猫咪社区

At 猫咪社区 and Cambridge College, our community is strengthened by the stories of those who have answered the call to serve. The Veterans Story Project highlights the voices of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff who bring their military experience into their classrooms, workplaces, and communities.

We are proud to honor and share their stories.

Honoring Service: Dr. Charles Fidler, U.S. Coast Guard Veteran and 猫咪社区 Senior Instructor

For Dr. Charles Fidler, Senior Instructor of Physics at 猫咪社区/Cambridge College, service began long before he put on a Coast Guard uniform. It started with a photograph of his grandfather’s portrait in full dress uniform hanging on the wall of his childhood home in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Charles was named after his grandfather, and even as a child, he felt the weight and pride of that legacy.

“I wanted to serve my country. I grew up looking at my grandfather’s picture in uniform and was always impressed. I wanted to contribute and serve in a capacity that interested me.”

That inspiration led him to the U.S. Coast Guard, where he served for six years as a Marine Science Technician specializing in counter-terrorism at Sector Boston/Division 1. What had started as admiration soon became action. After watching the events of 9/11 unfold on live television, he entered basic training—determined to be part of something bigger than himself.

Cape May, New Jersey, may have offered beautiful ocean views, but basic training was anything but serene. Days were filled with ocean swims, beach runs, and intense academic courses covering federal law and counter-terrorism procedures. “Graduating basic training was an accomplishment.”

During those years of service, Charles learned to navigate not only the unpredictability of the ocean but the unpredictability of life. The Coast Guard taught him to adapt, problem-solve, and trust his team.

“There’s always a solution, you just have to adapt and overcome. Through teamwork and leadership, I discovered the value of trust and relying on my shipmates as they relied on me.”

The readiness required in the Coast Guard continues to shape the way he teaches today.

“In an oceanic service, unpredictability is part of the job, but we’re always prepared to answer the call. Our units function like perfectly calibrated machines—each part working in harmony.”

Among the many memories from his service, one stands out. While working in recruiting, Charles supported a young man who dreamed of joining the Coast Guard but struggled to meet the academic and medical requirements. Charles coached him through each barrier. When the young man eventually made it to basic training—and later graduated—he called Charles in tears, thanking him for changing his life.

“It wasn’t a dramatic rescue or a major operation, just a young man who worked hard and earned his place in the U.S. Coast Guard. That moment has always stuck with me.”

For Charles, Veterans Day serves as a reminder of the responsibility and sacrifice woven into military life, not just for those who serve, but for the families who support them.

“Veterans Day is more than a day of remembrance. It’s a day to honor those who have served and the families who have stood by them. We must take care of our veterans as they have taken care of us.”

Today, Dr. Charles Fidler continues to serve, not at sea but in the classroom. His impact is just as powerful. 

Honoring Service: Meet Lynn Pellerano '11, G'13, Air Force Veteran and 猫咪社区 Alumna; member of the 猫咪社区 Alumni Association Council and former President of the Council.

For Lynn Pellerano, the decision to join the military came at a turning point in her life. After spending her teenage years on her own, she was searching for direction, discipline, and a place to belong. She found all of that, and more, when she enlisted in the Air Force Reserves.

Lynn served eight years as a Services Specialist at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, MA. Basic Training tested her in ways she didn’t expect. When she couldn’t pass the required fitness test, she was held back from graduating with her original class. Instead of giving up, Lynn did something harder: she asked for help.

“I found the resolve to push myself harder than ever and be vulnerable enough to let others know about my struggle. They helped me push through and I passed.”

That moment reshaped her understanding of strength. She discovered perseverance is what carries you forward.

“Feeling like a failure can be disempowering, but powering through those feelings taught me to find my inner strength. I’ve used that lesson ever since.”

During her service, Lynn was placed on active duty when the Persian Gulf conflict began. Though she remained stateside, the experience was profound. She supported deploying troops, watched families say emotional goodbyes, and welcomed service members home.

“It changed all my plans, but I was grateful to be there supporting others. It was very impactful.”

Many years after completing her service, Lynn attended 猫咪社区, earning her Business Administration degree in 2011 and her MBA in 2013. Today, she carries forward the same discipline and empathy she learned in the Air Force.

For a long time, Lynn hesitated to call herself a Veteran because she wasn’t deployed into combat. That changed when someone asked her a simple question:

“If you had been called to deploy, would you have gone?”

“Yes.”

“That is what makes you a Veteran.”

Now, Lynn embraces her service and her identity as a Veteran with pride. “Veterans Day is a time to honor anyone who made the choice to serve. Not everyone steps up. I’m proud that I did.”

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Honoring Service: Meet Dr. Anita Springer, U.S. Air Force Veteran and 猫咪社区 Adjunct Professor

Dr. Anita Springer spent 25 years in the United States Air Force, building a career that took her from Ohio to the Philippines, the Pentagon, and beyond. Today, she brings that same experience and leadership to 猫咪社区 as an adjunct professor in the DBA program.

