Salute to Veterans - 2023

VETERANS DAY  NOVEMBER 2023

SISTERS ANSWER AIR FORCE’S CALL

FROM ARMY TO POLICE

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”

- Elmer Davis

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Not one bad memory.................................4 Sisters answer Air Force’s call...............6 Army provides adventures around the world for nurse........................................8

Long time Alex teacher attributes success to Army stint..........................10 Douglas County Veterans Services..... 11 From Army to police................................12 Honoring our veterans............................14 Branches of the military....................... 25 Celeste Edenloff, Special projects editor Jake Sutherlin, Reporter Travis Gulbrandson, Reporter Lowell Anderson, Photo editor Lori Mork, Layout/design Karen Tolkkinen, Proofreader

From Army to police

Calvin Uhl recalls ups and downs of military life Page 12

Salute

A publication of Echo Press, November 2023 1920 Turning Leaf Lane SW, Suite 12 Alexandria, MN www.echopress.com

To advertise, call 320.763.3133

TO OUR VETERANS

ALAN SOBTZAK

I have a soft spot for veterans, which is why this publication is such an honor to produce each year. I have countless relatives who have served or who are currently serving in the military – uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews and others.

But there are four who are my true heroes – my four brothers – Alan Sobtzak, 70, who lives in Boise, Idaho; Steven Sobtzak, 65, who lives in Wyoming, Minnesota; Michael Sobtzak, 63, who lives in Minnetonka; and Charles Schneider, 53, who lives in Glen Carbon, Illinois.

They may not know it, but for my whole CELESTE EDENLOFF life, I have looked up to my brothers with Special Projects Editor such admiration, respect and love because they all served in the United States Air Force.

My brother Al served for 21 years and one month, Steve served four years, Mike served for three years and Charles actually served two years in the Minnesota Army National Guard and then was in the Air Force for eight years.

STEVE SOBTZAK

Sisters answer Air Force’s call

The experience shaped who they are today

Page 6 Veterans photos on pages 14-25 are from reader submissions

MIIKE SOBTZAK

CHARLES SCHNEIDER

I probably don’t tell them enough, but I am so incredibly proud of them all.

As Veterans Day approaches and people take time to honor those who have served in the Armed Forces, it makes me reflect on my own family as well as the nearly 3,000 veterans who are living right here in Douglas County.

I would like to take this time to not only thank those who are pictured in this magazine, but to thank all those who have served in the military.

This “Salute” magazine is for you and for all families of veterans.

It makes me so proud to work at a company who knows the importance of honoring our military men and women.

The Echo Press, as well as our parent company, Forum Communications, would like to thank all Douglas County veterans.

Thank you for the sacrifices you made, for your valor and for defending your country and our rights. Thank you also for your courage, your strength and your dedication.

We appreciate you and we honor you.

SALUTE

PAGE 3

bad memory NOT ONE

Dale Kittleson recalls his time in the Navy

D

By Jake Sutherlin

ale Kittleson served in the United States Navy from September 1970 until September 1991, retiring as a Radioman Sr. Chief Petty Officer (E-8) while stationed at the Naval Communications Area Master Station in Westpac, Guam.

He remembers vividly those final days in Guam and the farewell salute he got from his commanding officers – the affirmation and fulfillment of a career devoted to hard work and selfless service.

Dale Kittleson tossed a horseshoe, one of his favorite military pastimes.

Contributed by Dale Kittleson

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Dale Kittleson (middle) saluting with a group of Navy members.

“That was a heartfelt moment,” Kittleson said. “I can’t say enough good about the military. Joining up was a highlight of my life.”

Kittleson’s journey in the service began shortly after high school. He had met with a military recruiter before graduation and signed on to join the Navy as soon as the school year finished.

“I went home that day and told my mom, ‘Mom, I joined the Navy,’” Kittleson said.

After shaking off her initial surprise, his mother expressed her support. His father simply placed his hand on Kittleson’s shoulder and said, “Congratulations.”

Kittleson’s father and uncles had served in the military during World War II, and after listening to their stories, memories and appreciation for the service, he “felt an obligation to serve in the military, as well.”

The young recruit was summarily shipped off to basic training in San Diego and upon completion received orders for Radioman “A” school, also in San Diego, where he studied various communications, including Morse code.

“That was a real treat,” Kittleson laughed.

In 1971, he received his first station orders and was sent overseas to the Philippines where his life would dramatically change.

Contributed by Dale Kittleson

“I met the love of my life over there,” Kittleson said.

He married his wife, Natividad, in 1972 and shortly thereafter the couple welcomed their first child, David. From that point on, the Kittleson clan, which included a second child later, Lourie, went everywhere together, serving at stations in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, back to Hawaii and finishing with a return to Guam.

“They went to all the duty stations with me; there was never any separation,” Kittleson said.

There was a brief hiatus from military service from October 1974 until August 1975 when Kittleson returned to his hometown in Madison, Minnesota to work as an assistant manager at a local grocery store, but he reupped soon after, and that’s when he first moved his family to Hawaii.

“I got a little homesick [for the military],” Kittleson remembered.

Much of his role within the military is classified, but he was effusive in his praise for the support and opportunities that his time in the Navy afforded him.

From the places he got to see, to the people he got to meet and to the life he got to experience…“I can’t think of one bad memory,” Kittleson said. “We had a lot of fun, too.”

He remembers golfing during the afternoons with some of his commanding officers, hosting island-wide softball tournaments in Guam, building horseshoe pits and planning events with senior officers.

“I made friends everywhere I went,” Kittleson said.

To this day he keeps in contact with people from all over, sharing memories and moments that span a lifetime of service.

“For some people, the military ends up becoming your family because of how much time you spend together,” Kittleson added.

He said that the military really is what a person makes of it.

“The military offers you everything,” he said. “But you have to be willing to go in and work for it. They’ll treat you well, and if you have a problem, they’ll have your back. There are so many good officers who will help guide someone.”

