Boyd Bailey of Kingsford was recently awarded the National Defense Service Medal in recognition of his service during the Gulf War.

“I have been waiting more than 35 years for this moment,” said Bailey, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1984 to 1990.

Cpl. (E-4) Bailey was last stationed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, where he served as an aviation warehouse manager.

“I got out of the service after six years on Sept. 29, 1990,” he added. “It was the beginning of the Gulf War.”

The National Defense Service Medal was established in 1953 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News)

Although Bailey’s active-duty service ended just as the conflict was starting, his service during the qualifying period made him eligible for the National Defense Service Medal — an honor he said means a great deal to him.

The National Defense Service Medal was established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953.

“This medal represents my time in the Marine Corps and the commitment we all made to defend our country,” Bailey said.

Bailey explained after his military career he decided to leave California to return to the local area.

“I wanted to get back to a simpler way of living,” he said. “So, I just kind of forgot about not getting the medal at that time.”

During a visit with Dickinson County Veteran Service Office Director Denise Formolo, he decided to pursue the medal.

“I asked her what can we do to hunt this medal down,” Bailey said, adding that took place in early 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Formolo began researching his records and filed the necessary paperwork.

“Remember, this was a time when the government was shut down and things were constantly changing,” Formolo said.

“The forms somehow got lost on their end,” he added.

A few years later, Bailey was encouraged to revisited the issue after discussing it with a fellow Marine veteran who had worked in an S-1 administration office. “He said, ‘You earned it.’ So I made another visit to Denise and filed the paperwork again,” Bailey said.

The paperwork was returned due to a change of address.

Formolo explained that during the pandemic, many government services underwent changes. “The mailing address on the forms was one of those things that never got updated, unfortunately,” she said.

After conducting additional research, Formolo resubmitted the paperwork once more in November.

“He called me a couple weeks ago, and said, ‘Guess what, you’re not going to believe what I have in my hands,'” she said. “After getting it to the correct place, it went very quickly — less than four months.”

Bailey added that the third time was a charm.

“We are pretty happy to be able to get this for him,” Formolo said.

He appreciated Formolo’s persistence in tracking down the medal he had earned decades ago.

Formolo explained that assisting veterans in obtaining medals is just one of the many services provided by the Dickinson County Veterans Service Office.

“People don’t realize everything we do here,” she said. “It’s more than just a veteran affair business — that’s why we changed our name.”

Bailey agreed, noting that many local veterans are unaware of the benefits available by connecting with the DCVSO.

Veterans are encouraged to review their DD214 discharge paperwork, as they may also be eligible for a service medal they have not yet received.

“If you are unsure, we can assist with criteria requirements,” she said. “If they are eligible, we will file the application paperwork.”

There is no time limit for veterans to apply for medals they earned during their service.

Bailey is among six Dickinson County veterans the DCVSO has helped obtain medals they earned.

An added bonus from a visit to the DCVSO, Bailey said, was being among 20 veterans selected in a drawing to ride in the historic Tri-Motor airplane at the Ford Airport Day last fall. “It was very exciting,” he said.

He now recommends other veterans make an appointment with the DCVSO to learn what services and benefits they may qualify for.

Formolo invites all veterans to call 906-774-2820 or stop at the office at 2301 Woodward Ave. in Kingsford.

“Every veteran’s story is different,” she added.

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Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.