Twenty five recent Minnesota military veterans will be honored Wednesdayat the Minnesota Humanities Center’s 25 Veterans’ Voices Award Ceremony.
Gov. Mark Dayton will address the group at the event, which honors veterans, under age 40, who have made exceptional contributions to the community, in business, health care, public safety, education, the arts, government or other endeavors.
Organizers said: “These rising stars have not merely returned to civilian life but are thriving and giving back to their Minnesota communities.”
One of those to be honored is John Kriesel, the former state legislator who lost his legs in a bomb attack in Iraq.
The 25 honored vets come from around the state. Biographies online here (pdf).
They are:
- Jaimie Bahl, Navy, Mounds View
- Alison Baker, Army, Vadnais Heights
- Ryan Else, Army, Richfield
- Ryan Erickson, USMC, Maple Grove
- Angie Gagnier, Army, St. Paul
- Pete Hegseth, Army, Marine on St. Croix
- Michael Herring, Army, Golden Valley
- Benjamin Krause, Air Force, Minneapolis
- John Kriesel, Army, Cottage Grove
- Jacqueline Mahon, Air Force, Eden Prairie
- Hector Matascastillo, Army, St. Paul
- Sakinah Mujahid, Army, Minneapolis
- Tom Newman, Army, Hugo
- Ryan Ross, Army, St. Joseph
- Phiengtavanh Savatdy, Army, Brooklyn Park
- Matt Schafer, USMC, Woodbury
- Jonathan Steinbach, Army, Montevideo
- Patrick Sweany, Army, Lakeville
- Alexander Tittle, Army, Woodbury
- Nick Vorvick, Army, Dawson
- Luke Weinandt, Army, Mankato
- Stephen Whitehead, Army, Mankato
- Jeremy Wolfsteller, Army, Plymouth
- Larry Yatch, Navy, New Hope
- Mohammad Zafar, USMC, Oakdale.