Kittleson would strongly encourage

anyone who thinks he/she might have an itch for the service to sign up. But he’d remind them to maintain a strong and positive attitude.

“When you put your mind to something, you can go and get it done,” he said.

When it finally came time to retire, Kittleson had a great pride and peace about his time in the Navy.

“I felt like I had done my job, and done it well,” he said. “I felt honored to serve our great country.”

During his time in the military he had earned a degree in business management, and he took his experiences and lessons from the military with him into his next stage of life, working with various companies to ensure business was conducted not just as well as it could be, but also safely and responsibly.

He’s immensely grateful for the education, connections and life that his military service gave him, and he is a proud veteran of the United States Navy.

“The military offers you everything. But you have to be willing to go in and work for it. They'll treat you well, and if you have a problem, they'll have your back."

DALE KITTLESON Navy

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SALUTE

PAGE 5

Sisters Kari Lempka, left, and Teryl Urke, right, of Alexandria both joined the Air Force.

Photo by Lowell Anderson

SISTERS ANSWER

Air Force’s W PAGE 6

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CALL

The experience shaped who they are today

By Celeste Edenloff

hen children decide to join the military, it can be a scary time for parents because there is the potential that they might not come home.

Alexandria sisters Kari Lempka and Teryl Urke are grateful for the support they received from their parents, Fred and Sarah Townsend, when they both decided to join the Air Force.

“There’s a part of you that is scared for your child to look into this option,” said Lempka, who is the owner of 6th & Broadway Clothing and Decor. “But I think we’ve got to support our kids in their desire to do what they’re made to do. If they are a kid who wants to be in a career of sevice, the best thing we can do is just support them and help them make the best choice.”

Lempka and Urke both said they are so thankful that their parents were supportive and that they had the opportunity to join the military because it made such an impact on both of their lives.

“I’m just enormously grateful for the experience,” said Urke, who is the Director of Technical Services at Douglas Machine, Inc. “I love our country and I love what we stand for. We’re not a perfect country by any means, but there’s a reason why people flock here. I’m really grateful I got to be born here and live here. It truly is a wonderful country.”

LEMPKA JOINED FIRST

As the older of the two sisters, Lempka was the first

to join the military. In high school, she was looking for scholarship opportunities when she learned about the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

“I decided I wanted that,” she said. “I applied for it, got it and went to the Air Force Academy for four years.”

When she graduated, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. At the time, she had been pilot qualified but unfortunately, due to health reasons, she lost that qualification. Her goal was to become an astronaut, which is something from a young age she had always wanted to do.

After she processed the fact that being a space shuttle pilot wasn’t going to happen, Lempka decided to go into aircraft maintenance as an aircraft maintenance officer. Prior to her assigned career, she was given a oneyear position called a Gold Bar Recruiter where she would go out to colleges and high schools and talk about the Air Force ROTC, the academy and the officer training school.

At that time, she was sta-

This photo was taken while Kari Lempka, left, was on a refueling mission over Afghanistan. Lempka is in the boom pod of a KC-135 observing a Boom Operator offload thousands of pounds of fuel to a fighter aircraft. tioned in Pittsburgh.

After that, she was stationed in Spokane, Washington and worked on the flight line as an aircraft maintenance officer, which was taking care of the people with the expertise to repair and prepare the aircraft for flight.

She was also responsible for the airplanes being mission-ready. She may not have actually turned a wrench, she said, but she was responsible for all the people who did.

And those people, she said, were some of the most amazing people she has met.

“I feel really humbled by knowing what great men and women there are out there and how hard they work,” she said. “It was a great experience for me.”

Lempka, who is a 1994 Alexandria graduate, was on active duty from 1998 to 2003.

URKE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO BE A TEACHER

Teryl Urke at Basic Training at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida.

She received the chance to fly in a T-37, which is the first jet Air Force pilots learn how to fly in flight school. She said it was awesome and she threw up three times during the experience.

When her sister was a gold bar recruiter at the University of Pittsburgh, Urke was a sophomore at Georgia Tech in Atlanta studying to become a high school teacher. However, the more she got into it, she realized it wasn’t what she wanted to do with her life.

“I knew that I wasn’t interested in wearing nylons and

pumps everyday and I wasn’t interested in academia,” said Urke. “Even though I love business today, back then it wasn’t something I was interested in.”

Urke was talking with her big sister about her situation and that is when Lempka told her to join the Air Force.

“I was already kind of a rougher individual in the sense that I played college sports and all that and I really like to be physically active, so I thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll totally explore that,’ ” said Urke. “So, I went into the Air Force.”

She explained that at that time, they had a program where those joining could earn their officer commission within two years instead of four, like her sister did.

“Kari went through four years of hell and I got the same commission in 18 months,” she said.

It may have seemed like a good deal at the time, but Urke said when her sister started she had four years of all this knowledge and she had less than two years.

Looking back now, she wished she would have had the same time because she felt very unaware of what was going on.

When Urke did get commissioned, it was Lempka who did the commissioning, SISTERS Page 30

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PAGE 7

adventures around the world ARMY PROVIDES

FOR NURSE

Wilson made friends and found out that 'we are all so much alike'

I

By Celeste Edenloff

n August 1973, Kristin Towley Wilson joined the Army Nurse Corps.

Her father had joined the military when she was 13 years old, so she was comfortable with the idea of being in the military.

At the time Wilson, who now lives in Alexandria, was going to graduate from high school, but she had no idea what she was going to do. She really wanted to get married, but her mother told her no and she listened to her.

She then learned about a nursing scholarship program through the Army from her friend’s mother, “Mama B.” Mama B wanted her friend, Marcia, to join, but Marcia didn’t want to do that. The scholarship was through the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing.

The program was to try and get nurses into the Army during the Vietnam War, she said.

Kristin Towley Wilson, middle, when she was promoted to Major at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

She applied for the scholarship and when the letter came saying she had been accepted, Wilson said her dad was so happy that he did cartwheels across the front lawn of their house.

