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PLU employee recognized for service
December 15, 2006
The United States Army honored Roxie Held, PLU employment specialist, for outstanding volunteer service by presenting her the Dr. Mary E. Walker Award in October.
The prestigious national award recognizes military spouses for “demonstrating dedicated and exemplary volunteerism that improved the quality of life for soldiers and their families.” Held was nominated for the award by Lt. Col. Warren Perry, and she said she initially assumed it was merely an award given by her husband’s unit at Fort Lewis.
“I didn’t realize how big it was,” she said. “I didn’t know all they had to go through for the award.”
However, as the nomination process continued and top-ranking officers submitted letters of recommendation for her, she realized it was more significant and extended beyond the confines of Fort Lewis. The final selection of award recipients rested with a selection board from the U.S. Army Forces Command, the Army’s national command.
Mary E. Walker, the award’s namesake, remains the only woman to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 1855, Walker joined the handful of women doctors in the U.S. at that time and served on a volunteer basis as a field surgeon during the Civil War. Walker combined her vocation as a doctor with her passion for writing to push for social reforms, particularly in regard to women’s rights.
“This is a really big honor because, one, to be associated with someone like Mary Walker is amazing,” Held said. “She committed her life to a cause, to humanity and people. She wouldn’t let being a woman stop her … she had the tenacity to keep going.”
More importantly, the award recognizes Held’s volunteer work during her husband’s 15 years in the Army. She has served as an organizer, fundraiser, participant and leader in military organizations and events that benefit the soldiers and their families, such as the Family Readiness Team, Easter egg hunts and brigade formals.
“She freely gives of herself so that others can have peace of mind and a place to turn in times of need,” said Sgt. Maj. Glenn Wildhagen.
Volunteering has always been a part of her life, Held said. She likes to keep busy and believes it is her civic duty to give back to society.
“It’s a huge honor to commit my time and life to a cause and be honored for it out of honesty and integrity,” Held said. “It shows their appreciation of my hard work and effort.”
Held is the driving force behind the battalion’s Family Readiness Team, said Col. William Miller. Comprised of volunteers, the team connects soldiers and their families to resources, disseminates information about deployments and reintegration, and acts as the social support for spouses, Held explained. The team is a key resource for families of soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Additionally, Held represented her husband’s unit at the U.S. Family Action Plan Conference. The conference is a place where active and reserve soldiers, their spouses, veterans and even teenagers have the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Those concerns include issues surrounding retirement and health benefits, and creating youth centers to keep teens out of trouble. Those in attendance at the conference review the concerns, which have been gathered from Army installations around the world, and recommend how the issue should be addressed, she explained.
“It’s truly a grassroots conference that happens in that the Army wants to know what people’s problems are and fix them,” Held said.
Of the many ways she volunteers her time, Held finds the hours she spends counseling young military spouses – especially those new to the military way of life – one of the most rewarding experiences. Held didn’t grow up in the military. She married into the unique lifestyle, so she understands how difficult it can be for outsiders to adjust to life on the base, she said.
“When a young spouse comes to you and you show them how to do something, there is nothing better than seeing them succeed,” Held said.
Though her family has moved off base to a home in Dupont, Held is still involved in the Army Family Readiness Group and her husband’s unit. She is also looking for ways to volunteer in the community, she said.
“In my life, I need to be involved,” Held said.
“I didn’t realize how big it was,” she said. “I didn’t know all they had to go through for the award.”
However, as the nomination process continued and top-ranking officers submitted letters of recommendation for her, she realized it was more significant and extended beyond the confines of Fort Lewis. The final selection of award recipients rested with a selection board from the U.S. Army Forces Command, the Army’s national command.
Mary E. Walker, the award’s namesake, remains the only woman to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 1855, Walker joined the handful of women doctors in the U.S. at that time and served on a volunteer basis as a field surgeon during the Civil War. Walker combined her vocation as a doctor with her passion for writing to push for social reforms, particularly in regard to women’s rights.
“This is a really big honor because, one, to be associated with someone like Mary Walker is amazing,” Held said. “She committed her life to a cause, to humanity and people. She wouldn’t let being a woman stop her … she had the tenacity to keep going.”
More importantly, the award recognizes Held’s volunteer work during her husband’s 15 years in the Army. She has served as an organizer, fundraiser, participant and leader in military organizations and events that benefit the soldiers and their families, such as the Family Readiness Team, Easter egg hunts and brigade formals.
“She freely gives of herself so that others can have peace of mind and a place to turn in times of need,” said Sgt. Maj. Glenn Wildhagen.
Volunteering has always been a part of her life, Held said. She likes to keep busy and believes it is her civic duty to give back to society.
“It’s a huge honor to commit my time and life to a cause and be honored for it out of honesty and integrity,” Held said. “It shows their appreciation of my hard work and effort.”
Held is the driving force behind the battalion’s Family Readiness Team, said Col. William Miller. Comprised of volunteers, the team connects soldiers and their families to resources, disseminates information about deployments and reintegration, and acts as the social support for spouses, Held explained. The team is a key resource for families of soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Additionally, Held represented her husband’s unit at the U.S. Family Action Plan Conference. The conference is a place where active and reserve soldiers, their spouses, veterans and even teenagers have the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Those concerns include issues surrounding retirement and health benefits, and creating youth centers to keep teens out of trouble. Those in attendance at the conference review the concerns, which have been gathered from Army installations around the world, and recommend how the issue should be addressed, she explained.
“It’s truly a grassroots conference that happens in that the Army wants to know what people’s problems are and fix them,” Held said.
Of the many ways she volunteers her time, Held finds the hours she spends counseling young military spouses – especially those new to the military way of life – one of the most rewarding experiences. Held didn’t grow up in the military. She married into the unique lifestyle, so she understands how difficult it can be for outsiders to adjust to life on the base, she said.
“When a young spouse comes to you and you show them how to do something, there is nothing better than seeing them succeed,” Held said.
Though her family has moved off base to a home in Dupont, Held is still involved in the Army Family Readiness Group and her husband’s unit. She is also looking for ways to volunteer in the community, she said.
“In my life, I need to be involved,” Held said.