In Our Midst: Joseph Fasceski

How many men would volunteer to be deployed to a combat zone at the age of 65? Even better, how many men would volunteer to be deployed after already serving decades in the military, and after being retired for several years?

Lt. Col. Joseph “Joe” Fasceski, 67, accepted this challenge, and returned from Iraq earlier this summer after being deployed there for a year.

Fasceski is not your regular, run-of-the mill retiree. During his short period of retirement, he was heavily involved in the community in some of the toughest activities a retired man can pursue. He has been a member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) since the summer of 2006; a member of the Sheriff’s Auxiliary from 2003-2006; and he also has been a member of the LCCC (Loudoun County Crime Commission) since 2006.

He also has a part-time job with Northrop/Grumman, and runs his own business, Virginia Financial Investigations LLC, specializing in “discrete confidential private investigations.” Joe is a member the Isaac Walton League Conservation Group, and a Benefactor member of the NRA (National Rifle Association). A firearms instructor, Fasceski loves to hunt.

Fasceski first enlisted in the Marine Corps in the 1960s, and later got a commission in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he remained for 26 years until he retired. The work that he did during those 26 years was in Civil Affairs, which included “Everything from identifying bombing targets–or rather non-targets such as museums and mosques/churches and things like that–to getting displaced civilians away from the battlefield, to managing the immediate aftermath of hostilities…or as we call it, kinetic action, to rebuilding the government the economy and society,” he explained.

Fasceski was recalled to active duty on June 21, 2008, and deployed on July 26, at which time he was assigned to work in Social Services–a specialty he was not initially very pleased with. “I complained considerably about having been assigned to Social Services instead of finance, economics or business, where I could apply my 35 or 40 years of experience,” recalled Fasceski. “Instead, I worked in Social Services, which encompassed education, health and youth,”

“On the minus side, I had to learn what was going on, and had a limited background and a hands-on experience to assist in these areas. On the plus side I now have a thorough understanding of health, education and youth government services, at least in Anbar Province,” he continued. “I worked closely with both the Marine Corps and Iraqi government officials, such as the directors general of Health, Education, Labor and Social Services for Anbar Province, (which is) the equivalent of a state superintendent of health, education, etc.”

While Fasceski was in Iraq, his service earned him a Bronze Star medal. He explained why he was selected to receive the Bronze Star: “Simply in recognition of making daily trips outside the wire to conduct business in this combat environment,” he said. “We did have several people killed in the locations and on other teams, so the chance of running out of luck was always a reality. I just did more than most.”

Fasceski returned to the US for out-processing at Fort Benning, Ga., on June 14, 2009, and to his home on July 2. He was officially released from duty on July 5. He notes that his work in Iraq was focused on reconstruction of a foreign nation, which is growing and presumably evolving into a self-sustaining government.

Patriots like Fasceski–who proudly sport the American flag on their cars (in his case, a retired police cruiser)–go to work everyday to ensure the safety of their communities. But too often, those who they serve are not aware of what they have done, and continue to do, for us and our nation.