Greenway High School Alumni
Phoenix, Arizona (AZ)
Recent Members
| Alexys Templin | 2017 |
| Connor Berg | 2023 |
| Gabrial Xavier | 2023 |
| James Henderson | 1985 |
| Jay Bakla | 2008 |
| Levi Henderson | 1985 |
| Ronney Bejar | 2016 |
| Walter Vega | 1994 |
Military Alumni
Honoring Our Heroes
This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!
Lost Class Rings
Have you lost your Greenway High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Demons lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni
(Reese)Raymond Suarez
Class of 1991
Army, 4 Years
Served in Somilia (Restore Hope).
Class of 1991
Army, 4 Years
Served in Somilia (Restore Hope).
Alan Proctor
Class of 1989
Marine Corps, 28 Years
Retired as a Master Sergeant. Spent most of my career as a Huey and Cobra helicopter technician/Crew Chief.
Class of 1989
Marine Corps, 28 Years
Retired as a Master Sergeant. Spent most of my career as a Huey and Cobra helicopter technician/Crew Chief.
CMCS(SCW) Nathan A. Rhoad
Class of 1991
Navy, 20+ Years
PHOENIX – About once a week, at the National Cemetery off Cave Creek and Pinnacle Peak Roads, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Nathan Rhoad can be found playing taps or presenting the U.S. flag to a Navy family.
“It’s my honor to provide that service for somebody and their family in their final resting place,” he said. Rhoad has volunteered his services at the cemetery for six years.
Having served for 22 years in the military, Rhoad knows sacrifice. It started back in 1992, when he enlisted with the Navy to provide stability for a girlfriend he had hoped to make his wife.
“She carried the gene for hemophilia,” he said. “We knew if we had a son he would have hemophilia.” They needed the medical coverage, so he joined as an undesignated firefighter.
“I made the poor decision,” he said. “The word ‘fireman’ sounded glamorous to me.” But, he soon learned “undesignated” meant the Navy could send him wherever it chose.
He spent the first years working in boiler rooms and machine rooms as an engineer. He resigned himself to accepting it as steady work. “I thought, keep my mouth shut and battle through it.”
He was serving as a machinist mate aboard frigate U.S.S. Jesse L. Brown (FFT-1089) in 1994, when the federal government announced it was closing his base in Mobile, Alabama.
“We really didn’t have the choice to stay, so I moved back to Phoenix and started to serve as a reserve,” he said.
A year later, he and his wife had a healthy baby girl they named Sidney.
By 1998, at the end of his reserve commitment, he had worked his way to the highest level in his field as a machinist Third Class Petty Officer.
“We were taking advancement test for a position that didn’t offer any advancement.”
So, he left the military for full-time civilian life.
That didn’t last long. The celebrated Seabees, the Civil Engineering Battalion of the Navy, put out an ad for experienced Navy mechanics. He re-enlisted in 2001 six months before the Sept. 11 attack.
On that day, Rhoad said, “I got a call from my fire team leader asking whether I wanted to volunteer to go to Iraq?” He wasn’t keen on the idea but, he said he didn’t hesitate once his team leader said he was going.
“Because as a Seabee in the Navy, when someone in the ranks steps forward, you don’t allow them to go forward without you.”
They deployed to the Middle East building bases for Army and Marine troops.
“Our motto is, ‘We Build, We Fight,’ which means as we’re building a bridge, or a building, or a roadway, we are ready to defend it while we build it.”
It rarely happened, but he said, “On my second tour to Iraq, I was a on a crew called ‘The Rock Hounds,’ ” delivering sand, gravel and rock by the truckloads across the military zones.
His job for the convoy was to keep the vehicles rolling. “An IED went off two trucks ahead of mine.” While trapped in a kill-zone,
Rhoad jumped out of his truck, fixed the vehicle and all of the members in his convoy returned safely to base camp.
He was honored to be among the veterans chosen as grand marshals in this year’s Veteran’s Day Parade, but said he is no hero.
“I didn’t earn any bronze stars, silver stars, or purple hearts. I was lucky enough to come out unscathed.”
But, not really. Three deployments have cost him two marriages.
“My families have been through more than anything that I’ve been through out there,” he admitted.
“When I am out there with my brothers and sisters in arms, we’re out there in a common environment … we have each other to rely on.”
Back home, he credited the families. “They’re left to figure it out on their own.”
Through his years in the service, his daughter Sidney has remained at his side, but “Sidney’s got a couple of brothers through my second marriage, that neither she nor I have seen since May of 2007.”
