He joined the U.S. Army right after high school and spent two years in Alaska. He later joined the National Guard because “he could sign up to be a pilot,” she said. He eventually settled in Rochester, but would keep in touch with his mom via phone.
‘These guys are being called heroes by so many people...and he was a dear, sweet hero,” Barbara Skoda said.
'He wanted to be called 'Steve''
Skoda was what you’d call an “Army dad,” said Amber Davis, 36, of Ogden, a Staff Sergeant who served with both Skoda and Koch in Company F, 1st of the 169th General Support Aviation Battalion. She now works in administration with the New York National Guard.