But then, she said it hit her.

“Wait a minute, what did I just do?” she asked herself. “What did I sign up for?”

She learned that the Army would pay her way through college, books, fees, everything. She would be at an enlisted rank and because she had not been in the military before, she came in as an E1.

That means, she said, that the first enlisted rank was for her whole four years of college.

When she graduated, however, she would be a first lieutenant and then only have to do three years of service. Her four years of school counted toward her active duty, she said, so she thought it was a good deal.

“So that is why I joined,” she said. “I didn’t know what else I was going to do.

I stayed because when my three years were up, I was a captain. I had a daughter and I was having a lot of fun. I enjoyed it.”

She graduated in June 1977 and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant. Her mom and Mama B pinned her bars on her uniform at the ceremony.

Veterans Day November 11

Invested In Your Journey!

PAGE 8

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Honoring Remembering Thanking All Who Serve

2919 MN Hwy 29 S · Ste 140 Alexandria, MN · 320-762-8181

A REGULAR LIFE

“When my time was up, I said I wanted to stay because I was having a good time and before I knew it, I’d been in for 22 years.”

KRISTIN TOWLEY WILSON Army Nurse Corps

When she first joined, Wilson said she thought she was signing her life away, but figured out that wasn’t the case. She was living a regular life where she went to work, like normal.

She said it would have been different if it would have been a wartime situation, but she was stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.

“That was my first duty station and I just loved it,” she said. “I have a lot of friends, the women I worked with at the hospital, we just had fun times.”

She eventually applied for another program, this time a pediatric nurse practitioner program.

After being accepted, she moved to Denver, Colorado. After graduating from there, she went to Fort Gordon in Georgia, which is southwest of Augusta.

That is where she spent another three years.

“When my time was up, I said I wanted to stay because I was having a good time and before I knew it, I’d been in for 22 years,” she said.

During her 22 years as an Army Corps nurse, Wilson also spent time at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, Fort Sam in Texas, Fort Campbell in Kentucky

Kristin Towley Wilson, middle, during her commissioning ceremony in June 1977. She is pictured with her mom, Carolyn Towley, right, and her friend’s mom, “Mama B.” and in Baumholder, Germany. When she retired, she was back at Fort Sill.

“We were in Germany for three years,” she said. “It was just an amazing time. People say when you go to Germany as a military person, you come home either with a baby or a grandfather clock. I came home with two babies.”

FONDEST MEMORIES

Working in pediatrics the majority of her military career, Wilson dealt mostly with mothers of the military children. Most, she said, were

WILSON Page 28

THANK YOU

VETERANS We Salute You!

www.douglas-machine.com | 320.763.6587 SALUTE

PAGE 9

LONG-TIME ALEX TEACHER

Army stint

attributes success to

By Travis Gulbrandson

E

llsworth Holm was 20 years old when he volunteered for the draft in 1952.

"The Korean War was on," Holm remembered. "It was kind of a stupid thing to do, but it was the best thing I've ever done."

A native of upper Michigan, Holm had been a college student in the Twin Cities and was in his second year of school when he was called home because his mother was ill.

Holm spent several months working as her "night nurse," as he called it, until she died that August.

He did not have enough money to return to school, so he decided to volunteer for the draft, and was ultimately inducted into the Army.

After completing his basic training in California, Holm was sent to Korea, where he spent the next 16 months.

"The war was still on, but it ended when I was on the ship going over," he said. "The first six months it was still a war zone because there was a lot of interaction between the North Koreans

Ellsworth Holm

PAGE 10

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and the South Koreans, and we were kind of the peace-makers, maintaining the peace of the demilitarized zone."

Holm remembers this time as being "very exciting."

"I had never gotten out of upper Michigan, so to see another part of the world at government expense, it was exciting," he said.

He served as part of an intelligence and reconnaissance platoon, which involved patrolling the demilitarized zone so the people from the south weren't infiltrating the north, and the people from the north weren't infiltrating the south.

"We had to apprehend anyone that crossed," Holm said. ""They did it at night. It was scary and exciting at the same time."

After being in the country for some time, Holm found that they were having more trouble with civilians trying to cross than military personnel.

Eventually, Holm was taken off the frontlines and ran S2 and S3 operations in the intelligence section for the 23rd Infantry Regiment of the Second Infantry Division.

"That was the part that changed my life, because I was given this responsibility," Holm said. "I found out I was capable of doing things and good at them, and got promoted very quickly. It put my life together, so my military experience — I don't look back at it as a negative.

I look at it as a very positive, important part of my life. Turned my life around. I was fortunate not to be shooting."

Holm was discharged in 1954, and finished school in the Twin Cities, graduating from Macalester College with a degree in business administration.

He was able to find work and discovered it was fulfilling to him.

Holm's wife Anne — whom he met before he went into the Army and with

“I found out that I was capable of doing things and good at them, and got promoted very quickly.

It put my life together, so my military experience – I don't look back on it as a negative.”

ELLSWORTH HOLM

S2/S3 Operations, Intelligence Section, Army

whom he corresponded throughout his time in Korea — was a teacher, and he realized this was what he wanted to be doing, as well. So, he enrolled in the University of Minnesota and got his degree in teaching.

After he graduated in 1964, the Holms and their three children moved to Alexandria, where Holm taught at the high school for the next 30 years, and Anne taught part-time at Lincoln School.

One of his major accomplishments in that time was starting the DECA program in Alexandria.

"I had a wonderful teaching career here," he said. "I couldn't have found a better job."

Holm attributes his success to his time in the military.

"It gave me purpose in my life and got my feet on the ground, so to speak," he said. "I needed to find out what I was capable of doing. Being in the military brought my life together. It was a tremendous experience for me."

assist veterans

DOUGLAS COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES is ready to

Staff members at the Douglas County Veterans Services office want to help area veterans find out what benefits might be offered to them, as well as assist them with any other questions they may have.

