September 5th, 2022, Linthicum // PRODIGY: Feature Story //
LINTHICUM, MD, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 – NFM Lending is pleased to honor Corporal Rick Levine, USA, as the NFM Salute for September 2022.
Levine grew up in Southern California. Both of his grandfathers fought in World War II, and he followed their military legacy when he enlisted in the US Army in 1989 at the age of 23.
Levine completed basic training at Fort Bliss, TX and was soon deployed to Germany and Honduras as a combat medic. “As combat medics or soldier medics, our motto is: We are soldiers first and then medics. We go through exactly the same combat training as any soldier,” he explained. “Before I joined the army, I was a medic. When I came in I was still a paramedic. It was a good skill to have, and it helped many soldiers who needed it.” Levine also served as an aviation medic for joint missions with the Marines, FBI, and DEA on drug busts in Texas and Colorado. In 1992, the helicopter he was riding in crashed shortly after takeoff en route to Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Luckily he wasn’t seriously injured. After two years of overseas service, Levine received eight meritorious service medals and five Army Commendation Medals for rescuing Soldiers and civilians during various tours of duty. Levine left the military in 1994 after nearly six years of service.
After serving in the Army, Levine began a 25-year career as a police officer in Browns, Illinois. For Levine, it was a natural extension of his character and core beliefs. “I’ve really enjoyed serving those around me, whether it’s on the medical side or the law enforcement side,” he said. “It was more protecting other people. Even if they harm themselves or get hurt by others, know that I’ve done my best to keep them going. And on the law enforcement side, we have laws that we have to obey, but for me a lot of it was that human interaction to try and see what I could be like…
