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Raised“ up a dirt road— what we call a holler— in Woodbine called Little Indian Creek,” Andrew Modica remembers a simpler time.
“ Back when I was a little boy, things were simpler— and quieter,” he recalled.“ Dirt roads, a well for water, creeks running near the house. It’ s hard for kids nowadays to believe we had no cable, no internet, and no cell phones.”
Though the holler has changed— now paved, with city water and Wi-Fi— Modica said that progress mirrors how far both he and his community have come.
Military service ran deep in the Modica family with his father, brother, uncle, and cousins all serving in the Army. After graduating from high school in 1994, Modica
“ Serving as a First Sergeant was one of the most fulfilling roles I held. It taught me the true meaning of leadership— not just in operations, but in taking care of people.”
followed in their footsteps, enlisting in 1995.
“ At the time, I was a year out of high school, trying to figure out what direction to take,” he said.“ Like a lot of young guys, I was always looking for something bigger and better.”
One day, Modica walked into the recruiter’ s office and started talking to them, and they officially sold him
the idea of the Army.
What began as a short commitment, with Modica only planning three years of service, turned into a 20-year military career that took him around the world.
“ It gave me a chance to serve, to grow, and to see more of the world beyond my small hometown,” he said.“ It challenged me, shaped me, and gave me experiences and friendships I’ ll carry for the rest of my life.”
From 1995 to 2015, Modica served at duty stations including Fort Drum, Fort Stewart, Fort Sill, Fort Lewis, Fort Polk, and Camp Atterbury, with deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Rising through the ranks from Private to Company First Sergeant, he oversaw the training, readiness, and welfare of up to 100 soldiers and
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