Veterans’ Voices Awardees

The Veterans’ Voices Award honors the outstanding work of Minnesota’s Veterans by featuring their personal stories. Through poetry, prose, essays, memoirs, and more, Veterans find their voice, process their experiences, and connect with others.

2019 Awardees

Legacy Awardees

Clyde Lewandowski, U.S. Army, St. Cloud
George Colburn, U.S. Air Force, St. Paul
Larry Johnson, U.S. Army, Golden Valley
Ret. Col. Laura Ludwig, U.S. Army, Plymouth

On the Rise Awardees

Jessi Faue, U.S. Army, Minneapolis
Jessica Kieran, U.S. Army, Mounds View
Kendra Vande Kamp, U.S. Army, Rochester
Kristin Anderson, U.S. Army, Roseville
Suzanne Krasnow, U.S. Air Force, Maple Lake

2018 Awardees

Legacy Awardees

Laura Bartley, U.S. Air Force, North Branch
Terry Branham, U.S. Army, Lakeville
Carl Leslie (Les) Fordhal, U.S. Army, Bloomington
Ronald Hunter, U.S. Navy, Golden Valley
Diane Kinney, U.S. Army, Maplewood
Joseph Leonard Nayquonabe, Sr., U.S. Army, Onamia
Xai Paul Vang, Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU), North Saint Paul
Thomas Scott Wilkinson, U.S. Army, St. Francis

On the Rise Awardees

Calinn Green, U.S. Air Force, Elko
Sailor Jerri, U.S. Navy, Milaca
Charlene Nelson, U.S Army, Pengilly
Stevena Pen, U.S. Marine Corps, St. Paul
Samuel V. Phipps, U.S. Army, Minneapolis
Darius Simon, U.S. Army, Frazee
Alan Geoffrey Stage, U.S. Army Reserve, Hutchinson

2017 Awardees

Legacy Awardees

Wendell Affield, U.S. Navy, Bemidji
Bruce D.Anderson, U.S. Navy and Minnesota Air National Guard, Buffalo
Marilyn Anderson, U.S. Army Reserve, Farmington
Catherine M. (Kay) Wilhelmy Bauer, U.S. Navy, Coon Rapids
Reginald Chapman, U.S. Army Reserve, Minneapolis
John Donovan, Minnesota Army National Guard, Big Lake
Glenn D.Jackola, Sr., U.S. Army, Chisholm
Thomas McLaughlin, U.S. Marine Corps, Mankato
Michael Rivard, U.S. Navy, Minneapolis
Elizabeth Janet Steele Whitbeck, U.S. Marine Corps, Stillwater
Thomas Whitebird, U.S. Army, Cloquet
Raymond Wilson, U.S. Army, St. Paul
Yorn Yan, Khmer Republic Army, Mendota Heights

On the Rise Awardees

Samantha Dennis, Minnesota Air National Guard, Prior Lake
Shannon R. Doty, Minnesota Army National Guard, Minneapolis
Dennis Draughn, Minnesota Army National Guard, Pine City
Lindsey V. Erdmann, U.S. Marine Corps, St. Paul
Janet Lorenzo, U.S. Navy, Inver Grove Heights
Michael McLaughlin, U.S. Marine Corps, Mankato
Kayla Bellefeuille Simon, Minnesota Army National Guard, Frazee
Luther C.Talks, Minnesota Army National Guard, Waconia

2016 Awardees

Legacy Awardees

Bob Boone, Minnesota Army National Guard, Cambridge
Matthew C.G. Boucher, Minnesota Army National Guard, Ramsey
Brigadier General David Hamlar, Jr., M.D., U.S. Air Force, Inver Grove Heights
Fletcher Hinds, U.S. Marine Corps, Duluth
Louis J. King, U.S. Army, Lake Elmo
Gordon W. Kirk, U.S. Army, St. Paul
Sheila Pike Laughton, U.S. Air Force, Newport
Geraldine Longfellow, Minnesota Army National Guard, Burnsville
Mathew M. Meyer, Esq., U.S. Marine Corps, Shakopee
Michael Mills, U.S. Army and Minnesota Army National Guard, Freeport
Chibenesi, Dr. James Northrup, U.S. Marine Corps, Sawyer, In Memorium April 28, 1943 – August 1, 2016
Colonel Donald G. Patton, U.S. Army, Edina

On the Rise Awardees

Kelsey Besse, U.S. Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard, Eagan
Jessica L. de Kozlowski, U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve, Edina
Jolaina Falkenstein, U.S. Army Reserve, Carver
Daniel Fanning, Minnesota Army National Guard, Duluth
Josh Herman, U.S. Marine Corps, St. Paul
Christopher Jon Hvinden, U.S. Marine Corps, Little Canada
Lina Knox, M.A., Minnesota Army National Guard, Coon Rapids
David Peters, U.S. Marine Corps, Cottage Grove
Amanda J. Piersak, U.S. Air Force Reserve, St. Paul
Paul Riedner, U.S. Army, Minneapolis
Robert J. Rivera, U.S. Air Force, Edina
Jacob Thomas, U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve, Minneapolis
Mike Waldron, U.S. Marine Corps, Esko

