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WISCONSIN BOARD OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
VETERAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Joseph F. Klein was born in Butler, Wisconsin on July 31, 1916 and spent his formative years in Green Bay, Wisconsin. After graduating from Marquette University with a degree in Journalism and working as a reporter, he enlisted in the United States Army at Marquette, Michigan on May 14, 1942, eight days after the fall of Corregidor; he took basic training at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, received advanced training as an Engineering Clerk at Fort Logan, Colorado, and was assigned to the 18th Photo Mapping Squadron of the United States Army Air Force at Pearson Field, Colorado; and

WHEREAS, he deployed with his unit to the Solomon Islands in the Asian-Pacific Theatre of Operations in December, 1942; and he supported his unit in its preparation of aerial photos and maps in advance of the Allied invasion of the Japanese-held islands; and he was afflicted by dengue fever and spent an extensive time in military hospitals; and he was honorable discharged with the rank of Sergeant at Fort Logan, Colorado on August 2, 1944. His military decorations include the Asian-Pacific Ribbon and the Good Conduct Medal, and, while he earned additional war and service-related medals and awards, with his customary modesty, he “did not apply for them”; and

WHEREAS, in 1945, he became the Chief Clerk of Selected Services Local Board Number 3 (Brown County) in Green Bay and then a Registration Officer for the Veterans Administration in Milwaukee; and in January, 1946 he was appointed as the Brown County Assistant County Veterans Service Officer and was named County Veterans Service Officer in 1954; and he went on to serve Brown County and state veterans with great professionalism, dedication, and diligence until his retirement in 1987; and

WHEREAS, as the Brown County Veterans Service Officer he was an original member of the CVSO Advisory Council, a critically important advisory group which provides an expert veterans affairs and “grassroots” perspective to the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs and the Department Secretary; and he served as a CVSO during the administrations of every Department Secretary, up through John Maurer; and he witnessed the evolutionary nature of the relationship between local, state and federal veterans advocacy agencies during that timeframe. He summarized his career-related observations and experience by stating, “the ideal CVSO must be able to combine the professional expertise of a lawyer practicing before the bar, the human understanding and compassion of a skilled counselor, and the patience and helpfulness of a social worker”, and he further observed, “the CVSO should be a political realist and a forceful advocate for veterans”; and for over 40 years as a Brown County Veterans Service Officer and Assistant County Veterans Service Officer he came to epitomize those ideals and in the process became one of Wisconsin’s most accomplished and effective professional veterans advocate and an elder statesman of the Wisconsin veterans community; and

WHEREAS, he is a member of the American Legion having served as its Service Officer and on its Rehab and King Home Committees, and also is a member of the Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, and 40 Et 8. He previously served on the State Board’s Committee on Veterans Affairs, the Regional Red Cross Board, and after his retirement, he was a member of SCORE, the Service Corps of Senior Executives for many years and received a citation for his exemplary service.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Marvin J. Freedman, Chair of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs, proclaim Joseph F. Klein as the recipient of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award on this 19th day of June 2009.

MARVIN J. FREEDMAN, Board Chair

Upcoming Awards

Nomination for the Award

There are six (6) Veteran Lifetime Achievement Awards annually.

• Four (4) honor a veteran in each of the four regions in which the Board meets.
• Two (2) are statewide awards honoring a veteran from anywhere in Wisconsin.

A Board of Veterans Affairs subcommittee consisting of three Board members, appointed by the Board Chair, selects the recipients. The selection criteria focus on the nominee’s lifetime achievements in the military, in veterans’ affairs, and as a citizen in service to his/her hometown, the State of Wisconsin and the United States of America.

The award is an engraved plaque, supported by a proclamation signed by the Board Chair.

Nominations are accepted from any Wisconsin resident and the Board especially encourages submissions from Wisconsin veterans, VSOs, CVSOs and other veterans groups. The nominations may be submitted at any time during the year for any of the six annual awards.

The forms must be submitted in writing and the narrative explaining why the veteran is being nominated for the award may not exceed 500 words in length. Completed nomination forms must be received by the 15th of the month preceding the month of the Board meeting at which the presentation is to be made (For example, a receipt deadline of May 15th would apply for a June Board meeting presentation). Nominations that are not selected for a Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award may be retained for future award consideration at the discretion of the award selection subcommittee.

Nomination forms are available online, by calling toll-free, at 1-800-WIS-VETS (1-800-947-8387), or by mail at: Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, P.O. Box 7843, Madison, WI 53707-7843.

Link to PDF Application Form File

Regions

Four of the annual Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Awards will come from each of the following four Wisconsin regions, consisting of the designated counties:

Northeast:  Brown, Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Vilas, Waupaca, Wood

Northwest:  Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Iron, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, Taylor, Trempealeau, Washburn

Southeast:  Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Jefferson, Kenosha, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Sheboygan, Washington, Walworth, Waukesha, Winnebago

Southwest:  Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Juneau, Lafayette, LaCrosse, Marquette, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, Vernon, Waushara

Past Award Recipients

	Joseph F. Klein	Green Bay	June 2009	AWARD/CITATION
	Akira Toki	Madison	April 2009	AWARD/CITATION
	John F. Rogan	Middleton	February 2009	AWARD/CITATION
	Naomi Horwitz	Milwaukee	December 2008	AWARD/CITATION
	Gary L. Mader	Appleton	October 2008	AWARD/CITATION
	Mark A. Schaitel	Sparta	August 2008	AWARD/CITATION
	John J. Mauer	Racine	June 2008	AWARD/CITATION
	Dr. James C. Allen	Madison	February 2008	AWARD/CITATION
	Eugene P. Moran	Soldiers Grove	October 2007	AWARD/CITATION