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Register to run with Team Travis for the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon.

Three Cheers to Mrs. Pirkle's second grade class at Edgewood Elementary School in Yardley for participating in a Freedom Square Workshop! Thank you all for being young leaders! Travis would be proud!

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Lt Gen. John Allen, Deputy Commander United States Central Command, present the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor to Travis' family on December 5, 2008.

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Dionisios H. Nicholas, was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He graduated from Cleveland High School in Reseda, CA in 1980. In 1983, he received a degree from Los Angeles Valley College before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marine Corps, Dionisios earned an undergraduate degree from Campbell University (NC) in 1991 and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Troy State University in 1996. Dionisios' Marine Corps career began at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, and after training he was assigned as the legal services specialist military occupational school. Over his career, he volunteered for many overseas assignments, including time in Okinawa, Japan, and Korea. He spent 23 years in the Marine Corps serving as a leader of Marines and prominent Senior Noncommissioned Officer in the legal field. Dionisios became a US citizen in 1987 in Agana, Guam. He is fluent in English, Greek, Japa nese, and Spanish, and has a working knowledge of Mandarin Chinese.

While deployed overseas with the 3rd Marine Division & III Marine Expeditionary Force, Dionisios sustained a fracture of his lower back. Returning from overseas and injured, in 1997, he was admitted to Balboa hospital where he underwent an emergency operation on his spine. After traditional therapy, and with determination, he continued his duties until he sustained a second injury to his lower spine. After recovery from his second surgery, he volunteered to again serve overseas from 2000-2003. Back from overseas in 2005, Dionisios suffered a third major spinal injury, and as a result, he received a titanium disc cage fusion and sustained permanent nerve damage to the L5-S1 area of his spine. Additionally, he has been diagnosed with collapsing discs. In 2006, due to continued nerve damage, chronic pain, and right side semi-paralysis he was honorably discharged and found permanently disabled.

After 23 years in the Marine Corps and a successful career, Msgt Nicholas' time as an active duty Marine had come to an end. The next two years were fraught with frustration, depression, guilt, anger and pain. It has taken two years for Dionisios to emerge from his ailments and feel strong enough to volunteer and, "Go forth and do good" as he likes to say. Although he suffers daily from permanent nerve damage, numbness, and chronic pain, Dionisios is making an effort to give back to his community. He has been awarded a Fellowship with the National Park Service, volunteering as an assistant Park Ranger at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i. Here, Dionisios will further his desire to become something bigger than himself and prove his ability to help others, despite his disabilities.

Msgt Nicholas' awards include the Meritorious Service Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal 2nd award; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal 4th award; Marine Corps Good Conduct medal 7th award; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, amongst others.