Jacob Turner, a veteran of the United States Army, is the Douglas County Veteran Service Officer. Rhonda Fuchs, a veteran of the United States Navy, is the Assistant Veterans Service Officer.

Turner and Fuchs are fully accredited with multiple organizations and everyone in the office has been through suicide prevention training.

Below is the contact info for the office, as well as email addresses for each staff member:

Veterans Service Office (inside the Douglas County Services Center building) 806 Fillmore St. Alexandria, MN 56308 Phone: 320-762-3883 Fax: 320-762-3094 Jacob Turner – jacobt@co.douglas. mn.us Rhonda Fuchs – rhondaf@co.douglas.mn.us VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION

The Veterans Crisis Line is 1-800-273-8255.

Preventing veteran suicide is a priority for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. Suicide has claimed more than 100 Minnesota veteran lives per year during the past five years. As this rate

continues to increase, especially among younger veterans, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is collaborating with others to Rhonda Fuchs Jacob Turner identify the root causes of veteran suicide and create an NUMBERS SERVED innovative, cooperative way to 2023 reverse this trend.

(Jan. 1 through Sept. 30) The Veterans Crisis Line is Office visits – 964 the world’s largest provider Phone calls – 2,150 of crisis call, text and chat Home visits – 11 services, according to the Emails – 1,479 U.S. Department of Veterans Van riders – 81 Affairs. It serves more than Forms completed – 1,407 650,000 calls every year, 2022 (Jan. 1 through Sept. 15) 24 hours a day, 7 days a Office visits – 715 week. Users may also text Phone calls – 1,663 to 838255 or chat online to Home visits – 13 receive confidential crisis Emails – 1,320 intervention and support.

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PAGE 11

the police

FROM THE ARMY TO Calvin Uhl recalls the ups and downs of military life

By Celeste Edenloff

W “I was so excited to have the chance to serve.

All the training and everything we did was for that, for an actual conflict. To be out there and do what we were trained to do, that was the exciting part.”

CALVIN UHL Army Sergeant First Class/Osakis Police Department

hen Cal Uhl was in high school, he knew he wanted to be a police officer. However, he was told he had no experience and that maybe he should join the military.

So that is just what he did.

While in 11th grade, he joined the United States Army. He served active duty for about nine-and-a-half years and then the rest of his time was spent in the Army Reserves.

He retired from the military in 2015 as a Sergeant First Class with about 27 years of service overall. His brother also served in the Army, recently retiring with well over 30 years of service.

Uhl, who now lives in Osakis, has at last achieved his goal of becoming a police officer. He has been with the

Cal Uhl, left, and another soldier were taking a break while on late night route clearance duty.

Contributed photo Osakis Police Department for more than 20 years.

Looking back at his time in the military, Uhl said he found a family with others who were serving active duty. Plus, he said, it was just too good to pass up on the traveling and the experiences.

And of course, money was a factor, too.

“To be a young man and have money coming in every month no matter what was very nice,” he said, adding that the military paid for his schooling in college, as well.

He attended the law enforcement program at the Alexandria Technical and

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Community College.

He was deployed for a year in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and then in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011.

Being deployed overseas was actually something he really wanted to do. When he joined active duty, it was because he wanted to go to the Gulf War. “I really wanted to serve, but I didn’t get to go,” said Uhl. “When I got to Germany, they didn’t deploy me.”

After nine-and-a-half years, he got out and was in the Army Reserves when he finally was told he was being deployed.

PROFESSIONAL LAUNDRY SERVICES

To those in uniform serving today and to those who have served in the past, we honor you today and every day.

During the Korean War, Paul Hansen served in the U.S. Marine Corps. and served as a field radio operator in Japan.

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Since 1928 American Cleaners has been a familiar sight on historic Broadway Street in Alexandria.

“I thought it was awesome,” he said. “I was excited to have the chance to serve.

All the training and everything we did was for that, for an actual conflict. To be out there and do what we were trained to do, that was the exciting part.”

MILITARY LIFE CAN BE HARD

The military life is an experience that you get what you make out of it, said Uhl. When he was in Germany, he spent a lot of time going everywhere he could, going to every country, visiting everything and seeing everything. He tried to make the most out of his time there. And even when he was in Georgia and Kentucky, he did the same thing. He visited everything he could.

But when it came to his deployments, however, it was different, obviously.

His first deployment surprised him a little, he said. His military occupational skill at the time was with an engineer pipeline company constructing military fuel supply lines, but during deployment,

he was no longer an engineer, he was assigned as a senior mechanic, he said.

“They deployed me because of my rank and because I had mechanic MOS in my background, but then I was the senior mechanic over a group of guys who did the mechanic work every day,” he said. “It was humorous to me that I was in charge of these people that knew so much more than me, they basically took care of themselves.”

During that first tour, his group kept all the vehicles running, helped make the mission possible, he said. And they were his family, which meant when they were done with their tour, they still communicated on a regular basis. They checked in with each other because the tour was rough, said Uhl, tough on their marriages, tough on their lives and there were a few who made bad decisions. He said they try to stay close because life can be difficult after a deployment.

Uhl said he had voluntarily left active duty when he met his future wife

because he saw what could happen to marriages in active duty.

“It wasn’t conducive to me to have that life,” he said. “I didn’t want to be gone for three months training every five months or whatever and have my wife be alone.”

PURPLE HEARTS FOR HALF HIS PLATOON

When he left for Afghanistan, Uhl said he knew exactly what he was getting into because his troop was an engineering company. Part of their duty was to do route clearance, which meant locating bombs and clearing routes and roads.

“When I got over there, it was exactly what we thought it was going to be. We did a very good job, but the bad thing was that over half of my platoon ended up with a Purple Heart, meaning they were wounded in combat. And that’s UHL Page 26

THANK YOU VETERANS! Kristi Carter

320-815-7194

Bob Ruhr

320-491-1292

Ellie Cavers

320-760-0473

Todd Whiting

320-766-2200

Sarah Klimek

320-808-3366

Jodi Rehovsky

320-808-7478

www.century21alex.com 320-762-8070 1124 Broadway • Alexandria, MN

Each CENTURY 21 Office is independently owned and operated.

