Sgt Noble Salerno was a Fort Bragg soldier who served two tours overseas, deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  In early 2008, he was one of the North Carolina Heroes Fund's first grant recipients.

During these deployments, Salerno sustained a severe hip injury when crushed by a Humvee.  SGT Salerno also suffered from Leishmaneisis, which is a skin disorder that is usually transmitted by mosquitoes and sand-fleas. When Sgt Salerno returned to Fayetteville to his wife and two daughters, his injuries and the transition to civilian life, like many returning soldiers, put a strain on his finances. The North Carolina Heroes Fund helped the Salerno family get through a challenging time.

The North Carolina Heroes Fund announced the addition of three new members of its Board of Directors. The three new Board members were elected to two-year terms which will begin January 2012.

Jimmy Hicks serves as President of Pike Energy Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pike Electric. David Pfleeger is business development manager for Parsons Corporation. Thomas Mussoni is Vice President of Development for Auto Bell Car Wash. All three are from the Charlotte area.

The organization is preparing for a surge in applications during the next twelve months. As many of North Carolina's military heroes return from overseas during the next few weeks and months, we anticipate an increase is requests for support for financial hardships from our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. North Carolina's veterans and their families have been there for us and now we will be there for them.