Local Air Force Veteran Photographing Fellow Veterans for Free

All it took was one trip to the Albany VA hospital to give Stephen Willette the idea of how he can use his skills to help his fellow veterans.

Stephen Willette is an Air Force veteran who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and therefore medically discharged after 16 years in the service, according to the Post Star. While he was going through the veteran disability process, he was advised to not work so he picked up photography. He started photographing different causes until he saw the Albany VA.

He was interested in seeing the different families and how they were reacting to the diagnoses of cancer, ALS, and Autism. He said to the Post Star: “There are people that are fighting battles and they’re winning every single day and the battlefield is in their home,” Willette said. “And unless we go and we knock on their door and we meet them, we have no idea.”

That's when his attention focused to the veterans and wanting to share their story with the Faces of Veterans series. First, Willette photographed 65 Saratoga County veterans and they are now display at Saratoga Coffee Traders. Next, he will be photographing veterans for free at the Lake George American Legion from 10:00am-2:00pm on Saturday. He'll be taking black-and-white photos in 15-minute intervals, provided free of charge.

Veterans can contact him on Facebook or email him at email@patriotimages.org or go to his website, www.patriotimages.org, or call 518-350-3119 to set up a photo session and will even make an appointment for homebound veterans.