Anita originally joined the Air Force to travel and pursue educational opportunities through an AFROTC scholarship, but what she gained along the way was far more meaningful. Her career spanned roles in operations, research, intelligence, and acquisition programs, including multiple assignments connected to space technology.

One of her most memorable moments came in 2002 at Cape Canaveral, where she witnessed the first launch of the Atlas V rocket. Anita had worked on the early concept that eventually became the Atlas V and Delta IV programs, and she later served as the government’s Chief Financial Officer for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program that brought them to life.

“Seeing that rocket leave the launch pad and knowing I helped lay the groundwork was unforgettable.”

Throughout her service, Anita discovered that she could take on challenges outside her comfort zone. Even without a deep scientific background, she succeeded in the space sector by applying her operations research skills to complex engineering and business problems.

“Hard work can get you where you need to be. Your skills are more transferable than you think.”

Her time in the Air Force also shaped how she leads. Collaboration, listening, and respect. especially when working across disciplines, became the foundation of her leadership style.

“Big achievements require everyone’s expertise. Success is always a team effort.”

Today, as she teaches DBA students, Anita remains proud of the work she contributed to advancing space launch programs and supporting the next era of national defense.

When she reflects on Veterans Day, she thinks not only of the past, but of the evolving future of service.

“Veterans Day is a time to honor everyone who served before us. Today, defense includes new frontiers—cyber and space. Information dominance is more critical than ever.”

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Honoring Service: Anastasia Marie Stigers '27, United States Marine Corps

For Anastasia Marie Stigers, now a 猫咪社区 student majoring in Criminal Justice and Forensic Studies, joining the Marine Corps was not part of a childhood dream. It was a decision born from a desire to change her life. She struggled academically in high school and felt stuck. “If I wanted to get anywhere in life, I knew something had to change,” she said. After four years in MCJROTC, the Marines felt like a natural fit. They offered her the chance to select an aviation career field, and the idea of belonging to a “band of brothers” resonated deeply. She enlisted, determined to be the best airframe mechanic she could be.

Anastasia served four years as a Corporal and F-35B Airframe Mechanic, stationed at MCAS Yuma in Arizona. She later deployed aboard the USS Makin Island with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2020. Amid the noise of the hangar bay and the constant tempo of maintenance on one of the most advanced aircraft in the world, she discovered her capacity for precision and focus. Working on the F-35 means every bolt and component matters, and even the strokes of paint are critical.

“People’s lives depend on our work, not just the pilots, but the people on the ground,” she said. “I wanted every job I touched to be done right.”

But service also revealed some of her greatest emotional and physical challenges. Despite being surrounded by people every day, she often felt profoundly alone, especially as a woman in a male-dominated field. When she was placed on limited duty due to injury, that isolation deepened. Instead of adapting tasks so she could continue to learn and qualify, she was assigned menial jobs that offered no growth. “I felt like a flower trying to grow through concrete, searching for sunlight,” she recalled.

Her resilience was tested early on. During Marine Combat Training, her hip was partially dislocated. She could have stopped; instead, she kept going. A combat instructor set the joint back into place, and she completed the rest of training. “Every injury, every bout of depression, every bad moment had to end someday,” she said. “With the knowledge that it would all be worth it, I stuck everything out, no matter what.”

The Marines also became the place where she learned to trust herself. Before her service, she felt like nothing she did was ever good enough. But the first time someone quietly complimented her marksmanship at boot camp, everything shifted. “It was my first taste of genuine pride,” she said. At aviation training in Pensacola, she found herself pouring over notes, determined to rise to the top of her class. Along the way, she encountered leaders who shaped her understanding of what leadership should look like—ones who believed in her, advocated for her, and taught her through their example. One Gunnery Sergeant told her a line she carries with her: “A good leader inspires confidence in himself. A great leader instills confidence in those he leads.”

That mindset has stayed with her long after leaving active duty. “I don’t rule. I guide. Nobody is ever too good to sweep the floors,” she said. The girl who once graduated high school with a 2.1 GPA is now an honors student on track to graduate summa cum laude. She no longer talks herself out of being proud. “Now I allow myself to enjoy my accomplishments instead of explaining to myself why I don’t deserve them.”

When she reflects on her service, she is most proud of the standard she held herself to. On a platform as complex as the F-35, cutting corners isn’t an option. Others may have been content to rush the job, but she took her time. “That’s how you keep people safe,” she said simply.

When Veterans Day comes around, she sees it as a celebration—not a day of mourning. “Save the doom and gloom for Memorial Day,” she said with a smile. Veterans Day is for laughter and storytelling, for piling into restaurants to collect free meals, for reminiscing about absurd leadership moments or swapping deployment stories. But it’s also a time to listen and to really hear veterans, especially when the topics are uncomfortable, such as homelessness or the challenges navigating benefits. In her words: “We can always use the help to be heard over the people who try to speak for and over us.”

Semper Fi.

Thank you all for your service! Carpe Diem!