South Dakota State University became the nation’s ninth Purple Heart Campus, recognized in a dedication ceremony at Grove Hall Nov. 9. Kenneth Teunissen, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Hearts Chapter No. 5355, read a resolution declaring South Dakota State as the state’s first Purple Heart Campus.
South Dakota State students, staff and retired faculty and several community members were among those attending the Nov. 9 event, which designated South Dakota State as a Purple Heart Campus. From left, are
Charles Woodard, Wyatt Brown, Craig Tschetter, Mike Groen, Gary Murra, Kenneth Teunissen, Connie Johnson and Casey Verhey.
South Dakota State students, staff and retired faculty who have received Purple Hearts were recognized as were several community members who have also received the honor.
Connie Johnson, who is the coordinator for veterans services in Veterans Affairs, received a Purple Heart after serving as a specialist with the 101st Military Police Company in Iraq from February 2003 to January 2004.
“When you walk into our office, you might look at me and think because she works at Veterans Affairs, she must be a veteran but not really understand that not only am I a veteran, I’m also a combat veteran and I saw war, I saw death and all of these awful things. During that time, I was also wounded while serving. Those are things you typically don’t associate with women,†she said.
