WASHINGTON – Dedication, selflessness and heroism took center stage in Washington Tuesday as Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson recognized the efforts of 73 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
“Our employees are true heroes,” Nicholson said, as he presented them with the department’s Valor Award. “Their professionalism and bravery during an unprecedented catastrophe allowed us to focus on the well-being of our veterans. Even as they endured personal tragedy, they showed a commitment to their patients that never wavered.”
The Secretary’s Valor Award recognizes employees and citizens for heroic efforts displayed during a major catastrophe. The Valor Award is the highest level of recognition and is given to VA employees who exhibit courage and who put their lives in jeopardy to save others.
These employees were nominated because they exhibited great courage by voluntarily risking their personal safety to prevent the loss of human life or government property. As a result of their efforts, VA maintained continuity of care for several hundred acutely ill veterans under difficult conditions.
Nearly 10,000 VA employees around the country will be recognized for their actions during the hurricanes. In addition to the 73 Valor Awards, 3,000 received official commendations and more than 6,800 were given certificates of appreciation for showing great initiative and ingenuity by addressing and solving all manner of problems arising from flooding, wind damage, lack of power, water, medical supplies and transport during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
A list of VA’s Valor Award honorees follows.
Recipient Recipient facility
Michael Wayne VAMC Northampton, MA
Paul Shumaker VAMC Pittsburgh, PA
Steven Elliott VAMC Salisbury, NC
Stephanie Roberts VAMC Fayetteville, NC
Orville Brown VAMC Durham, NC
Michael Schausten VAMC Beckley, WV
Victor L. Workinger VAMC Atlanta, GA
Calvin Cameron VAMC Atlanta, GA
Rodney Hawkins VAMC Atlanta, GA
Elbert C. James VAMC Atlanta, GA
Richard A. Murphy VAMC Atlanta, GA
Harvey M. Scott, Jr. VAMC Atlanta, GA
Don Cornelius Foster VAMC Atlanta, GA
Robert Richardson VAMC Augusta, GA
Linda M. Banks VAMC Augusta, GA
Calvin Rascoe VAMC Columbia, SC
John Stevens VAMC Columbia, SC
Stephen Solomon VAMC Columbia, SC
Rodney Pigford VAMC Columbia, SC
Corey Michael VAMC Dublin, GA
Gregory Swars VAMC Dublin, GA
Alvin J. Blockton Central Alabama VHCS
Gregory J. Griffith Central Alabama VHCS
Cedric D. Thomas Central Alabama VHCS
Peter Domoracki VAMC Miami, FL
McGraff Hurst VAMC Memphis, TN
Ronald Hartley Tennessee Valley
HCS Nashville, TN
William Poirier VAMC North Chicago, IL
Lonnie Jeffrey VAMC North Chicago, IL
Roger Vines VAMC North Chicago, IL
Grover Anderson VAMC Hines, IL
Eddie J. Borja VAMC Hines, IL
Michael C. Unthank VAMC Hines, IL
Jackie L. Wilds VAMC Hines, IL
William Adkins VAMC Chicago, IL
Tony Allen Little Rock, AK
Ronald Angel Little Rock, AK
Russell Eilrich Little Rock, AK
Mari Hughes Little Rock, AK
Bradley Niell Little Rock, AK
Holly Taylor Little Rock, AK
Charles Deprey VAMC Muskogee, OK
Rickey Lee VAMC Muskogee, OK
Phil Boogaerts VAMC New Orleans, LA
Alfred Cain, Jr. VAMC New Orleans, LA
William Donovan VAMC New Orleans, LA
J. Rex Oxner VAMC New Orleans, LA
Alfred Pratt VAMC New Orleans, LA
Jerome Simon VAMC New Orleans, LA
Alphonse Bourgeois VAMC New Orleans, LA
Christopher Cahill VAMC New Orleans, LA
Charlie J. Donelson VAMC Jackson, MS
Reginald R. Finch VAMC Jackson, MS
Ceagus Reed VISN 16 Jackson, MS
R. Lynn Ryan VISN 16 Jackson, MS
Samuel Myers, Jr. VAMC Biloxi, MS
James Ware, Jr. VAMC Biloxi, MS
Wayne B. Brown VAMC Biloxi, MS
Scott Roy VAMC Shreveport, LA
Tony Turner VAMC Shreveport, LA
Lugene Brooks VAMC Shreveport, LA
Annias Handy VAMC Shreveport, LA
Donald Pickney VAMC Shreveport, LA
Leonard Daniel South Texas VHCS
Randy L. Perfecto South Texas VHCS
Thomas Seidenkranz VAMC Tucson, AZ
Charles Guilford VAMC Sheridan, WY
Jason DeRicco VAMC Reno, NV
Guy O. Reger VAMC Palo Alto, CA
Timothy M. Valenzuela VA Sierra Nevada HCS
Reno, NV
Timothy Kildea VA Nebraska-WI HCS
Omaha, NE
Lisa Foster VACO (07)
Keith Frost VACO (07)
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Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
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