Hugues Byrne joined the United States Marine Corps in January 1976 through the delayed entry program. He arrived in Parris Island August 28^th, 1976, completed basic training, and was promoted meritoriously to private first class. He went to the basic helicopter course in Millington Tennessee and upon graduation received orders to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. There he was assigned to HMM-265 and completed Air Crew training and was awarded Naval Aviation Flight Wings. He completed two West Pac cruises attached to First Battalion Eighth Marines (1/8) during that time and belonged to the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Team Pacific area and was promoted to sergeant.

In 1980 he received orders to NAS Norfolk, Virginia and worked as CH-46 crew chief permanent party for the reserve unit. When his tour there was completed, he received orders to recruiting duty in Long Island, New York. After his successful tour of duty on recruiting duty he received orders to MCAS New River, North Carolina and completed one Mediterranean cruise. While stationed at MCAS New River he deployed to Honduras for 2 months providing humanitarian aid. During his time in the Marine Corps, Hugues accumulated over 1600 flight hours in the D, F, and E CH-46 model Helicopter. He also accumulated 364 days "at Sea” and was awarded numerous awards: Humanitarian Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and Good Conduct.  

In December 1985 Hugues left the Marine Corps and embarked on a civilian career and raise a family. During the next 16 years Hugues and his wife Lori, started and ran a transportation bus business that consisted of running busses for handicapped persons, limousine, and taxi services.

In 2002 his wife, Lori, encouraged him to join the Army National Guard for retirement purposes and once he joined, he was immediately deployed to Bosnia for 14 months with the 34^th Infantry Division providing support with the 86^th Medical Company Air Ambulance (AA).

Hugues was again deployed to Iraq in 2005 with C/3-126^thAA Company. There he performed duties as a UH-60 Crew Chief for Medivac Company. In Iraq he was attached to the 101^st division. He was awarded the Air Medal and several Army Commendation Medals. During this deployment he was offered a position at the Western Army Aviation Training Site (WAATS) in Marana, Arizona.  While deployed he accepted the position and upon his return he moved his family to Casa Grande, Arizona and became a Federal Technician at the WAATS and became an AH-64A later transition to the D Model Crew chief.

In his second year Hugues was selected as Aircraft Supervisor during different periods of time. During his last 5 years, Hugues stood up the UH-60 program and retired in 2017 from the Army National Guard and the Federal Technician force.

Hugues Byrne has been a presence in the Arizona veteran community since his retirement from the Federal Civil Service and his distinguished Military Career (both USMC and AZANG). 

He started with working with the VFW Post 1677 in 2019 and took a failing post (there were about three months from closing) and brought it back to life.  VFW Post 1677 is now very involved in the Casa Grande Community and is a thriving VFW Post. Hugues was a VFW post All State Commander four times, with one of those times being the All-State Commander Captain (Top Post Commander in the State).   He was also VFW Post Quartermaster All-State and All American responsible for all financial data membership enrollment, inventory of all equipment in post.

He was VFW Post 1677 Commander during COVID and initiated the Beat Covid program. Through this program he assisted his community by collecting over $31,000 and delivering over 6,000 care packages to the members of the community that needed real help during this time. Through this program he volunteered over 600 hours and managed over 15 volunteers to ensure that his community received the help they desperately needed.

Hugues served as the VFW District 10 Commander (a district that had eight posts) from June 2021 to My 2022 and his job was to Mentors, assists, and solves issues with post commanders within his district.  He was awarded the All-State and All-American Commander for his exemplary work as District Commander.

He currently serves as the Department of Arizona Judge Advocate.  He has also served as the Department Surgeon and the Department of Arizona VFW convention committee chairperson where he negotiates all conference and conventions contracts for the state of Arizona sets up all meetings space banquet dinner and lunches.

Hugues is a Life member VFW Military Order of the Cootie organization and works to support our VA homes and hospitals and veterans that are hospitalized.  He has served in a variety of billet in this organization over the years.

In addition to all his other awards he has earned in the VFW, in June 2023 he was awarded the Gil La Montoya award.  This award is presented by Department of Arizona to only one comrade once a year and it can be only awarded once in lifetime for efforts that go above and beyond call of duty.

He is also the VFW National Convention Memorial Services Chairperson. This ceremony will be held at the National Convention and is a memorial service event honoring our deceased veterans their family members and honoring our gold star families. The 2023 VFW National Convention is being held in Phoenix AZ.

Along with his service in the VFW he is also a Life member of American Legion Post 133 in Casa Grande and has been on the Casa Grande Veterans Day Parade committee from 2019-2022.  The Veterans Day Parade Committee not only coordinates parade for veterans’ day but also raises the funds to ensure that the City of Casa Grande Honors those that have served our Country.

Hugues is also Member of VFW Picacho Peak Riders. He has performed over 15 escort rides and fundraisers over the last two year which support the veterans in our community.

Hugues is also Life member of Marine Corp League Detachment 901.  He has served as Commandant, Sr vice Commandant, and is currently serving as Jr Vice Commandant.  These are the officers of detachment responsible of the running of the organization.

He has also been selected to become a member of the Military Order of the Devil Dogs (MODD).  This is the Fun and Order Society of the Marine Corps League that raises money to support our local Children’s Hospitals and raises funds for special projects within the State.

Hugues was selected as the Marine Corps League Detachment 901 Detachments Marine of the Year for 2022 Selected by the detachment for above and beyond service.

He has also completed more than 20 Missing in American projects as an escort rider.  This project ensures that our deceased veterans that have no family get a proper burial and honorable sendoff form this world.

Hugues has also volunteered over 350 hours for Toys for Tots program in Pinal County from 2019 to 2022 and delivered over 7,500 toys to local Families in Pinal County during this time and is scheduled to work the 2023 campaign again.

All in all Hugues Byrne has spent thousands of hours in serving our community of the last five years and is a perfect candidate for being the Grand Marshal of the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade

His Military awards: Army Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3), Army good conduct medal (3), Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (2), Reserve Component Achievement Medal (2), National Defense, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism, Iraq campaign medal (2), Humanitarian Service medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (m) (2), Army service ribbon, Army Overseas service ribbon (2), Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Sea service deployment (3), NATO Medal, Polish Defense Ribbon,  Naval Aviators Air Crewmen Wings, Army Master Aviation Badge Wings, Vermont National Guard Duty, Marine Corps Merit Mast,  101^stCombat Patch, Overseas service bars (3), NCO Army Professional Development (2).

His Civilian and Veteran Service awards and positions:  DEPARTMENT OF AZ VFW SURGEON, GIL LA MONTOYA PERSON AWARD, NATIONAL CONVENTION TEAM MEMBER 2023, COMMANDER DISTRICT 10 ALL AMERICAN 2022, DISTRICT 10 CAPTAIN ALL STATE TEAM 2022, NATIONAL AIDE DE CAMP 2019-2020, CONVENTION COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON 2022-2023, POST 1677 COMMANDER ALL AMERICAN 3 YEARS, ALL STATE TEAM CAPTAIN 2020-2021, POST 1677 QUARTERMASTER ALL AMERICAN 2022, LIFE MEMBER MILITARY ORDER OF THE COOTIE, LIFE MEMBER NATIONAL HOME, SR. VICE COMMANDANT MARINE CORPS LEAGUE DET, MARINE OF THE YEAR MCL DET 901 2022-2023, AMERICAN LEGION MEMBER, LIFE MEMBER MARINE CORPS LEAGUE, MILITARY ORDER OF DEVIL DOGS, LIFE MEMBER VFW NATIONAL CHILDREN’S HOME