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PAGE 13

HONORING OUR VETERANS

Curtis L. Aamold Air Force 4 years

Jeremy C. Aamold Air Force 20 years

Calvin Abers Retired AOC Navy 20 years

CPT Alexander Ahlbrecht Army 7 years

SMSGT Gavin Ahlbrecht Air Force 28.5 years

Clifford Alveshere Army 2 years

Alverene (Bud) Anderson Navy 1962-1966

Roland (Aldy) Anderson Navy 3 years, 9 months Died Oct. 15, 2009

Ann Arendt Air Force 7 years Died 1995

Joseph Arendt Navy 30 years

Dr. Robert J. Arendt Army 4 years Died 1995

Steven Arendt Navy 30 years Died 2012

Thomas Arendt Navy 4 years

William Arendt Navy 3 years

Jay Baldwin National Guard 4 years

DID YOU KNOW? There are six branches of service in the U.S. military: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Space Force.

The oldest you can be to enlist for active duty in each branch is: Coast Guard, 31; Marines, 28; Navy, 39; Army, 35; Air Force, 39; Space Force, 39.

PAGE 14

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YOU GAVE YOUR ALL FOR OUR FREEDOM.

WE’LL GIVE OUR ALL FOR YOUR EDUCATION.

Alexandria Technical & Community College is proud to be named Military Friendly for our dedication to active duty service members, veterans, and their families.

THANK YOU, VETERANS!

alextech.edu/veterans

go@alextech.edu • 320.762.0221 An Equal Opportunity Employer/Educator • Alexandria Technical & Community College is committed to legal affirmative action, equal opportunity, inclusivity, access and diversity of its campus community. ww w .alextech.edu/EEO

Myron Barber Army 1951-1953

Mike Bartolomeo Marine Corps 3 years

Moriah Bartolomeo Marine Corps 2017-2021

Eldon Bearson Air Force Died July 29, 2007

Merle Bearson Army Died Sept. 10, 2010

Axel Berglund Army 3 years, 1 month Died Dec. 26, 1965

Bob Bowden Army-Vietnam 1969-70 Retired 1999 as

John Raiter Boyd Army Died Dec. 16, 1972

Alexander Bradjan Air Force 4 years

William Bursch Navy 4 years

Lawrence P. Cline Army 3.5 years

Brad Collins Army 17.5 years 1981-1998

Dane Compton Marine Corps 1959-1962

Dennis W. Carstens Army 2 years Died May 29, 2012

Command Sergeant Major

Harvey Chermak Army 1965-1968

SOLID. STABLE. STILL JOHN DEERE.

913 Broadway Alexandria 320-763-9022 105 Central Ave. Brandon 320-834-2409

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Saluting those who have served.

5005 Co Rd 82 SE, Alexandria • 320-763-4220 1710 Franklin St. N., Glenwood • 320-634-5151 www.mmcjd.com

Gaylin V. Croonquist Navy 2 years active, 6 years obligation

Douglas Dahlheimer Navy 4 years

Kerry Danyluk Army 2010-2014 Died May 15, 2014

Willard Davis Army-Medic 4 years Died 1983

Paul DeBlieck Army 3 years

Bill DeGidio Navy-Vietnam 1965-1969

Lee Doering Army 1946-1947

Newton W. Earl Jr. Navy 4 years Died Jan. 12, 2022

Pat Ellingson Army 1968-1971

George H. Elliot Marine Corps 4 years Died Sept. 29, 1942

To our men & women in uniform - past, present, & future God bless you and thank you.

REA Salutes All Veterans.

We thank you for your sacrifice and service.

39204 County Road 186, Sauk Centre, MN Located right off I-94

320.351.7533 • WINTERSREC.COM SALUTE

PAGE 17

Craig Engstrom Air Force 4 years Died May 26, 2022

James C. Engstrom Navy 2 years Died Dec. 18, 2005

Marlyn Fearing Navy 20 years Died Aug. 20, 2012

Adam Tracy Frederickson Army 1992-1996

Timothy Frisk Navy 4 years

SH1SW Michael Garrett Navy 22 years -Retired

A2C Neil Garrett Air Force 4 years

DC3SW Raylinn Garrett-Newman Navy 4 years

TMSN Thomas Garrett Navy 4 years

Dr. Tim Gehring Army-Major 6 years

Robert Geris Army 2 years

Joe Grecula Army 2 years

Arnie Gunness Air Force 1949-1953

Glen Gust Army-Vietnam 2 years (2 Purple Hearts & Bronze Star)

Grant D. Haugen Marine Corps-Vietnam 1969-1970 2 years

Bennie Hedstrom Army 3 years

Ryan Heidelberger Army National Guard 10 years

Malvin Henning Army 4 years Died 2000

Roger Henningsgaard Army-Korea 2 years

Leander “Lee” Hens Army 4 years Died April 22, 2003

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Ellsworth Holm Army-Korea 2 years

Stephen W. Huemoller Army-5 years National Guard-4 years

Olaus M. Johnson Army 1918-1919 Died June 7, 1985

Milo O. Johnson Army 1945-1946 Died 1994

Ronald D. Johnson Army 1966-1969

Tyler Ray Johnson Army 2003-2008

Raymond Kallstrom Army 2 years

Duane Joseph Kaufman Army 2 years

Dale A. Kittleson Navy 21 years

Allen Klimek Army 1975-1978

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE We look forward to building with you!

Alexandria Yard 1802 Fillmore St.

