Thank you for your service.
That is the gist of Jamie Awanohopay’s keynote address Nov. 11 at a Veterans Day ceremony at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg, which included a flag-raising ceremony, 21-gun salute and a performance of the Ho-Chunk Flag Song by the Lake Delton Singers.
“I’m proud to announce that on both sides of my family is a deep, deep history of veterans going back as far as World War I,” she said. “I’m humbled and honored to be asked to stand before you. There are many great people here. Thank you for taking time out of your day to recognize the importance of Veterans Day. I am not a combat veteran, and I recognize that. I am deeply humbled by every combat veteran I meet. My heartfelt gratitude can never be expressed enough.”
Awanohopay joined the U.S. Army Reserve through the delayed entry program in 1994, a year before graduating from Menominee Indian High School. She was eventually promoted to sergeant before being discharged in 2002.
She went on to be accepted for U.S. Secret Service training in 2002 and was assigned to the Foreign Missions Branch and the White House before leaving in 2008.
She later participated with the Veterans of Menominee Nation as a member, treasurer, vice commander and commander and with the Native American Women Warriors Color Guard.
Awanohopay admitted it’s a long way from Zoar to working for the U.S. Secret Service in Washington, D.C.
“As a young Menominee woman, I was full of determination not only to defend the United States, but also our Native American people,” she said. “There are so many of us that left home young to take on the world. We didn’t do it for valor or heroism or free meals. We did it because it was our duty to serve, that warrior inside of us to protect our land, our families, our ancestors.”
The commitment of those who served also connected families, according to Awanohopay.
“Our mothers and fathers stood with their children in a life-changing decision for their children to serve,” she said. “As a mother now, I can only imagine the worry I put my mother through. However, I will never forget the love and support from her and my son.”
Many veterans returned home with physical and mental scars that took years to overcome, Awanohopay said.
“Veterans dealing with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) lost a sense of belonging and are here among us,” she said. “Many are combat veterans and keep their feelings to themselves. There are many that didn’t come home, and there are some that did come home. However, they left by suicide. To the combat veterans here, please know you’re loved. We are here for you.”
“Today is a day we honor all veterans who served and are currently serving,” Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg executive manager Fletcher Collins said. “I am the son of two Vietnam (War) veterans. My father, Donald Collins, served in Vietnam. He was a combat engineer, so he got to dismantle land mines. My mother, Sandra Winneshiek, served in the United States Air Force and earned the rank of sergeant. She went on to serve the Veterans Administration, retiring in 2023. I’m very proud of my parents.”
Collins said the observance of Veterans Day in the United States dates back more than 100 years.
“World War — known at the time as The Great War — officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in France,” he said. “Fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice or temporary cessation of hostilities between the allied nations and Germany went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of the war to end all wars.”
Veterans Day is now observed on Nov. 11, regardless of the day of the week.
“Spend that most important quality — time — with a veteran or with each other,” Awanohopay said. “Keep our traditions and languages alive and include that spiritual connection. If we can do this together, our future generations will understand and appreciate the freedoms even more. Last but not least, let’s never forget our fallen that made the ultimate sacrifice. Let’s continue to pray for our active military and for those young people leaving their homes and entering the service.“
Veterans Day is an opportunity for the public to honor and thank all of those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in times of war and peace, Awanohopay said.
“It is a time to acknowledge their courage, sacrifice and dedication while also recognizing the commitment to their families,” she said. “Today, we gather to recognize and express our gratitude for all our veterans across this great land. From a veteran to a veteran, thank you. From a veteran to the families who stood with their veteran, thank you. From a veteran to a combat veteran, thank you.”
