The annual OCSEA Veterans Conference was held Nov. 15-16 at the Mohican State Park Lodge and honored our union member veterans and their family members who have served in a branch of the Armed Services. See the event photo gallery HERE.
The union's Veterans Committee announced the recipients of the union's annual Veterans Awards, one which honors a member veteran for their service to veterans and beyond, and another which honors a veteran supporter.
The 2019 Larry Cremeens Veteran of the Year Award was given to Jared Smith, a Chap. 8400 member and ODJFS Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialist. He was honored for his involvement in local and state veterans groups and issues, including his service as President of the Ohio State Association of Veterans Service Commissioners and his work honoring Gold Star Families. Frank Reed, Jared's father, accepted the award on his behalf as he had a prior engagement at another veterans event and could not attend the conference. Jared thanked the committee via video. Read more about Jared. Watch Jared's thank you video.
The 2019 OCSEA Veteran Supporter Award was presented to April Duckworth, a Training Officer at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility Chap. 7330, for her service to veteran causes. Her union veteran committee volunteers with the Veterans of Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky and is active in the group's Christmas gift program. She is a member of the Ladies Auxiliary Unit of the American Legion Post 23.