Quilts of Valor presented at Win-E-Mac Veterans Day program

The staff and students at Win-E-Mac School honored area Veteran's last Friday, November 11th during a program held at the school. Many Veterans and community members attended the event. 

During the event, two Quilts of Valor were presented to Travis Kolden and Allen Jensen. Our local Quilts of Valor ladies have now presented 30 quilts to honor area Veteran's. 

Travis Kolden received one of the quilts presented during the program. Travis is currently a member of the New Hampshire Air National Guard assigned to the 260th Air Traffic Control Squadron. Pease Air National Guard Base as the Chief of Combat Airspace. He is a 2002 graduate of Win-E-Mac and the University of North Dakota in 2006 where he earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant after completing the Reserve Officer Training Program. His first active duty station was at Pease Air National Guard base, New Hampshire where he obtained air traffic control and airfield management certifications. While stationed at Pease, he deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM as the Airfield Operations Flight, Director of Operations in the 506th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, where he supported the training of Iraqi Air Force pilots and managed the northern third of Iraq's airspace. Upon returning from deployment in 2009, he was assigned to the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as the Airfield Operations Flight, Systems Officer. While stationed at Vance, Captain Kolden deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM/NEW DAWN as the Airfield Operations Flight, Director of Operations in the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Balad, Iraq, where he managed the southern two thirds of Iraq's airspace and all combat flight operations in and out of Balad Air Base. Upon return from his second deployment he was sent to be the Airfield Operations Flight Commander in the 92nd Operations Support Squadron at Fairchild AFB, Washington. While stationed at Fairchild, he deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan in 2012 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the Chief, Airfield Management Section for the International Security Assistance Force. While deployed to Afghanistan he was responsible for supporting the development of the Afghanistan equivalent of the FAA.

Allen Jenson graduated from Mayville in March 1971. As a graduation present, he was called by the USA to service in the Army. He was sent to Vietnam in August 1971. He attained the rank of Specialist 4. He served in the Infantry. Some of the highlights of his tour were the Bob Hope Christmas Show in December 1971. Approximately 20,000 soldiers sat in a bowl shaped field, and were able to celebrate a little bit of Christmas. Another highlight was a short reunion with his long time neighbor and friend, Scott Hanson. He returned to the United States with his unit, the 101st Airborne Infantry Division in March of 1972. His homecoming was bittersweet as he found out that his brother had passed away the day before. He received an early out, and was honorably discharged in June 1972. He is currently a member of the American Legion Post 596 of Erskine, the McIntosh VFW and the Disabled American Veterans. He has been the gambling manager for the American Legion since August 2001.

Thank you to these Veterans and to all who have served to protect our Nation.