MONTICELLO – Air Force veteran Stephen Walsh of Liberty has been named the new director of the Sullivan County Veterans Service Agency. He replaces John Crotty who recently retired.
Community Resources Commissioner Laura Quigley said Walsh is “highly experienced and credentialed in the veterans’ community.” She said he knows what needs to be accomplished on the individual and office levels “and his team’s deep familiarity with the Veterans Administration gives him the ability to navigate a very complex system.”
Walsh joined the Air Force after graduating from Liberty High School and became proficient in propulsion technologies, including nuclear.
When he returned home in the 1990s, he opened a machine shop, which grew into a source for machined parts for car dealerships, mechanics and farmers around the region.
He semi-retired after 35 years.
During his time in the Air Force from 1984 to 1993, Wash served as a propulsion specialist, flew F-16 fighter jets in training, and supported combat operations during the USS Stark incident in 1987 in the Persian Gulf.
He suffered a serious and disabling injury but kept being denied VA benefits for many years. “If it weren’t for John (Crotty), my service-connected claims would still be winding through the system.”
Walsh can often be seen walking around the government center with his service dog, Ringo, obtained through Action Toward Independence. Ringo keeps track of Walsh’s health and knows how to respond should an emergency develop.
“I promised myself that if I ever rose to a position of authority here, I’d make positive changes,” Walsh said. “This has been a homecoming in so many different respects for me.”