His sons Rolan and Dillon Rhoad were 2 and 4 then. Rhoad was heading out on another deployment and gave his ex-wife instructions for initiating their sons’ medical coverage.
“A couple weeks later, I got a certified letter stating she and her new husband were moving to Maryland.” It was the last he would hear of them.
When he returned and tried to find his sons, they were no longer in Maryland.
The boys are 10 and 12 now, and he hopes to find them one day.
“I would definitely love to see them and be a part of their lives.”
Until then, he has found comfort playing taps and presenting the American flag to families who’ve lost their loved ones who have served the country.
Class of 1991
Navy, 20+ Years
PHOENIX – About once a week, at the National Cemetery off Cave Creek and Pinnacle Peak Roads, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Nathan Rhoad can be found playing taps or presenting the U.S. flag to a Navy family.
“It’s my honor to provide that service for somebody and their family in their final resting place,” he said. Rhoad has volunteered his services at the cemetery for six years.
Having served for 22 years in the military, Rhoad knows sacrifice. It started back in 1992, when he enlisted with the Navy to provide stability for a girlfriend he had hoped to make his wife.
“She carried the gene for hemophilia,” he said. “We knew if we had a son he would have hemophilia.” They needed the medical coverage, so he joined as an undesignated firefighter.
“I made the poor decision,” he said. “The word ‘fireman’ sounded glamorous to me.” But, he soon learned “undesignated” meant the Navy could send him wherever it chose.
He spent the first years working in boiler rooms and machine rooms as an engineer. He resigned himself to accepting it as steady work. “I thought, keep my mouth shut and battle through it.”
He was serving as a machinist mate aboard frigate U.S.S. Jesse L. Brown (FFT-1089) in 1994, when the federal government announced it was closing his base in Mobile, Alabama.
“We really didn’t have the choice to stay, so I moved back to Phoenix and started to serve as a reserve,” he said.
A year later, he and his wife had a healthy baby girl they named Sidney.
By 1998, at the end of his reserve commitment, he had worked his way to the highest level in his field as a machinist Third Class Petty Officer.
“We were taking advancement test for a position that didn’t offer any advancement.”
So, he left the military for full-time civilian life.
That didn’t last long. The celebrated Seabees, the Civil Engineering Battalion of the Navy, put out an ad for experienced Navy mechanics. He re-enlisted in 2001 six months before the Sept. 11 attack.
On that day, Rhoad said, “I got a call from my fire team leader asking whether I wanted to volunteer to go to Iraq?” He wasn’t keen on the idea but, he said he didn’t hesitate once his team leader said he was going.
“Because as a Seabee in the Navy, when someone in the ranks steps forward, you don’t allow them to go forward without you.”
They deployed to the Middle East building bases for Army and Marine troops.
“Our motto is, ‘We Build, We Fight,’ which means as we’re building a bridge, or a building, or a roadway, we are ready to defend it while we build it.”
It rarely happened, but he said, “On my second tour to Iraq, I was a on a crew called ‘The Rock Hounds,’ ” delivering sand, gravel and rock by the truckloads across the military zones.
His job for the convoy was to keep the vehicles rolling. “An IED went off two trucks ahead of mine.” While trapped in a kill-zone,
Rhoad jumped out of his truck, fixed the vehicle and all of the members in his convoy returned safely to base camp.
He was honored to be among the veterans chosen as grand marshals in this year’s Veteran’s Day Parade, but said he is no hero.
“I didn’t earn any bronze stars, silver stars, or purple hearts. I was lucky enough to come out unscathed.”
But, not really. Three deployments have cost him two marriages.
“My families have been through more than anything that I’ve been through out there,” he admitted.
“When I am out there with my brothers and sisters in arms, we’re out there in a common environment … we have each other to rely on.”
Back home, he credited the families. “They’re left to figure it out on their own.”
Through his years in the service, his daughter Sidney has remained at his side, but “Sidney’s got a couple of brothers through my second marriage, that neither she nor I have seen since May of 2007.”
His sons Rolan and Dillon Rhoad were 2 and 4 then. Rhoad was heading out on another deployment and gave his ex-wife instructions for initiating their sons’ medical coverage.
“A couple weeks later, I got a certified letter stating she and her new husband were moving to Maryland.” It was the last he would hear of them.
When he returned and tried to find his sons, they were no longer in Maryland.
The boys are 10 and 12 now, and he hopes to find them one day.
“I would definitely love to see them and be a part of their lives.”
Until then, he has found comfort playing taps and presenting the American flag to families who’ve lost their loved ones who have served the country.
