Nine veterans were honors with Quilts of Valor that were awarded to them on Kansas Day, Jan. 29, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilts were made and presented by the Golden Plains Quilts of Valor group.

1 Larry McMillan

United States Air Force veteran Airman Larry McMillan was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Airman McMillan served from 1959 to 1963, completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas with additional training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. Airman McMillan was then sent to Schilling Air Force Base in Salina, where he trained for in-flight refueling but ended up in field maintenance. He joined the service to see the world but ended up 50 miles from home. The quilt top was made by Margaret Evers; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Chris Krueger, Margaret Evers, Larry McMillan, Amy Schartz Mellor, Robert Zahn.

2 Roger Michaelis

United States Army Veteran Corporal Roger Michaelis was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Cpl. Michaelis served from 1961 to 1964, completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and additional training in parts supply at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Fort Lee, Virginia. He was then sent to Inchon, Korea, where he was a parts supply clerk. Cpl. Michaelis later served at Fort Lee, Virginia, and Fort Hood, Texas. The quilt top was made by Sylvia Nuss; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Bob Jarmer, Sylvia Nuss, Roger Michaelis, Amy Schartz Mellor, Bob Jarmer.

3 Leon Lewis

United States Army Vietnam veteran Sergeant Leon Lewis was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Sgt. Lewis served from 1969 to 1971. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri with additional training for signal corps at Knoxville, Tennessee, and Fort Gordon, Georgia. Sgt. Lewis was stationed in Vietnam in a quartermaster supply company, going wherever he was needed. The quilt top was made by Millie Hill and Edie McQuide; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Edie McQuade, Rick Munsch, Millie Hill, Leon Lewis, Amy Schartz Mellor, Dennis Hill.

4 Gregory Akers

United States Marine Corps veteran Colonel Gregory Akers was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Col. Akers served from 1976 to 2007, completing basic training at Quantico, Virginia, and additional training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Maxwell, Alabama. He also completed training at War College in Washington, D.C., and was a leader with the infantry and artillery. Col. Akers served in many countries, including Afghanistan, numerous locations in Africa to include Liberia, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Mali, in addition to Germany, Russia and Poland. He received many awards including the Legion of Merit (twice), Defense Superior Service medal, Marine Corps Achievement medal (twice), Defense Meritorious medal, Marine Corps Commendation medal and the National Defense Service medal. The quilt top was made by Sylvia Nuss, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Robert Zahn, Sylvia Nuss, Gregory Akers, Amy Schartz Mellor, David Krallman.

5 Michael Danielson

United States Army veteran Sergeant Michael Danielson was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Sgt. Danielson served from 1986 to 1992. He completed basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and additional training in airborne school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Fort Benning, Georgia. Sgt. Danielson was then stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina before being deployed to Panama for six months. He completed 43 jumps as a paratrooper. After returning from Panama, he was sent to Fort Ord, California for long range surveillance school. Sgt. Danielson also attended long range leadership school, machine gun school, M19 grenade launcher school as well as being trained in explosives and as an emergency medical technician. He earned his airborne wings and the Presidential Unit Citation. The quilt top was made by Linda Shull, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Boe Levingston,

Michael Danielson, Amy Schartz Mellor, Roy Titsworth.

6 Joe Hall

United States Army veteran Major Joe Hall was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Major Hall served from 1989 to 2012. He completed training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fort Polk, Louisiana and Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. Major Hall was deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and Korea. He earned the Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Korean Defense medal. The quilt top was made by Marcia Toennessen; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Chris Krueger, Marcia Toennessen, Joe Hall, Amy Schartz Mellor, Katharine Piper.

7 Jerry Carmichael

United States Army veteran Sergeant Jerry Carmichael was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Sgt. Carmichael served from 2000 to 2011, completing basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he also attended airborne training. He was trained as a supply sergeant and served in that capacity for seven years at Fort Riley. Sgt. Carmichael was deployed to Iraq three separate times, and also was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He earned the Combat Badge, Army Commendation and Achievement medal, Iraqi Campaign medal with clusters and Presidential Citation medal. The quilt top was made by Happy Stitchers Quilt Retreat, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Judy Burnette, Sylvia Nuss, Kathy Axman, Jerry Carmichael, Amy Schartz Mellor, Rich Munsch.

8 Justin Winston

United States Army veteran Sergeant Justin Winston was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Sgt. Winston served from 2001 to 2014, completing basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was also stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Irwin, California. Sgt. Winston was deployed to Budingen, Germany and Hohenfels, Germany. From there he was deployed to Afghanistan. He served as a Tank Commander, Section Leader and Platoon Sergeant. The quilt top was made by Millie Hill, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Sergio Partida, Millie Hill, Justin Winston, Amy Schartz Mellor, Dennis Hill.

9 Justin Lance

United States Army veteran Sergeant Justin Lance was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on January 29, 2021 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Sgt. Lance served from 2004 to 2015.  After completing basic training and advanced IED training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he served as a gunner and on various engineer missions. On Sgt. Lance’s second deployment to Iraq, he served as the primary IED interrogator for the platoon and oversaw the training of several Iraqi personnel. Sgt. Lance was also deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and was NCO of the interrogation squad for the company as well as the primary drone operator.  He received many awards including the Iraq Campaign medal with two stars, Afghanistan Campaign medal with two stars, Purple Heart, Army Commendation, Achievement and Good Conduct medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service medals, Overseas Service medal and others. The quilt top was made by Sylvia Nuss, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: David Krallman, Sylvia Nuss, Justin Lance, Amy Schartz Mellor, Katharine Piper.