October 21, 2008

Vietnam veteran Gary L. Mader receives Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award

(MADISON) – In a ceremony during the October 17 meeting of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton, Wis., Vietnam veteran Gary L. Mader of Appleton was presented the Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mader has been a resident at the Veterans Home at King since December 15, 2005; and, employing quiet and unassuming leadership, he has focused on enhancing the members’ quality of life. In so doing, he has chaired the Member Council, served on the Food Committee, the Culture Change Committee, the Tunnel Transportation Safety Committee, and initiated the New Member Mentoring Program. With a deep commitment to volunteerism, he has volunteered over 1,200 hours of his time at the Home to such diverse activities as Work Therapy support in the library computer area and the Kingfisher Bait Shop, campus chapel service support and chapel clean-up, calling BINGO, baking cookies for special events, and monthly treat cart mate at Ainsworth and Stordock Halls. As a comrade, he is a member of the King Honor Guard, serving as Fire Detail Commander at member funerals, and on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor Day Programs, and at memorial services.

He was a 32-year employee of the Kimberly Clark Paper Company, retiring as a machine maintenance worker in December 2001. He is a 40-year life member of the American Legion and has been Commander at Posts 258, 265 and 161 and served in officer roles as high as State Vice-Commander and Assistant National Sergeant-At-Arms. He has also been a long-time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and serves as the current Commander of AMVETS Post 1887 of King, Wisconsin, where he has been a resident of the Wisconsin Veterans Home since 2005 and chairs various committees at the Home.

Mader joined the U.S. Navy in January 1965 and completed U.S. Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training School in San Diego, California. He was assigned as a Cargo Handler at Da Nang, Vietnam from September 1965 to August 1966 and was on the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31, an aircraft carrier on combat duty in the Gulf of Tonkin until January 1969, when he was honorably discharged from the Navy at San Diego.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 1976 and served as a Food Service Specialist at Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Jackson, and Fort Rucker, and was honorably discharged as a Specialist 4th Class at Fort Rucker in October 1978. He then went on to serve in the U.S. Naval Reserve in Green Bay, Wis. until 1988, advancing to the rank of E5. Mader’s decorations include the Navy Unit Commendations, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Navy Reserve Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.

The Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes living veterans who have compiled a record of exemplary service as a military service member, a veteran, and a citizen during the veteran’s lifetime. 

Mader is the fifth recipient of the Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The Board, through a subcommittee consisting of three board members, appointed by the Board Chair, selects the recipients. Nominations are accepted from any Wisconsin resident and the Board especially encourages submissions from Wisconsin veterans, veteran’s service organizations, county veteran’s service officer and other veterans groups.

There are up to six annual awards. Nominations may be submitted at any time during the year, but no later than the 15th of the month preceding the month of a Board meeting at which the presentation is to be made. For more information about the award, to include previous recipients, go to www.WisVets.com/boardaward or call WDVA toll-free 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387).