On this Veterans Day, let’s pause to reflect and express our gratitude to the brave men and women who have served our country with honor, dedication and courage. Your sacrifices, whether on foreign soil or here at home, have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
As we celebrate this day, we must recommit ourselves to the support and well-being of our veterans. It’s vital that we ensure they have access to the resources and opportunities they deserve, whether it’s quality healthcare, education or employment.
Our local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #3436, along with its charitable foundation, is working hard to support and improve the lives of veterans in our community.
Keep reading to meet four remarkable individuals, each with a unique journey of service, resilience and commitment. These veterans from Issaquah have not only defended our nation but continue to make a significant impact on our local community. They serve as a constant reminder that the spirit of service never truly fades.
Happy Veterans Day!
Melissa Van Buhler – U.S. Army 
Melissa Van Buhler knew she wanted to go to law school when she was in seventh grade. In high school, she met an officer in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG Corps) and learned about its role in representing the legal interests of soldiers, officers and their families.
After receiving her ROTC commission, completing law school and passing the Virginia State Bar, Melissa served more than 15 years as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army, moving around the country every 1-2 years and supporting a variety of military commands.
As a legal officer in the military, Melissa performed an assortment of legal services for soldiers and retirees, from conducting investigations to negotiating legal disputes. She also managed the Fort Knox Tax Center.
In September 2005, Melissa deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She served one year with the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division as the senior legal officer to COL Gustave Perna. In addition to being the legal advisor to high-ranking officers, she also taught rules of engagement to soldiers and other military members embedded with Iraqi forces.
As a female officer, she found herself in the minority among her male counterparts throughout her career. According to her, officers make up 20% of active-duty Army personnel, while women make up an even smaller percentage.
Melissa spent eight years working in intelligence, which included top secret operations at the National Security Agency (NSA), United States Cyber Command, and United States Army Special Operations Command. In her last job before retiring, she trained foreign armies on the rule of law and Geneva Conventions all over the world, from Mongolia to Ukraine and West Africa.
In 2017, she retired out of Newport Naval Base in Rhode Island and moved to the Seattle area, where she currently practices law related to cybersecurity and data privacy.
It’s important to Melissa that she continues to serve with and among the veteran community. She joined VFW Post 3436 in late 2019, becoming its legal officer the following year. Additionally, she is a founding board member of the post’s charitable foundation, which serves veterans in Issaquah, North Bend and surrounding areas.
On Veterans Day, she always takes a moment to honor soldiers (especially fellow JAGs) who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Dean Van Dyke – U.S. Army National Guard & U.S. Navy 
Dean Van Dyke grew up in a military family and knew from a young age that he would follow that path, too. He served over 14 years on active duty and in the National Guard.
In fact, he raised his right hand to join the South Dakota Army National Guard on the day the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in January 1986. While serving, he was a communications specialist with 1-147th Field Artillery Battalion.
He pivoted and joined the U.S. Navy in May 1989, where he serve d as a fire control technician. His first duty station was the USS Tattnall, DDG-19, homeported in Mayport, Florida.
In 1990, he was deployed to the central Mediterranean on the Tattnall and attached to the Eisenhower battle group. In the last month of their scheduled six month deployment, the battle group’s mission was extended for Operation Desert Shield.
His second duty station was the USS Gallery, FFG-26, stationed in Mayport, Florida. While assigned to the Gallery, it was deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm, where they enforced the United Nations sanctions against Iraq.
Dean was deployed more than he was home in his six years of active duty. It took a toll on him to be away from his wife, Maria, and children for such long periods of time. As a result, Dean decided to leave active duty to spend more time with his family.
After leaving the Navy, Dean served again with the South Dakota Army Guard as a fire direction section chief. During this time, he assisted the unit in converting from 155mm self-propelled field artillery to multiple launch rocket systems.
After Dean and Maria relocated to Issaquah, he joined VFW Post 3436 to experience the camaraderie and serve fellow veterans. As a founding member of VFW Post Foundation 3436, he hopes to combat veteran suicide and provide mental health resources to veterans in need. According to him, our nation loses 22 veterans die by suicide every day.
