Local troops to talk about their experiences at museum

Military troops now serving in Lake County will share their experiences in upcoming programs as part of a war-themed exhibit at the Lake County Discovery Museum near Wauconda.

The presentations, scheduled for Jan. 11, Jan. 18 and Feb. 1, coincide with the museum's "The American Soldier" photographic exhibit.

In the first presentation, Command Master Chief Aloysius Nelson will talk about the Navy's role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A Persian Gulf War veteran, Nelson now serves at the Great Lakes Naval Station near North Chicago. He's completed tours around the world, including in the Western Pacific, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

His discussion is set for 2 p.m. Jan. 11.

The second presentation will feature Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Justin Gullion, who's now stationed in Waukegan. He'll talk about his experience as a young soldier who was deployed to Iraq just six months after enlisting at age 18. Gullion will use his personal photographs and equipment to illustrate his story.

That presentation is set for 1 p.m. Jan. 18.

Finally, Army Sgt. First Class Leo A. Levesque III will discuss the life of a modern soldier at 2 p.m. Feb. 1.

Levesque, currently stationed at the Round Lake Beach recruiting station, also will relate his experiences to those of the soldiers pictured in the museum's exhibition, which is comprised of photographs that date back to the Civil War.

Tickets to each program are $6 for adults or $2.50 for children aged 4 to 17. Kids under 4 can enter free. The price includes museum admission.

Advanced registration is required. Register online at lcfpd.org or by calling (847) 968-3321.

For more information about the exhibit, which is co-sponsored by the Daily Herald, visit lcfpd.org/americansoldier or call (847) 968-3400.

The museum is in the Lakewood Forest Preserve, which is on Route 176 near Fairfield Road.