Rich Belmonte was not one of those boys who dreamed of becoming a firefighter. But at the age of 32, he was curious if he could perform the firefighter physical agility test with the younger participants. He had already spent time in the Army, having served in Korea years prior, so his strength and agility was comparable to the younger applicants he was surrounded by. Once he passed the test, he decided to accept the position of firefighter for the Village of Westchester. Although he didn’t know it at the time, joining the Army gave him structure and experience he …

If you look at Anthony Scarpelli’s 8th grade yearbook, you’ll find that he listed his future occupation as police officer. Unlike some kids who are content to only dream, young Tony set about the serious business of turning his dream into a reality. He earned a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in criminal justice at DePaul and a master’s degree in law enforcement and justice administration from Western Illinois University before entering the job market. In the process, he put himself on the fast track to success. A lengthy search led to his first job as an officer with the …