Major, serving as the Company Commander for the 710th Medical Company Area Support (MCAS) in Crestwood, IL. He deployed to Kuwait in 2024 as the 34th Division Sustainment Brigade Medical Operations Officer.
The Army has taken Kevin to Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Fort Polk, Louisiana, along with many other locations across the United States.
From Kevin, “The Army has been great to me. I’ve been able to experience and learn from exceptional leaders. I’ve also learned lessons in leadership from the missteps of others (and plenty of my own). I’ve been fortunate enough to face numerous challenges and grow as a person and leader in ways I likely would not have experienced in the civilian world. I’ve met some of my best friends through my military service. It’s been an honor and a privilege to console Soldiers on their worst days. My greatest accomplishment, in my opinion, is when junior Soldiers come to me with their personal issues because they trust me and they tell me that they know their leadership cares about them and will do the right thing. I joined the National Guard because I wanted to serve my country, state, and community. I became an officer because I wanted to put myself in a position to make the greatest impact.”
Kevin also wants to recognize the people in his life who have been impacted by his military service. “Service members have a difficult, demanding job that takes significant time away from friends and family. We miss countless birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, family reunions, practices, games, bedtime stories, etc. It’s time that we can’t get back with our families, but it’s also time that our friends and families live life without us. That is a challenge placed on them that is largely outside of their control. Their sacrifices make our service possible, and for that we are truly grateful.”
“Other than the 710th MCAS Motto, “Bear Down, Always Ready”, I don’t have a specific life motto. However, my approach as a leader is to always consider how the mission, environment, and my decisions will impact people, not just the Soldiers under my command, but their friends and families as well. I have been trusted with others’ lives, and that is a responsibility and honor that I take seriously. The mission always comes first, but how missions are accomplished is what builds trust, cohesion, and long-term success.”
I (Erin) could not be more proud to be a military sister. I have spent the past 15 years watching my brother grow into an incredible leader with a list of accomplishments. It has been such an honor and will continue to be. Growing up, I was so proud to have my grandpa come to Veterans Day ceremonies at my school. Now, my children get to experience this with my brother, who spends Veterans Day at school with his niece and nephew.
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Thank you, Erin Karpowicz, for sharing this moving account of your family’s history. The bravery and dedication shown by your grandfather, Joe Spears, and your brother, Kevin Spears, are a true testament to a legacy of service and honor. As we reflect on our American Heritage, stories of courage, sacrifice and honor are the best ways to celebrate our 250th Anniversary as a country. May we continue to find ways to life each other up, to serve our neighbors and hold true to the ideal that our individual freedom has never been free.