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PAGE 19

Darrell B. Klimek Army 2 years

Kody Klimek Army National Guard 6 years

Melvin J. Klimek Army 2 years

Thomas Koudela Army 1969-1972

Eugene Kruger Navy 1971-1975

Ron Krueger Army 30 years

Don Kuelbs Marines 3 years

David Larson Army 3 years

Kari Beth Lempka Air Force 5 years

Daniel W. Lindquist Marine Corps 1972-1975 Died Dec. 30, 2008

Karl D. Lindquist Marine Corps 2002-2005

Vernon Lorsung Navy 4 years

Sylvester F. Lucas Air Force 23 years

Wayne Meyer Army-Vietnam 2 years

David S. Michaels Navy 1982-1988

We Salute all those who have fought for us and sacrificed.

Thank you for your Service & Sacrifice Toy for Kids Organization

Marine Corps League meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month.

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2705 S. Broadway • Alexandria, MN 56308 320-763-3360 • 1-800-HAMPTON www.alexandriasuitesmn.hamptoninn.com

Peter Moline Army 2 years

John Morgan Army 1984-1987

Bruce A. Nelson Army/National Guard 5.5 years

Dennis Nokes Air Force 20 years

Lowell Nokes Navy 6 years

Paul Nokes Air Force 20 years

Raymond Nokes Air Force 20 years Died 2008

Donald L. Nolting Army 2 years

Charles R. Olson Air Force 3.5 years

Norbert Olson Navy 1944-1946 Died July 11, 2021

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PAGE 21

Paul S. Olson Navy-RM2 1959-1965

Robert Olson Army-Signal Corps 3 years

Francis L. Pearson Army 3 years Died Feb. 21, 2014

Grace Peterson Army-Korea 1950-1953

Jerome Peterson Air Force 6 years

Maurie Peterson Marine Corps-Korea 1950-1954

Bill Platto Army National Guard 1941-1945 Died Aug. 4, 2010

Gerald R. Quast Army 3 years

Noel D. Rich Army 3.5 years

Walter "Wally" Roers Army 3 years

Gilbert Rosenberg Navy 1942-1945 Died Oct. 3, 2008

Paul M Ruhr Coast Guard 4 years Died Feb. 26, 2002

Lieutenant Colonel Gerald F. Sacre Air Force-27 years Died Nov. 1, 2021

Louie Seesz Navy 1965-1968

Gene F. Serba Navy 4 years

Al Shea Navy 4 years

James Shea Army-PVT 4 years

John Shea Army-PVT 4 years

Leo Shea Army 4 years

Phillip Shea Army-PVT 4 years

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Alvin Sibell Army 1942-1946 Died July 12, 2017

Jane (Wagner) Skwira Army 1972-1974 Died Nov. 20, 2019

Charles L. Snelson

Donavon Charles Snelson Navy 20 years

John T. Speirs Army Airborne 2 years

Martin M. Stroh CPL Medics 1949-1954

Willie Stroh Army-PVT 4 years

Matthew Thoennes Army 4 years Died June 13, 2020

Steve Thronson Air Force 4 years

Harriet I. Tolifson Marine Corps 2 years Died Dec. 16, 1994

Fred Tvrdik Army Air Corps 3 years Died Nov. 24, 1988

Ralph Tvrdik Air Force 4 years

SFC Cal Uhl Army 27 years

Clyde R. Van Cleve Navy 1942-1946 Died Sept. 25, 2015

Dudley O. Van Cleve Army 1917-1918 Died April 15, 1974

Army 1940-1945

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PAGE 23

Robert D. Van Cleve Navy 1970-1979

Wayne E. Van Cleve Army, 1942-1944 Died Dec. 10, 1944 (KIA)

Jon Velde Air Force 4 years

Steve Velde Navy 4 years Died Febr. 20, 2017

Kenneth W. Voigt Navy 1981-2001

John Walz Army 1942-1946 Died Oct. 24, 2017

Christian C. Watson Navy Died 1981

Steven T. Watson Navy

Thomas Watson Navy Died 1997

Ira D. Way Army-10th Armored Division, Rank Tec 4 1942-1945 Died Aug. 1, 2005

Thank you for your service, we honor our great military!

Residential/Commercial Cleaning Service Alexandria | 320-763-5551 Morris | 320-589-2334 PAGE 24

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Hospice of Douglas County salutes all of those who have served.

We are honored to provide compassionate care for our Veterans.

THANK YOU!

Patrick Wiebe Army 2000-2015

Kristin Towley Wilson Army-Nurse Corps 1973-1995

Robert A. Winter Marine Corps 1966-1969

Harry Wiswell Army WWI Died Aug. 5, 1970

Harvey Wiswell Army-Korea 1952-1954 Died May 18, 2011

military

BRANCHES OF THE

MARINE CORPS ARMY

Steven Wiswell Marine Corps-Desert Storm, 1989-1993 Died March 29, 2022

Brian Worsech Army 4 years

David Wosmek Marine Corps 2 years

COAST GUARD NAVY AIR FORCE SPACE FORCE

Honoring all who served.

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Thank you, Veterans!

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PAGE 25

UHL

From page 13

the one stickler I would kind of wish I didn’t have on my resume,” said Uhl. Uhl explained what happened on one of the missions. He said he’s been through enough therapy to know that talking about it is much better than holding it in.

His group was in the front of the convoy line. Their route clearance vehicles were leading the rest of them. They were doing clearance when all of a sudden the command vehicle drove over an IED (improvised explosive device), which blew off the right front engine compartment.

He said the bombs that had been placed underground had been switched from steel to carbide and that instead of being wrapped

“When I got back, just having somebody to talk to, who would let me rant, it was great. Because when I got back, I was a little angry and frustrated and had no idea why. It was so much better to talk to someone than be angry at family members who did nothing wrong.”

CALVIN UHL

Army Sergeant First Class/Osakis Police Department

in square boxes, they were wrapped in burlap and made to look more like boulders instead of boxes in the ground. This was able, at times, to fool the detection equipment, he said.

He stated that by the grace of God he is still here to talk about it. There were only a very few serious or life threatening injuries, but that’s where a lot of the Purple

Thank you, Veterans

320-763-3126

1900 Broadway Street • Alexandria, MN PAGE 26

SALUTE

Hearts came from. He said they came from explosions because many lost consciousness and had injuries that had to be treated.