David Altman
Class of 2003
Navy, 6 Years
Two Westpac tours on the USS RONALD REAGAN, a realaxing shore tour in US Naval Base Guam.
Class of 2003
Navy, 6 Years
Two Westpac tours on the USS RONALD REAGAN, a realaxing shore tour in US Naval Base Guam.
David Neal Vines
Class of 1980
Air Force, 4 Years
Arizona Air National Guard, 107 Tactical Control, June 1980 - April 1982, US Air Force, 2179 Comm. Group, Patrick AFB., Florida, April 1982 - November 1984
Class of 1980
Air Force, 4 Years
Arizona Air National Guard, 107 Tactical Control, June 1980 - April 1982, US Air Force, 2179 Comm. Group, Patrick AFB., Florida, April 1982 - November 1984
Francis Stegemeier
Class of 1983
Air Force, 20+ Years
Served in Desert Shield/Storm, Kosovo Conflict and 4 tours to Afghanistan.
Class of 1983
Air Force, 20+ Years
Served in Desert Shield/Storm, Kosovo Conflict and 4 tours to Afghanistan.
James Shear
Class of 1984
Navy, 20+ Years
Retired as a Chief Petty Officer, spent 20 years serving overseas, last four in Atlanta, just returned to Phoenix.
Class of 1984
Navy, 20+ Years
Retired as a Chief Petty Officer, spent 20 years serving overseas, last four in Atlanta, just returned to Phoenix.
Larry Melton
Class of 1989
Marine Corps, 3 Years
Joined the Marines to see the world and never left San Diego.
Class of 1989
Marine Corps, 3 Years
Joined the Marines to see the world and never left San Diego.
Lisa Robinson
Class of 1979
Air Force, 4 Years
Medical Service Specialist
Travis AFB, CA
Andrews AFB, MD
Class of 1979
Air Force, 4 Years
Medical Service Specialist
Travis AFB, CA
Andrews AFB, MD
Michael Pierre
Class of 1983
Navy, 10 Years
Stationed on 2 ships; USS Chandler and USS Thomas S. Gates. Traveled aroud world 2 1/2 Times!
Class of 1983
Navy, 10 Years
Stationed on 2 ships; USS Chandler and USS Thomas S. Gates. Traveled aroud world 2 1/2 Times!
Michael Pierre
Class of 1984
Navy, 10 Years
Michael served on 2 ships, USS Chandler DDG-996 and USS Thomas S. Gates CG-51. Has made 3 deployment to the Persian Gulf and traveled around the world 2 1/2 times.
Class of 1984
Navy, 10 Years
Michael served on 2 ships, USS Chandler DDG-996 and USS Thomas S. Gates CG-51. Has made 3 deployment to the Persian Gulf and traveled around the world 2 1/2 times.
Robert E Ashcroft
Class of 1980
Army, 20+ Years
Co c 3/75th Ranger Ft Benning GA 1984-1987
Honor Graduate Ranger class 5/86
Rank SGT
United States Army Reserve= 1987-PRESENT
Graduate OCS 1991
Graduate Infantry Officer Basic Course.Quarter Master Advance course,CGSC, ILE phase 1 & 2
Some Units assigned:
11TH SF GROUP 1ST LT
42ST QM Light Air drop group
Present RANK: Major
Awards: Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist, Rigger Badge, Combat Action Badge, Jumpmaster,
Served as Air drop officer Bosnia conflict
Veteran Operation Iraq Freedom 2004-2005 917th CSG Q-west IRAQ
Current assignment Ft Gillem GA 2007-PRESENT
Class of 1980
Army, 20+ Years
Co c 3/75th Ranger Ft Benning GA 1984-1987
Honor Graduate Ranger class 5/86
Rank SGT
United States Army Reserve= 1987-PRESENT
Graduate OCS 1991
Graduate Infantry Officer Basic Course.Quarter Master Advance course,CGSC, ILE phase 1 & 2
Some Units assigned:
11TH SF GROUP 1ST LT
42ST QM Light Air drop group
Present RANK: Major
Awards: Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist, Rigger Badge, Combat Action Badge, Jumpmaster,
Served as Air drop officer Bosnia conflict
Veteran Operation Iraq Freedom 2004-2005 917th CSG Q-west IRAQ
Current assignment Ft Gillem GA 2007-PRESENT
Alumni Stories
Read and submit stories about our classmates from Greenway High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Demons.
School News
im looking for casey clarke, its very important
Found some stuff from his dads storage locker that he and Ryan and Pamela would want. Have him contact me at jshideaway@...
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Our Greenway High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our Greenway High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Phoenix are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!