COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Seventeen local service members are being recognized for their outstanding military service. They were honored Monday by the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC as part of National Armed Services Week.
The annual luncheon recognizes outstanding enlisted service members in our area for their dedication and service.
The Chamber says they try to get nominees from all of the military installations in El Paso County.
"All services are represented here today, all bases, all major organizations," said Kevin Mortensen with the Military Affairs Council. "We spread the call for nominations out wide so we can truly recognize the outstanding enlisted professionals."
During the luncheon, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Joe Lewis was announced as the 2023 Veteran of the Year. According to El Paso County, Lewis dedicated 25 years of service to the armed forces.
After active duty, he founded Angels of America's Fallen and devoted his life to supporting the children of fallen military personnel and first responders.
The county says Angels of America's Fallen has enriched the lives of more than 550 children across the nation.
"I'm honored to be selected as the El Paso County Veteran of the Year," said Lewis. "There are so many outstanding veterans in our community, and I'm humbled to have even been considered."
Since 2017, the El Paso County Veteran of the Year Program has honored and recognized veterans in El Paso County who have served their country and made contributions to the local veteran community.
National Armed Services Week kicked off Monday and will end on Saturday, May 18 which is Armed Forces Day.
____
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
