b'All in theFamilySal Messina74Two generations of NCCC Alumni Committee MembersThree generations of dedicated military serviceCountless years of giving back to NCCC and the communitySal Messina, NCCC alumnus, along with his family strive to live by the words, when youre giving, youre receiving, and give he does! Originally from Dunkirk, NY, Sal enlisted in the Air Force to serve his country immediately out of high school. While there, he met the love of his life and now wife, Carol. After returning from the Air Force, Sal moved back to Dunkirk before relocating to Plattsburgh and eventually transferring to Niagara Falls thanks to a promotionalopportunity.Sal always understood the importance of education no matter what stage in life he was in. While working as an I.R.S Revenue Officer, Sal earned his Associates Degree from NCCC in Business: Accounting in 1974. Sal said he attended NCCC because he had always heard such positive feedback from others. He also said that his program offered evening classes which were vital to his schedule. In 1976, Sal re-enlisted in the military with the National Guard while also working for the Treasury Department with the I.R.S. I had only planned on re-enlisting for a year, but a year turned into a career and I stayed until my mandatory retirement at the age of 60, said Sal. It was such a rewarding experience with so many learning opportunities that I was and still am honored to be a part of. Sal continued his education earning his Bachelors Degree in Business from SUNY Buffalo State and Masters Degree in Economics from the University at Buffalo. Throughout the entire time, I always received support from my wife and family. I told them that you never want to stop learning. School can help you grow in so many ways and I wanted to set an example for my family to follow.And follow in Sals footsteps they did. Both his son, Michael, and grandson, Anthony, are graduates of NCCC. His son, grandson, and granddaughter are also members of the military. Sal said that some of his most memorable moments include getting to salute Michael upon his retirement as'