Veterans
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Rapid City Journal
John, Jim and Susan Fitzgerald have always been proud of their late brother Tom's military service.
The trio was among a crowd of about 80 people who came out to honor Vietnam veterans at the Post 22 American Legion Hall in Rapid City.
The pinning ceremony, hosted by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, on Tuesday, recognized the service of about 45 veterans. Tom Fitzgerald was the only posthumous honoree of the day. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968 through 1970 during the Vietnam War. He died in December 2024.
BIG Update
I’ve recognized over 60 Vietnam-era veterans so far this year, including eight veterans in Hot Springs this week. These men and women answered the call to serve, and we owe them the gratitude they didn’t receive when they returned home after the Vietnam War.
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House Republicans demonstrated our commitment to our men and women in uniform by ensuring the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (VA) funding bill was the first annual funding bill we considered and passed in the House.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the Protection of Women in Sports at Military Academies Act to prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports at United States military service academies.
“This is not a new concept – biological males and females should compete on separate playing fields,” said Johnson. “Our military service academies should remain focused on military readiness – not woke policies.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced eight South Dakotans will be attending the United States service academies. They will begin their military training at their respective schools this summer. Johnson nominated each of these students in December 2024 and they recently accepted their appointment offers.
BIG Update
This week the Midwest Honor Flight came to D.C., and I had the opportunity to greet the 85 veterans at the World War II Memorial. The Honor Flight does a great job of bringing veterans to our nation’s capital to see the memorials dedicated to their service. It’s always an honor to meet them and thank them for their service.
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KOTA Territory
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Rep. Dusty Johnson met with veterans from South Dakota who were part of an honor flight to Washington, DC.
Both Johnson and Thune spoke on why it was important to meet with the veterans.
BIG News
Valley Queen completed its expansion in Milbank, and I was excited to see the completed project firsthand. Investments in dairy production are vital to South Dakota producers. Each year, Valley Queen receives 1.8 billion pounds of milk from farms in South Dakota and Minnesota to produce 200 million pounds of cheese. I’m grateful for their continued investment in our state.
BIG Update
It’s important to honor the sacrifices our service members have made to protect our freedoms. Last week, I recognized 15 Vietnam-era veterans in Sturgis and thanked them for their service to our country.