By Alena Kairys
Feb 1, 2023LINTHICUM, MD, February 1, 2023 – NFM Lending is pleased to honor Lieutenant Denis Oliverio, USMC, Retired, as the NFM Salute for February 2023.
Oliverio was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was one of ten children. He recalled he was interested in joining the military from a young age, partly due to his brother’s Air Force service and his mother’s strong military support. After graduating high school, Oliverio and five friends went to a military recruiter’s office to enlist. “When I looked around the military branches, I wanted it all. I wanted to do the best I could; I wanted it to be as tough as it could be,” he said. Oliverio decided on his service branch, and in 1987, he became a U.S. Marine.
After finishing boot camp and attending training schools, Oliverio deployed twice to the Mediterranean region. Then, from 1990 to 1991, he deployed to Northern Iraq to assist with the end of Operation Desert Storm. Being in a combat zone changed his perspective forever. “Coming from the United States and the way our life is and going over to another country is significant. It can change your opinion on how you have life but let alone that going into a country that’s at war and seeing how things are there,” he said. Oliverio had numerous adventures in the Marines including flying developmental flight tests on the V22 Osprey, working as a helicopter gunner, and teaching the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) program.
In 2005, Oliverio was a tank platoon commander with Bravo Company out of Twentynine Palms, California, when he deployed to western Al Anbar Province for Operation Iraqi Freedom. During a firefight with insurgents, a sniper shot through Oliverio’s upper left arm while standing in the commander’s hatch. Oliverio struggled to get back into the tank with his severely damaged arm. However, his comrade, Lance Corporal Jared Malone, took immediate action and left his position in the loader’s hatch to push Oliverio into the tank. Malone also put a tourniquet on Oliverio’s wounds, further saving his life.
Back in the States, Oliverio had a long road to recovery. The bullet shattered his humerus into five pieces and severed his median nerve and brachial artery. He endured 16 surgeries at Bethesda National Naval Medical Center, eventually regaining partial mobility in his left arm. After 20 years of military service, Oliverio took a medical retirement in 2007. He was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries sustained due to enemy action in combat. The symbolism of the medal is extremely meaningful to him. “A Purple Heart is a very significant medal, and it’s the one no one wants to get, but if you do get it and you’re able to hold it in your hands, you gotta be thankful because there’s so many that don’t get to hold it in their hands,” he said.
Oliverio lives in St. Augustine, Florida, with his wife, Kate, and his daughter. He leads an active lifestyle, including woodworking, golfing, horseback riding, and team roping/roping steer.
The NFM Salute is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” is featured on the website with a biography and information about their service. NFM Lending will donate to a nonprofit in the Salute’s name. NFM Lending is proud to present $2,500 to IHOOT in honor of Oliverio. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military service members and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.
About NFM Lending
NFM Lending is a national mortgage lending company currently licensed in 49 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. NFM Lending and its family of companies includes Main Street Home Loans, Bluprint Home Loans, Freedmont Mortgage Group, Elevate Home Loans, and Element Home Loans. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Instagram.
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