December 15, 2008

Naomi Horwitz receives Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award
Career service member, lifetime volunteer, and community role model honored

(MADISON) – In a ceremony during the December 12 meeting of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, Wis., U.S. Army veteran Naomi Horwitz, 92, of Milwaukee was presented the Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award.

Horwitz, born in 1916 in Milwaukee, WI to a Russian-born naturalized citizen father and an American mother, joined the U.S. Army Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in December 1942 and due to phase-out of the WAAC she was discharged and subsequently enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in August 1943. Following basic training and administrative school, she initially served in administrative support of the Post Stockade at Fort Riley, Kansas, then as a property management specialist with the Cavalry Replacement Training Corps. Horwitz advanced to the rank of Technical 4 (T4), a grade equivalent to Sergeant, and continued to serve until her discharge in 1946.

In 1951, Horwitz enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve, serving over the next 25 years with the Military Government Company, the 452nd General Hospital, and the 961st Engineer Battalion, where she was also assigned as a Civilian Technician, eventually attaining the rank of Sergeant Major. She retired in February 1976 with 29 years of service.

During her military career, she was awarded decorations including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, WAAC Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Presidential Unit Award Meritorious Unit Award.

After leaving military service, Horwitz remained active in the veterans community. She was a member of the WAC Veterans Association for 23 years, serving for two years as President. She is a 39-year member of the American Legion Milwaukee Woman’s Post 448, a 21-year member of the Women in Military Service to America, an 11-year member of the United Women Veterans, and a 13-year member of the Veterans Board of Dierectors of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center.

She is a member of the Jewish War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, Milwaukee Non-Commissioned Officers Council, American Military Society, and the Association of the United States Army. She is a life member of AMVETS and the Army Navy Union, and is the recipient of the Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ Pin for Volunteer Services.

Horwitz is also still active in community organizations. She is a member of the Women’s Court and Conference, Interfaith Alliance of Milwaukee County, Citizens Utility Board, Common Cause, Nature Conservancy, Milwaukee Blood Center, Friends of Havens Woods Environmental Center, Hadassah and AARP. She serves as a volunteer to the City of Milwaukee Mayoral Veterans Advisory Board, the Milwaukee County Veterans Service Office, the Stand Down for Homeless Veterans, the Milwaukee Veterans Day Parade Committee, and the Colonial Manor Nursing Home. She served as a member on Senator Herb Kohl’s Veterans Policy Advisory Committee and Mayor Tom Barrett’s Veterans Advisory Committee when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives; and she provides financial support to the USO, Wisconsin Humane Society of Milwaukee County, Animal Defense League and Best Friends.

She was selected as Milwaukee County’s Veteran of the Year in November 2008. She recently visited the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. as a member of a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight from Wisconsin, and she will soon be honored by having her name placed on the Wall of Honor at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, Israel, the site of one of the most decisive battles in the 1967 Six Day War.

Naomi Horwitz has, throughout her life, embraced and actualized the motto, “Service to Mankind.” At age 92, after spending her adult life serving others, she is still an encouraging mentor to veterans and other citizens.

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.

Horwitz is the sixth 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).