David Waggoner – U.S. Army 
David Waggoner’s father served in World War II. In August 1945, they moved to Issaquah when he was 16 months old. This city has been home ever since. He graduated from Issaquah High School in 1962, followed by Pacific Lutheran University with his undergraduate degree.
At age 24, he was drafted for the Vietnam War and started basic training with the U.S. Army. He served as a combat infantry platoon leader, where he was responsible for the welfare of 18–22 soldiers in Vietnam.
Veterans are still paying the price from the Vietnam War. Agent Orange followed them home and had a devastating impact on many soldiers who were exposed to it in Vietnam. According to David, there are about 20 diseases associated with Agent Orange in the form of cancers, neurological disorders, respiratory issues, diabetes, skin conditions and more. He has four of them.
In 1993, David retired from active duty with 26 years of service. He earned a variety of awards from the U.S. Army such as the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (with Oakleaf Cluster), Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
In April 2015, he retired from King County Metro Transit as a transit operator. He drove buses—even during his Army career—for over 53 years.
Despite his retirement, David’s service to the community and fellow veterans never stopped. He is currently entering his 16th year serving on the King County Veterans Advisory Board. Additionally, he has been a life member of the VFW for 32 years, volunteering in an assortment of leadership roles at Post #3436.
David has volunteered as the master docent at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery for 21 years. He is also a docent at the Museum of Flight, where he served on the committee for Project Welcome Home. The campaign supported the restoration of a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, which saw service at the end of the Vietnam War.
For over eight years, he served as a board member for Puget Sound Honor Flight. The nonprofit celebrates Western Washington veterans with a free trip to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect on the memorials built in their honor.
Several years ago, he started a local chapter of a national organization called Veterans Last Patrol alongside fellow Vietnam veteran Al Adams. The program works with veterans in hospice to provide support and comradery in their final days.
David and his wife, Roberta, volunteer with Project Recover as well. The organization is dedicated to finding and patriating Americans missing in action since World War II, to provide recognition and closure for families.
William “Bill” Bradfield – U.S. Air Force 
Bill Bradfield attended the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University, where he joined Air Force ROTC. He was commissioned at graduation in 1964, not long after marrying his wife, Lois. He began pilot training that same year.
He served in Vietnam from 1968-1969, logging thousands of hours on 330 com bat missions as a forward air controller (FAC). He flew the Cessna 0-2 Skymaster in support of the 1st Air Cavalry Division and as a Covey FAC over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. According to him, just staying alive was a challenge.
Bill is grateful for the unique friendships formed during his time in the military. He learned about the dangers of Agent Orange through some of his friends who were exposed to it in Vietnam. To this day, he still helps one of his close friends with his illness.
Following his participation in the war, Bill lived in Oklahoma City for the start of the U.S. Air Force’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). The program began with the development of the E-3 Sentry aircraft, which provided the capability to track aircrafts and missiles over long distances and various weather conditions. He then moved to Germany to help start the NATO AWACS program.
In 1985, Bill retired from the Air Force after 20 years and 5,000 total hours in 12–13 different aircraft models. He earned various combat-related awards including three Distinguished Flying Crosses (DFC) and 11 Air Medals.
The skills he gained from the military carried into his civilian life. Bill joined Boeing as the director of training for the Peace Sentinel Program, where he developed the training program for the Royal Saudi Air Force. In 1986, he relocated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and lived there for the next 12 years. He also worked in the Middle East as the vice president of business development for Boeing Defense, Space and Security.
He retired from Boeing in 2000. Several years later, he started a small business called Professional Tax Services, Inc. He also renovates high-end houses on the Eastside of Seattle with one of his daughters. Lois owns an international travel business, so they travel frequently and see the world.
In 2019, he became a life member of VFW Post #3436. He joined the post to be associated with like-minded veterans in the Issaquah community. One year later, he became a founding board member of the post’s charitable foundation with the goal to raise funds in support of local veterans.
Bill is chairman emeritus of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and honoring those awarded the DFC. There are over 6,000 members, both deceased and active.
The Vietnam War was a controversial conflict and many Americans opposed it for various reason. As a result, veterans returning from Vietnam were not given the warmest welcome. Bill urges the community to acknowledge the veterans all around us and thank them for their service.