2015 Awardees

Legacy Awardees

Steve Campos, U.S. Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard, Cottage Grove
Thomas D. Cocchiarella, U.S. Air Force, Woodbury
Representative Bob Dettmer, U.S. Army Reserve, Forest Lake
Michael D. Dickinson, U.S. Navy, Meadowlands
Ralph Donais, U.S. Marine Corps, Elk River
Eddie Frizell, U.S. Army, Maple Grove
Khao Insixiengmay, Royal Lao Army/Special Guerrilla Unit, Brooklyn Park
Jim Tuorila, U.S. Army, St. Cloud
Joe Vene, U.S. Army, Bemidji

On the Rise Awardees

Megan Allen, Minnesota Army National Guard, Ramsey
Carmelo Cruz, U.S. Marine Corps, Woodbury
Dajon Ferrell, Minnesota Army National Guard, Mahtomedi
Scott Glew, Minnesota Army National Guard, Elk River
Shelby Marie Hadley, Minnesota Army National Guard, Rice
Joseph Kelly, Minnesota Army National Guard, St. Paul
Colleen Kelly, U.S. Army Reserve, Minneapolis
Daniel Mitcham, U.S. Army, Minneapolis
Jason Ous, Minnesota Army National Guard, Oak Park Heights
Ashley Riester Laganiere, Minnesota Army National Guard, Farmington
Tyler Sanchez, U.S. Marine Corps, Minneapolis
Josh Savage, Minnesota Army National Guard, Eagan
Jodi Schipp, Minnesota Army National Guard, St. Paul
Elizabeth M. Skilbeck, U.S. Air Force, Elko
Nick Swaggert, U.S. Marine Corps, Chanhassen
Jack Zimmerman, U.S. Army, Cleveland

2014 Awardees

Legacy Awardees

Muriel Alexander-Alvarez, U.S. Army, Minnesota Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. Waubun
Donald Allen, U.S. Army, Columbia Heights
Ted Daley, U.S. Army, Eagan
Ron Fagen, U.S. Army, Granite Falls
Brockton Hunter, U.S. Army, Minneapolis
Jerry Kyser, U.S. Army, Roseville
Thomas Lyons, U.S. Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard, Plymouth
Jerry Newton, U.S. Army, Coon Rapids
Thomas Plunkett, U.S. Army, Minnesota Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve, St. Paul
Dennis Schulstad, U.S. Air Force, Edina

On the Rise Awardees

Cortney Amundson, U.S. Air Force, New Prague
Trevor Berg, Minnesota Army National Guard, Newfolden
Martin Caraway, U.S. Marine Corps, Renville
Louis Goldstein, U.S. Army Reserve, Hutchinson
Scott Hanson, Minnesota Army National Guard and Air Force National Guard, Brooklyn Park
Brian Hare, U.S. Army, Woodbury
Christopher Hinton, U.S. Navy, Waseca
Aaron Heusinkveld, Minnesota Army National Guard, St. Cloud
Richard Leonard, Minnesota Army National Guard, Woodbury
Mike Lotzer, Minnesota Army National Guard, Apple Valley
Dina Lubben, Minnesota Army National Guard, Lakefield
Amber Manke, Minnesota Army National Guard, Cottage Grove
Jason McNamara, U.S. Army, Mankato
Kristin Nord, Minnesota Air National Guard, Buffalo
Brian Ophus, Minnesota Army National Guard, Bemidji
Alex Schueller, U.S. Marine Corps, Eagan
Sean Staum, U.S. Marine Corps and Minnesota Army National Guard, Inver Grove Heights
John Swenson, U.S. Navy, Windom
Evan Tsai, U.S. Marine Corps, Minneapolis
Dave Wentzel, Minnesota Army National Guard, Mankato

2013 Awardees

Jaimie Bahl, U.S. Navy, Mounds View
Alison Baker, U.S. Army, Shakopee
Ryan Else, Minnesota Army National Guard, Richfield
Ryan Erickson, U.S. Marine Corps, Maple Grove
Angie Gagnier, U.S. Army, St. Paul
Pete Hegseth, U.S. Army, Marine on St. Croix
Michael Herring, Minnesota Army National Guard, Golden Valley
Ben Krause, U.S. Air Force, Minneapolis
John Kriesel, Minnesota Army National Guard, Cottage Grove
Jackie Mahon, Minnesota Air National Guard, Eden Prairie
Hector Matascastillo, U.S. Army, St. Paul
Sakinah Mujahid, U.S. Army, Minneapolis
Tom Newman, Minnesota Army National Guard, Hugo
Ryan Ross, U.S. Marine Corps, St. Joseph
Phiengtavanh Savatdy, U.S. Army, Brooklyn Park
Matt Schafer, U.S. Marine Corps, Woodbury
Jonathan Steinbach, Minnesota Army National Guard, Montevideo
Patrick Sweany, U.S. Army Reserve, Lakeville
Alex Tittle, U.S. Army, Woodbury
Nick Vorvick, Minnesota Army National Guard, Dawson
Luke Weinandt, U.S. Army, Mankato
Stephen Whitehead, Minnesota Army National Guard, Mankato
Jeremy Wolfsteller, U.S. Army, Plymouth
Larry Yatch, U.S. Navy, New Hope
Mohammad Zafar, U.S. Marine Corps, Oakdale