Uhl received a Purple Heart. He spent about a month in a hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. He underwent lots of testing, lots of physical therapy, rehabilitation and counseling, which he still goes to today.

“When I got back, just having somebody to talk to, who would just let me rant, it was great,” said Uhl. “Because when I got back, I was a little angry and frustrated and had no idea why. It was so much better to talk to someone than be angry at family members who did nothing wrong.”

Although some people have had bad experiences with the VA Medical Center, Uhl said all his have been phenomenal. He said he has been treated well, quickly, timely and efficiently. They have offered him whatever he has needed and will call if he misses an appointment. If he doesn’t reschedule, they call him. He gets checkups every six months. He said they always check in with him, which he appreciates.

FAMILY IS IMPORTANT

Uhl said he also appreciates his family, especially his wife.

“If I didn’t have my wife, who is just as wonderful as can be, I’m not sure I would’ve turned out as well after any of these incidents,” he said. “Because she was always there for me. When I went to Iraq, we were managing apartment buildings and she took over all of that. I, the husband, just disappeared and she became a single mom with a newborn child.”

Spouses, he said, don’t get half the recognition they deserve.

Uhl and his wife just celebrated 25 years of marriage.

Their son, Jacob, who is also in the military, will soon be

married. One thing that Uhl said he and his wife learned over the years is that even though children are great, they shouldn’t be the center of everything.

He said they do not make a marriage because eventually, children grow up and leave the house and then it is just the husband and wife again.

And they shouldn’t be strangers to each other after the kids are gone.

“The kids are great, you know, but we’re important, too,” he said. “Family is important. My wife is amazing and I am thankful for her every day.”

Thank you to all our service men and women, both past and present. Also, thank you to the military families that supported those brave individuals!

2306 S. Broadway St., Suite 4, Alexandria, MN 56308 320-762-5216

Dr. Tyler Whiting

Dr. Elizabeth Amundson

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PAGE 27

WILSON

From page 9

1st LT Mary Neely, left, and 1st LT Kristin Towley Wilson wearing their Class A uniforms right after graduation from Basic Training in 1977.

“Seeing other parts of the world or even just the United States, it really opens your eyes to how similar all of us are. We are all so much alike.”

KRISTIN TOWLEY WILSON Army Nurse Corps

married to American service members. The women, she added, came from all over the world.

“This was my chance to build relationships with people from all over the world,” said Wilson.

She also said that being a nurse in the Army gives people the chance to see the world. She would highly suggest being a nurse in the Army.

“Seeing other parts of the world or even just the United States, it really opens your eyes to how similar all of us are. We are all so much alike,” Wilson said. “We all love our kids. We all love our families.

We all care for other people and you figure that out when you’re living among other people who aren’t necessarily just like yourself.”

Also, she said, if you are sta-

tioned in Europe, you can travel all over Europe, which when looking back at years of service, she thoroughly enjoyed.

She had the opportunity to visit Paris, Luxembourg, London and many other places.

Another fond memory is when the National Anthem would play before movies and the whole audience stood to salute or place their hand over their heart.

“It was very moving,” she said. “I still get goosebumps whenever I hear the National Anthem play.”

THINK LONG AND HARD

Although she has many fond memories of her time in the service, Wilson said there was nothing grand and glorious about her 22 years in the Army and that it was never frightening and she was never in harm’s way.

“All of us at Alomere Health salute the veterans that fought for our freedo om—many giving their lives. We e are honored to have veterranss that work with us at Alomere e, co ontinuing to serve our community. communitty. Thank you. you.”

Carl Vaagen nes Alomere H Al He ealth lth h CEO

It’s better here.

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For people who go into the military in a medical or professional field, Wilson said to go for it. Nurses can function in so many different capacities of the military, she said.

But, she added, for people who go into the infantry or signal corp, the ones who are

Kristin Towley Wilson in her nursing uniform.

going to be on the front lines, she says they should think long and hard about it.

“I joined the Army 50 years ago and that was a totally different time,” she said. “I would never discourage anyone from joining the military, but I would advise them to weigh the risk and the benefits.”

For her, there were very few risks and she benefited greatly from her Army career.

She said the military can be a good experience and that it is an opportunity to learn about people from different cultures and walks of life.

When Wilson was 13 and her father was 35, he joined the Army as a chaplain. She said he joined in January and in December of that same year, he went to Vietnam, where he stayed for a year. He knew that is where he would

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This collage of photos includes the program for Commissioning Ceremony, photos of Kristin Towley Wilson, her original nametag, her dog tags, the caduceus for the Army Nurse Corps and the silver oak leaf is the insignia for Lieutenant Colonel, which is the rank she held when she retired. end up. He felt an obligation to go, she said, and then he ended up serving a total of 22 years in the military, achieving the rank of Colonel.

Wilson has lived in Alexandria for the past 24 years.

She has been retired from the military since January 1996.

After her retirement from the

Army, she continued working as a nurse in different kinds of jobs, she said. She worked in telephone triage, as a school nurse, for a health plan and eventually at the VA Clinic.

She currently works a couple days a week at a clinic that does cataract eye surgeries.

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BENEFITS AVAILABLE

• MEDICAL CARE at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers to include the Max Beilke Outpatient Clinic in Alexandria.

• COMPENSATION for disabilities incurred in or aggravated during active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.

• PENSION for wartime veterans who meet income and net worth guidelines.

• DEATH BENEFITS to include burial at the National and State Veterans Cemeteries.

• ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS from the MN Department of Veterans Affairs, which can include dental, optical, living costs on a shortterm basis and assistance with rent, mortgage or utilities from the MN Assistance Council for Veterans.

• TRANSPORTATION We can assist veterans in getting to medical appointments at the St. Cloud, Minneapolis, and Fargo Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.

