Operation ENDURING FREEDOM

Major Joshua Zager Introduction

Our guest speaker today is Fair Haven resident Major Joshua Zager. Major Zager grew
up here in Fair Haven, just like many of the young boys and girls in attendance today.
After graduating from RFH in 1989 and then graduating from Franklin and Marshall
College in 1993, he went on to join the Israeli Defense Forces, where he served for two
years. Major Zager came back to the United States and had a burning desire to join the
United States Marines, so in 1996 he did just that.

After the terror attacks of 9/11, Major Zager did not hesitate to defend out county. On
September 19th, just eight days after 9/11, he deployed for Afghanistan. He was a
member aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and flew 43 combat missions over
Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Following his time in Afghanistan, he went on to serve in Korea and Japan. His next stop
would then be Ghana, where he served as the United States Marine Corps Attaché to
Ghana, Togo, and Benin (Be-neen). When he returned from Africa, Major Zager served at
the Pentagon on the Staff of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, in addition to various
other roles and locations.

When it was all said and done, he earned 5 personal awards, including the Defense
Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy- Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Major Zager moved back to Fair Haven this past June with his wife Jana (Ja-na) and two
children, Nathan and Lilly.