Hauppauge High's Hometown Hero podcast spotlights Navy veteran and Suffolk County deputy

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. ' Frank D'Aversa, a Navy veteran whose military and aviation career spans more than four decades, and Dylan Heaver, a deputy in the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department's community relations unit, visited Hauppauge High School on Tuesday for the district's Hometown Hero Speaker Series podcast to talk about service, training and working in their communities.

The event, presented by the HAUPPAUGE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT as part of its speaker series, brought the two guests together with students for a question-and-answer session. The moderator said the program aims to "connect our students ... to our local heroes" and to give students direct exposure to careers in military service and public safety.

D'Aversa, introduced by the moderator as a longtime aviation mechanic and Navy reservist who served aboard carriers including Vietnam deployment on USS Ranger (CV-61), described the discipline and camaraderie of boot camp and carrier life. "We became one in 3 short months," he said, describing how sailors from different backgrounds were brought together during training. He recounted long deployments, the danger of flight-deck work and the emotional effort of recovering shipmates from combat operations.

He also described volunteer work in the Veterans Treatment Court in Central Islip, saying the court focuses on treatment rather than incarceration for veterans with service-related problems. "Rather than incarcerating them, they're sentenced for treatment," D'Aversa said, and he noted peer mentorship and programs that now include women veterans.

Heaver, who told students he joined the NYPD at 21 before returning to Long Island and joining the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, described why he made the transition: quality of life and the ability to directly impact the community where he lives. He explained the civil-service hiring process, including a physical fitness component, psychological screening and a background investigation, and said the Suffolk County academy runs about seven months while the NYPD academy is roughly six months.

Heaver gave a concrete example of the unit's community role: he described assisting at a Brookhaven senior picnic where he and a colleague performed CPR for seven minutes and restored a person's pulse; that individual later had bypass surgery and Heaver said he stays in contact. The deputy said community relations work includes school visits, safety programs such as McGruff outreach and recruitment for the sheriff's office.

Students asked about memorable career moments, daily life aboard a ship and the training required for military and police careers. D'Aversa urged students to value discipline and health and related how being in aviation school and the Navy shaped his life. Heaver told students to "watch what you do on social media" because hiring agencies often review online posts, and advised persistence in pursuing civil-service opportunities.

The program closed with thanks from the moderator, applause for the guests and brief advice for students considering careers in public service. The series will continue with future guest appearances from local veterans and first responders.

The moderator and both guests confirmed these remarks during the hour-long program; no formal votes or policy actions were taken.