Veterans’ View: Nominations sought for veteran, company to be honored at annual Veteran of the Year celebration

Each November, Business Advocates for Veterans, a local nonprofit organization which assists veterans in finding employment, hosts its annual Veteran of the Year celebration. The event includes a ceremony and luncheon to honor a selected Carroll County Veteran of the Year and Carroll County Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year.

Last year, approximately 150 attendees enjoyed the annual event. Vietnam Veteran Mike Yaggy was the guest speaker. Yaggy, a retired attorney and Sparks resident, was a Marine Corps officer who led a platoon of infantry through difficult circumstances in Vietnam. His speech included memories of his time in the war and the grief he carries today for the men he lost under his command. Yaggy also spoke of losing his son, David, a pilot and Marine Corps officer, who survived two tours in Iraq but died in a routine training flight crash in Alabama.

Before each year’s event, nominations for a Veteran of the Year for Carroll County and a Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year are submitted to a selection committee. The committee chooses the winning nomination for recognition at the luncheon.

Last year, Commissioner Stephen Wantz, Commissioner Dick Weaver and Commissioner-elect Ed Rothstein presented the Veteran of the Year award to Landon Becker of Mount Airy. Becker, who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, is a Purple Heart recipient with over 22 years of distinguished service in the US Army. Today, Becker spends a significant amount of time volunteering for his community and serving fellow Veterans. Nominated by retired Army Gen. Mark Bailey, the nomination highlighted Becker’s incredible military record and the amount of time he spends today helping others. Bailey told the committee, “Our world could use a lot more people like this man.”

Last year’s ceremony also recognized Koons Toyota of Westminster as the Carroll County Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year. Koons Toyota is active in the county’s veterans’ community and participates by sponsoring the Carroll Hospice Veterans Program, supporting other community veterans’ projects and actively seeking to add veterans to their workforce. Koons Chief Financial Officer Angie Boerner accepted the award on behalf of Koons Toyota.

Currently, the organization is seeking nominations for the 2019 Carroll County Veteran of the Year and Carroll County Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year.

The criteria for the Veteran of the Year is a Carroll County Veteran who served their country in an exceptional manner, dedicated themselves to serving veterans, or who is extensively serving the Carroll County community.

The Veteran Friendly Employer of the Year criteria is a Carroll County employer who goes above and beyond the scope of the business to assist veterans, support veteran causes or actively employs and supports veterans.

This year’s guest speaker is Ray “Cash” Care.

Care is a North Carroll High School graduate and a retired Navy Seal. In addition to being a highly trained special operations member, Care was featured on the History Channel’s Television series “The Selection,” where a group of civilians is recorded while training like members of the U.S. military’s special-operation units. The television series documents how members progress or wash out of the training. Care also appeared with Tom Hanks in the movie “Captain Phillips.”

If you would like to submit a nomination for either award, please contact Todd Mitchell at tmitchell@janney.com or 410-967-5454. Nominations are due by October 11, 2019.

Todd Mitchell is the director of Business Advocates for Veterans.

On the first Tuesday of each month, the Times publishes as its editorial a Veterans’ View, an opportunity to draw attention to veterans’ issues as well as to inform and educate the community and all veterans about the multitude of available services.