**List is not all inclusive**

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PAGE 29

SISTERS

From page 7

which was a very special moment for the sisters. Lempka said it was a mix of emotions and that she was so proud of her younger sister. But at the same time she was excited for the opportunities, she was a little scared and protective of her baby sister.

After her assignment at Fairchild Air Force Base, Urke went to Dover Air Force Base. Just like her big sister, Urke was also an aircraft maintenance officer.

Unlike Lempka’s job, which was focused more on flightline and flight operations, Urke’s job was more focused on the heavy rebuilds, aircraft inspections and backshop maintenance.

In the military, there are always a certain number of aircraft ready to go at any given time, Urke said. Her first mission was to make sure those planes were always ready. After that, she worked in a fabrication unit where they were responsible for any type of damage to the aircraft structure: sheet metal, ribs, stators, windows, doors and delamination or damage of the honeycomb interior on the wings. They would X-ray certain parts of the aircraft to make sure there was no internal damage.

Urke, who is a 1996 Alexandria graduate, was in the Air Force from 2000 to 2005.

THEY BOTH SERVED DURING 9/11

Lempka said both she and her sister were still serving in the Air Force on 9/11. They got to experience the response on the front lines. They were both stationed out of Fairchild Air Force Base at the time, which was completely locked down. That base supported KC-135 Refueling Tankers.

Urke said their aircraft was like a big gas station in the sky. They would patrol the northern and western borders for other aircraft needing to be fueled.

“It was just phenomenal to see the response come together,” said Urke. “To see how fast the Air Force, the military can mobilize that way.”

About 10 months after 9/11, Lempka was stationed out of a Naval Station in the middle of the Indian Ocean. She said they were there providing fuel support to the aircraft that were flying over Afghanistan. She was on an air mission that was able to look down and support the planes that were prepared to bomb.

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Kari Lempka

Teryl Urke

“We were refueling those bombers flying over Afghanistan,” she said. “We were a part of that and I’m really proud of that.”

When Urke was stationed in Qatar, Minnesota National Guard members showed up, and she said it was great to be able to talk with people from her home state.

with family members present. It was heart-wrenching, she said.

As emotional as it was for people to witness, even for those of elevated rank, she said it was something special to see and be a part of.

Lempka recalled a time when she was watching a chief master sergeant during a memorial ceremony, a guy she said who was rough and tough and very well respected. They were standing by the flag and she could remember his emotion and demeanor and how he saluted the flag.

“I could tell he was so affected by the situation and it was so inspiring to everybody,” she said. “He’s one of our leaders. This is one of our top people.

I was proud to serve with him. It is a big credit to the leaders when they can show who they are as human beings.”

HONORABLE TRANSFERS

When service members die overseas, they are sent to the Air Force base in Dover, which houses the military morgue. This is where all overseas deceased service members are taken to be processed and their bodies prepared for burial. This building was located at the end of the flight line. The flight line is where all the planes were positioned, maintained and ready to go on a moment’s notice.

As deceased service members arrived, a general ranking officer would fly from Washington, D.C. to Dover to conduct a small, yet very intimate ceremony, called a Dignified Transfer. Each flag covered casket would be very honorably and gently transferred out of the aircraft and into a special vehicle that would take them into the morgue. Because she was stationed there and worked every day on the flight line, Urke would see these ceremonies.

Whenever the honorable transfers would occur, everyone would stop what they were doing and place their hand over their heart, to honor the service member who had passed away. Urke said you would see the caskets come off the plane, wrapped in the American flag and brought to the morgue, oftentimes,

PROUD SERVICEWOMEN

When both sisters look back at their time in the Air Force, they are filled with gratitude and feel honored to be able to serve their country.

They said that whenever they see a flag flying, it means more now than it was before they served. When they hear the National Anthem, it is the same way, they said.

“I don’t think there is ever a time, even at a swimming event for my daughter, where it’s played, that I don’t get that tingle in my nose and my eyes well up just a little bit,” said Urke. “It’s every time because it’s just something so much more special.”

Lempka said she and her sister feel very humbled about their service in the military. It was very impactful for both of

them and it helped shape who they both are today.

“But there are so many others who have done so much and given so much more,” she said. “It’s an honor for us to represent veterans, but it’s very humbling.”

The sisters said they are both proud of their time and are both glad they had the opportunity to serve.

“It really molds you and shapes your character in a way,” said Urke. “It kind of beats the diva right out of you.”

She said that during basic training, you are pushed to such an extreme that you don’t even realize how far you can actually go. She added that it also helps boost your confidence.

Alexandria sisters, Kari Lempka and Teryl Urke, are pictured with their parents, Sarah and Fred Townsend, in a photo from December of 2000.

“The Air Force is run like a business.

It’s a job. You have these requirements and obligations. When I look back on my active duty experience, it isn’t just with fondness, it is with an enormous sense of gratitude,” said Urke.

She explained that there were times when things were rough, when her team was working three months at a time, 12-hour day minimums with no time off. Things would get frustrating and emotional, but there were people who helped her through it, willing to say tough things that didn’t cater to her emotional comfort, but provided a reality check that she needed to see the positive in the situation and persevere.

Many of those statements weren’t easy to hear, but she was grateful they were Kari Lempka of Alexandria is pictured with her said, because it molded her to be a husband Scott in a photo from May 2000. This was stronger person. the day she was promoted to First Lieutenant.

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“I’m grateful for those experiences because it really helped to shape me and helped me to look at life and ask what’s important and what’s not worth freaking out over,” said Urke. “Just to have people who can come alongside you and guide you like that, it takes courage for people to say hard things to others. I am so grateful for the people who are courageous enough to do those things instead of letting me fail.”

Her sister said that the military shapes people and that there are definitely a lot of positives that come out of it.

They would both encourage people who are looking into going into the military to do their research and though the commitment may seem like a long time, that time really shoots by fast. They are both really pleased they made the decision to commit.

Thank you for your sacrifice & service to our nation.

Alexandria

Carlos

Miltona

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PAGE 31

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