08/30/2026
⚜️Meet the Team⚜️
Determination is a key factor in all of our daily lives. This next veteran exemplifies that hard work and dedication to something you love will always pay off in the long run. We are very pleased for you to meet, Corey Buras(forward)7️⃣2️⃣…
“I grew up and went to school in Kaplan, LA. After graduation, I bounced around a bit without much direction until late in 1991 where I found myself sitting in the Air Force recruiter’s office here in Lafayette. I signed up as a 2A7X3, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Specialist and left for basic training in April 1992. After basic and two tech schools, I received orders for my permanent duty at Holloman Air Force Base, NM. My first few years were spent with the 49th Maintenance Squadron where I did sheet metal and composite work on F-117’s. In mid-1995, I transferred to the 7th Fighter Squadron where I worked the remainder of my time doing radar coating maintenance on the aircraft. I enjoyed my military time, and I was proud to serve. I got to work on some cool jets. And, I even got to ride in one. (You can’t see it in the picture, but my sick sack is in my lap if anyone was curious how that went).
After leaving the Air Force in 1996, I went to work for the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Maurice Police department. While working in law enforcement, I enrolled in school to get my Airframe and Powerplant license. I earned my A&P in 2003 and got hired on at PHI where I was assigned to the field base in Houma, LA, working on S-92’s for the better part of 10 years. In 2013, I traded my wrenches for a computer and began working in flight data and aircraft health monitoring until I left PHI after 18 years. I continued my career with a new company, where I am still providing flight data monitoring services to some of the largest EMS aircraft operators in the U.S.
My first exposure to hockey was in the late 90’s with the Louisiana Ice Gators. One game is all it took for me to get hooked, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Sometime in February of this year, my wife and I were talking about a possible road trip to Dallas to catch a Stars game. She did some digging on Facebook and was surprised to see that there was a veterans hockey team here in Lafayette and suggested we try and catch a game. I remember looking at her and saying, “Watch? I want to play!” So, at 53 years old, I laced up a pair of skates and hit the ice for the first time. It’s been a whirlwind journey since, and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.
To say I’m proud of being a part of this organization is an understatement. We’re not only a team, but a family. My teammates are always there with an encouraging word, lending hands, and a whole lot of laughs. I’m excited to watch hockey grow in Louisiana and proud of the impact the team has in the Lafayette area.”
Q&A
1. If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? - Neil Peart, the late drummer for Rush.
2. Favorite movie? -Star Wars a New Hope
3. If you weren’t playing hockey what else would you be doing? -Tinkering with something around the house no doubt.
4. Favorite place you’ve ever visited? -The area around Gatlinburg, the smoky mountains are incredible.
5. What is a fun fact most people don’t know about you? -I love music. My wife says I’m a walking jukebox. And I’ve been to hundreds of concerts.
