Beaufort’s Joseph and Elizabeth Ruger, 36 and 34, joined the United States Navy and United States Army, respectively; Joseph in 2011 in Oaklawn, Ill., and Elizabeth in 2006 in Jacksonville, Fla. Joseph attended Boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill., and then trained as a Hospital Corpsman specializing in surgical technologies and field medicine before assignment to Naval Hospital Jacksonville where he worked in surgery. He then attended Biomedical Repair School before assignment to Naval Hospital Beaufort in 2017. He has deployed from here to Africa for more than 9 months. Today he provides all types of biomedical device repairs at the hospital and its clinics at MCRD Parris Island and MCAS Beaufort. Elizabeth attended Basic training at Fort Jackson before training as a Hospital Nutrition Specialist. She has served with Combat Support Hospitals (deployable) with Reserve Units in Jacksonville, San Antonio and Savannah, including deployment to Kuwait and Iraq. She separated from the Army in 2019. The Ruger family includes their daughter, Ivy.
– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 9. For nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.
