HONORS

 State Legislators to be Honored at Capitol Ceremony

Albuquerque Woman who Raised $350K for Injured Soldiers, Injured Iraq War Veteran, and Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Also to be Honored

Date/Time:  February 3, 2010 (12noon)

Location: State Capitol Rotunda, Santa Fe

(SANTA FE, NM)-New Mexico’s state legislators will be honored at Military and Veterans’ Day at the State Legislature on February 3^rd during the Legislative Session at the State Capitol in Santa Fe.

At a special noon ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services (NMDVS) will thank all 112 legislators for their work in legislative sessions on behalf of the state’s 180,000 veterans. NMDVS Cabinet Secretary John Garcia will also acknowledge the 24 legislators (6 in the Senate, 18 in the House of Representatives) who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Military and Veterans’ Day at the State Legislature is an annual day during the New Mexico Legislative Session to give veterans an opportunity to meet with their state legislators and discuss veterans’ issues. All veterans are strongly encouraged to stop by during the day and voice their concerns.

Albuquerque Mom Who Raised $350K for Wounded Soldiers to Also be Honored

The New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services will also honor Terrie Krueger of Albuquerque. The mother of two active-duty Naval Officers raised $350,000 in a grass-roots effort--mostly in the Albuquerque Metro area—for the Wounded Warrior Project. The national organization assists severely wounded soldiers after they return home from the combat field.

 Krueger presented a check for that amount at a special halftime ceremony of the nationally-televised Army-Navy college football game last December 12^th.  The money was a result of a grass-roots effort organized by Krueger in the Albuquerque Metro area.  She had vowed to top a $25,000 donation from a multi-national company at the previous year’s (2008) Army-Navy football game.

Erik Schei & Parents to be Honored

25-year old former Army Staff Sgt. Erik Schei (“Shy”) and his parents will also be honored at the ceremony. Schei suffered a brain injury from a sniper’s bullet while on patrol in Mosul, Iraq in October of 2005.

He was given zero chance of survival, and doctors suggested they cease life-support. But his parents, Christine & Gordon, refused to do this and instead took him home—vowing to nurse him back to full-strength. Though still confined to a wheelchair, Erik has begun to speak a few words and can communicate with people.

Alejandro Ruiz to also be Honored

The NMDVS will also honor former Army Master Sergeant and Carlsbad native Alejandro Ruiz.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor for—as an Army Private--defeating an entire enemy squadron after everyone in his own unit was either killed or badly injured in an attack from a fortified bunker on Okinawa in World War II.

Ruiz recently passed away at a California Veterans’ home. He was 86 years old.

Ruiz is one of twelve Medal of Honor recipients from New Mexico. The award is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States^.