CONTRIBUTED BY OFFICE OF SEN. TOMMY TUBERVILLE
AUBURN — U.S. Navy Capt. Paul “Puck” Esposito has been named as the May Veteran of the Month by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
“In Alabama, we take a lot of pride in honoring and supporting the heroes who have served in our nation’s military,” said Tuberville. “But it takes people who are dedicated to this mis-sion 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“No one embodies this cause better than Capt. Paul ‘Puck’ Esposito of Auburn, Alabama. The son of a World War II and Korean War veteran, Esposito followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Navy in 1986, where he spent 30 years in active duty as an aviator. From fly-ing Grey helicopters and serving on an exchange tour with the Canadian Air Force to spend-ing eight years at sea — you name it, Puck did it. He was sent on nine long deployments and served in every theater the Navy has a presence in.
“His role at the Vets Resource Center has been an essential part of filling the gaps for Auburn student-veterans and military-affiliated students,” Tuberville said. “Though the Center is largely focused on providing academic resources for its participants, Puck has taken a deep-er approach. In addition to educational support, Puck and his team have worked to combat critical issues such as veteran suicide, food insecurity and homelessness.
“Under the last decade of Puck’s leadership, Auburn’s Vets Resource Center has expanded from supporting 600 students to 2,100 currently. They put on events like Project Iron Ruck and help Auburn recognize and honor veterans at many of the University’s athletic events. We’re proud to now call Puck one of our own and are grateful for all he does to sup-port our veterans.”
Tuberville recognizes a different Alabama veteran each month for their service and contribution to their community. Constituents can nominate an Alabama veteran and submit their information to the senator’s office for consideration by emailing press_office@tuberville.senate.gov.