#VeteranOfTheDay Shenandoah D. Ellis-Ulmer

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Shenandoah D. Ellis-Ulmer. Shenandoah served for 21 years beginning in 1994 and attained the rank of master sergeant.

Shenandoah was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in June 1974 as a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota and the Santee Sioux. Shenandoah’s Dakota name is Wi’ihinapidutawin, which translates to Scarlet Sunrise Woman. She grew up in Breckenridge, Minnesota, and enlisted in the Air Force in 1994. Shenandoah deployed to Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates during her 21 years in the Air Force. In total, she worked eight different intelligent assignments.

Shenandoah’s most recent assignment was superintendent of the Program Development and Research Division at the Personnel Recovery Academy of the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency. Her duties included providing mission guidance to Department of Defense contractors and management of personnel recovery operational support and training products.

Shenandoah received a degree in communication applications technology from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor of Science in business and management from Friend’s University in Wichita, Kansas, and a master’s in human resource development from Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in anthropology at Sussex County Community College.

For her service, Shenandoah received the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

Thank you for your service, Shenandoah!

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Graphic By Kierra Willis: Kierra Willis is a Graphic Communication Major at the University of Maryland University College. She currently has an AAS in Graphic Design and Visual Communications.