#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Miguel Sabral

Veteran of the Day graphic created by Tenzin Chomhel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Miguel Sabral, who served our country during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Miguel first enlisted in the Army in 1978 as a heavy weapons specialist. He deployed to the Middle East for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during the first Gulf War. Miguel was honorably discharged in 1992, but returned to active duty 10 years later after the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.

From 2002 to 2015, Miguel deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom twice and then again to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom four times during the Global War on Terrorism.

During his 27 years of combined service, Miguel was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge with Star, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Assault Badge, Crew Chief Aviation Wings Badge, French Commando Badge, German Marksmanship Badge, Jungle Expert Badge, and National Defense Badge.

Miguel continues to answer the call of duty today, but in a different capacity – helping his community. As an officer with the Knights of Columbus, he volunteers for Stand Downs, an event where homeless Veterans receive food, clothing and health screenings. He also participates in fundraising for the intellectually disabled and serves his local parish. Through his charitable work, Miguel is making a positive impact on the lives of Veterans and civilians.

Thank you for your service, Miguel!

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? 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.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Contributors:

Graphic designer: Tenzin Chomphel

Editor: Kaylee Hogsed