Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs
Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award

Past Award Recipient
December 2008

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Naomi Horwitz was born in 1916 in Milwaukee, WI, to a Russian-born naturalized citizen father and an American mother, and joined the U.S. Army Woman’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in December 1942; and due to the phase-out of the WAAC she was discharged and subsequently enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) on 8 August 1943; and

WHEREAS, after basic training and administrative school, she was assigned to Fort Riley, KS, initially in administrative support of the Post Stockade and subsequently as a property management specialist with the Cavalry Replacement Training Corps; and advancing in Rank to Technical 4 (T4), a grade equivalent to Sergeant, she continued to serve until her discharge in 1946; and

WHEREAS, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1951 and over the next twenty-five years she served 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 with twenty-nine years of service, on 18 February 1976; and during her military career 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, the Presidential Unit Award Meritorious Unit Award; and

WHEREAS, she has been a member of the WAC Veterans Association for twenty-three years, serving two years as President; she is a thirty-nine year member of the American Legion Milwaukee Woman’s Post 448, a twenty-one year member of the Women in Military Service to America, an eleven year member of the United Women Veterans, and a thirteen year member of the Veterans Board of Directors 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; and

WHEREAS, 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; and

WHEREAS, 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 the first 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; and

WHEREAS, she has, throughout her life, embraced and actualized the motto, “Service to Mankind”, has always been involved, thrives on the challenge to “get the job done” and is loved and respected by everyone whose life she touches. Now, at age 92, after spending her adult life serving others, she is still an encouraging mentor to all veterans and others with whom she comes in contact.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Marvin J. Freedman, Chair of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs, proclaim Naomi Horwitz as the recipient of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award on this 12th day of December 2008.

MARVIN J. FREEDMAN, Board Chair