Kari and Corey Dillon of Bellaire, both U.S. Army veterans, pose with son Camden and daughter Kensley. (Photo Provided)

BELLAIRE — Kari Dillon believes she has a lot of the best things in her life strictly because she is a military veteran.

Dillon was born and raised in Stephenville, Texas, and enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17 right after graduating from high school. She said she had a good upbringing in Texas and enjoyed school, but she had a cousin who was enlisting in Army and that caused her to wonder, ‘Why would she do that?’ The more she thought about it, though, the more self-motivated she became. Ultimately, she decided to join the Army “to show myself it was something I could do.”

It’s a decision she does not regret.

“It opened up a lot of doors for me,” she said, noting she was able to obtain a college degree in elementary education thanks to the G.I. Bill. “I have my current employment strictly because I’m a veteran.”

She also met her husband, Corey, while she was in the service. He happened to be from Beallsville, so the couple settled in the Ohio Valley when they were discharged. They have been married for 17 years, and they have two children — son Camden, who is 15, and daughter Kensley, who is 9.

Dillon underwent Basic Training at Ft. Sill in Oklahoma — a member of the first class that included both male and female soldiers there. She said that it was a field artillery base, and that field artillery generally did not include women.

Dillon’s path from Texas to Belmont County also traveled through Iraq, where she worked in supplies. She spent much of her time for about a year overseas in an Army warehouse running a forklift. Although she was never in active combat, she did come under fire on her way to her base and on occasions when she was delivering supplies to other units.

“Anytime we left the safe zone, our convoy would get fired on from both sides,” she said.

Sometimes when she was on guard duty, Iraqis would drive by and fire shots in her direction. She was never injured, but she said it was a “scary” experience.

“After a while, it became normal,” she added.

While she was in Iraq, Dillon said her unit helped rebuild a school that had been blown up at some point. She and her unit provided support for that operation, which resulted in local Iraqi children again being able to attend classes there.

They did similar work at “TQ,” or Al-Taqaddum Air Base, where U.S. troops rebuilt damaged runways for use by American planes. She said everyone involved was thrilled when the first plane was able to land there as a result of their efforts.

Following her stint overseas, Dillon remained in the Army for about six months, until the end of her four-year enlistment. She did similar work stateside and attained the rank of sergeant, or E5, before being discharged.

“It was the same job, just no mortars, and with air conditioning,” she said.

“You get used to it,” she added regarding the desert heat. “And there’s no sunburn there.”

Today she works at the Belmont County Veterans Service Office in Bellaire. She serves as a county veterans service officer, assisting other veterans, their spouses and sometimes even their children with obtaining the services they are entitled to as a result of their time in the military.

Dillon didn’t know she would end up in such a position. She initially wanted to be an elementary school teacher, but she found that in most local schools one had to work as a substitute for several years before landing a full-time position. She said substituting made her feel like she was starting “a new job every day,” so she found a full-time job at Sam’s Club in St. Clairsville.

Dillon worked at Sam’s for about 10 years before a co-worker’s brother who was a commissioner for the Veterans Service Office recommended her for her current position.

“Basically, I fill out forms for any benefit that a veteran might be entitled to or want apply for,” she described her duties. “… I’ve been here for 10 years. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.”

That is because she finds her work so satisfying.

“I find it very, like, soul-rewarding,” she said. “The veterans come in, you form a bond after a while. You hear their stories of why the wanted to join, or maybe they were drafted. Most have a good experience. … It’s rewarding to talk with people, and sometimes I help them file for a benefit that is truly life-changing for them.”

She cited one case in which she assisted the widow of a veteran. Her husband had died of skin cancer, which she said is not generally something the Veterans Administration will approve for compensation. But this veteran also had a lung disease. While he was in the service, he was involved in some sort of explosion. A building caught fire, and he ended up rescuing people, breathing fumes and smoke along the way.

Dillon was able to secure documentation from the physician who was treating the man’s lung disease, stating that in his opinion, the man’s exposure following the explosion contributed to his lung disease.

“That lady ended up getting like $200,000 in back pay,” Dillon said. “It dramatically changed her life.”

Dillon said she also often helps veterans who have been fired or laid off. Sometimes when they no longer have health insurance, she helps find a way to enroll them in VA healthcare.

Dillon enjoys her works so much that she anticipates retiring from the position after working for another 22 years.

“I could move up to be director,” she noted. “I assume as I get closer to retirement, I may one day for a short time be the director.”

She added that the local group is part of the statewide organization Ohio State Association of County Veterans Services Offices that provides classes and training. She said she would like to be an instructor for some of those classes one day.

At home, Dillon said she and her family are pretty active.

“We like to try everything and get real involved for like a minute,” she laughed. “We like to walk on trails at Barkcamp and up at Oglebay. We like to be outside in nature. We also like to camp, but we prefer cabins with beds and showers.”

Travel is also an activity they enjoy.

“If I were rich, we would travel to many places,” she continued. “Maybe once every year we try to go somewhere new. We have a whole list of places we want to see. The national parks a big want — we’ve got to see them all.”

Dillon looks back fondly at her Army days, calling that time in her life “an experience like no other.”

“You form a bond and a friendship with those people that’s just kind of hard to explain,” she added, noting that she still talks to many of the people who served alongside her. She has even helped with some of their compensation claims from states away.