PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
OPERATIONS … Deputy Steve Schlosser during his deployment to the Middle East, serving with the United States Marine Corps in support of combat operations.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
There are those who serve, and then there are those who dedicate their entire lives to the idea of service itself. Deputy Steve Schlosser is one of the latter. Born on August 7, 1970, he has spent his life standing on the front lines, whether in defense of his country or in protection of his community.
Married to his wife Linda, with six children and eleven grandchildren, Schlosser’s story is one of devotion not only to his family, but to the greater good.
His calling began on July 11, 1988, when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. What started as a young man’s patriotic drive quickly became a lifelong mission of duty and honor.
During his time in uniform, Schlosser served in some of the most defining moments of modern American military history. He took part in Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989, a short but intense campaign that tested the skill and resolve of every Marine involved. \
He went on to serve during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Middle East in 1990, followed by the Haitian Repatriation mission in 1992.
After the quiet years that followed, the world once again changed on September 11, 2001. Schlosser answered the call once more. In 2003, he was part of the initial push from Kuwait into Iraq, helping lead convoys and secure objectives during the early stages of the war.
He later returned in 2006 as the senior enlisted member of a Police Transition Team, working with Iraqi police officers to train and prepare them for the difficult mission of restoring order and security.
His team taught tactical operations, ran counter-insurgency efforts, and worked in the heart of the city of Hit, conducting missions that demanded courage, precision, and trust.
Schlosser often reflected on how service transforms those who take the oath. “When you first enlist, you feel proud to be part of something bigger than yourself,” he shared.
“But once you’re there, you realize your focus isn’t on the politics or the headlines. It’s on the person next to you, the ones who depend on you, and the ones you depend on. The one to your left and the other on your right.”
That brotherhood would define much of his life. He saw firsthand the cost of freedom and the bonds that endure beyond any battlefield. Those memories and friendships became part of who he is, lessons that shaped the way he later served his community at home.
After returning from active duty, Schlosser continued his path of public service in law enforcement. He entered the police academy in 1995 and began his career as a part-time officer in Stryker.
By 1999, he was serving full-time in Montpelier before returning to Stryker, where he eventually became Chief of Police in 2010.
In April of 2023, he retired from the department, only to take on what he calls the best job of his life, becoming the School Resource Officer at Pettisville Schools with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
For Schlosser, the uniform has always been more than a symbol. It is a promise to protect, to serve, and to lead by example. Whether overseas in combat or standing guard in the hallways of a school, his life has been defined by duty and compassion.
To those who know him, Schlosser’s life stands as proof that the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful, continues long after the battles are over. Deputy Steve Schlosser represents what it truly means to serve, not just in moments of conflict, but every single day that follows.
This Veterans Day, we honor not only his years of service in the United States Marine Corps but also his continued commitment to his community. His story reminds us that the spirit of a Marine never fades. It simply finds new ways to serve.