West Chicago U.S. Army veteran Josh Kerber is the seventh wounded veteran to benefit from the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) Warrior Program. Members of Geneva Local 4287, West Chicago Local 3970, Batavia Local 3436, St. Charles Local 3322 and Elburn Local 4749 presented Kerber with a new Ford F-150 at a late August Chicago Cubs Single A baseball game.
Kerber was serving with the 118th Military Police Company Airborne in Afghanistan in 2009 when his unit was ambushed. The vehicle he was in was pummeled with rocket propelled grenades. He was injured badly and lost his left arm.
At the AFFI Convention in June 2012, members voted to create the AFFI Warrior Program. The program encourages AFFI locals to sell T-shirts and take donations to purchase modified vehicles.
“Even with all of the proceeds going toward the purchase of the vehicle, it is no easy task to sell enough shirts,” says AFFI District 4 Vice President Matt Olson. “I am very proud of the hard work fourth district members put toward making this project a success.”
AFFI members sold about 2,500 shirts at $20 each to pay for Kerber’s new vehicle.
