#727 Part 1 Ted Sosnicki Navy Veteran; 27 Aug 2026

🇺🇸 VETERAN STORY — TED SOSNICKI | U.S. NAVY VETERAN 🇺🇸

Some Veteran stories are about where someone served. Others show just how far a lifetime of service can take one person.

In this episode of The Lost Art Project: Veterans’ Voices, Historical Archivist Dee Galvin sits down with U.S. Navy Veteran Ted Sosnicki for Part One of an incredible story spanning two decades of Naval service, extensive technical training, deployments around the world, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and friendships that lasted long after the uniform came off.

For Dee, this interview is also deeply personal.

Ted was the best friend of Dee’s late husband, Dana Bruce Galvin, a Marine whose memory continues to inspire Dee’s work as a Historical Archivist. Throughout their conversation, stories of Dana provide a powerful reminder that some of the greatest things Veterans carry away from their service are the friendships and bonds forged along the way.

Ted grew up in Arizona in a military family with an early fascination for ships, aircraft and military history. When it came time to choose his own path, the decision ultimately came down to the Marine Corps or Navy. A coin flip helped settle it — and the Navy won.

Ted entered Navy boot camp in San Diego in 1980 and began what became an unusually diverse career. His training included numerous aircraft platforms as well as shipboard firefighting, damage control, aircrew, special warfare, military training instructor duties, CBR/special weapons training and much more.

His assignments and deployments took him around the world aboard numerous ships and to locations throughout Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Puerto Rico, Guam, Guantanamo Bay and beyond. He also served in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Ted’s knowledge and experience became so extensive that when he reached 20 years and submitted his retirement paperwork, he recalls the Navy taking months to decide whether it was willing to let him go.

And there is much more to his story.

This episode concludes with Ted and Dee realizing that nearly two hours isn't enough. Part Two will continue Ted's story, including more about life after service, family, friendship and the experiences that followed his Navy career.

🎙️ Guest: Ted Sosnicki — U.S. Navy Veteran🎙️ Historical Archivist/Interviewer: Dee Galvin — The Lost Art Project: Veterans’ Voices❤️ In Memory of: Dana Bruce Galvin