DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – Wisconsin Representative Mike Gallagher presented Army National Guard veteran Ryan Lonergan with a special certificate on Tuesday.

As part of the inaugural recognition of Northeastern Wisconsin’s Veteran of the Year, Lonergan received a certificate and a Congressional record for his work in supporting Veterans as they return to civilian life. Lonergan served in the Army National Guard for six years, including a tour of Iraq.

During his years of service, he received several awards such as the Army Medal of Honor, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Ribbon. The person who named Lonergan said this about him: “I think Ryan Lonergan should be Veteran of the Year due to his larger than life pursuit of serving the Veteran community in many different forms. It’s more than a passion; the purpose of his life is to improve the quality of life, expand networks and share community resources with all the veterans he meets.

The committee selected Lonergan based on several criteria:

• Service: Demonstrates selfless service to our nation and Northeastern Wisconsin through public service or volunteerism
• Excellence: demonstrates going above and beyond the call of duty on any job, while in the military or in retirement
• Dedication: Demonstrates a clear commitment to our country and community and a passion for improving life in Northeast Wisconsin

Representative Gallagher underlined Lonergan’s mission to give back to the Veteran community: “From coordinating many events for Veterans to creating a podcast to help Veterans transition to civilian life, Ryan has done so. proof of a passion for giving back to our community. We’re fortunate to have him here in Northeast Wisconsin, and it’s an honor to recognize his work by presenting him with the first Northeast Wisconsin Veteran of the Year award.

Over 40 nominations were received for the Northeastern Wisconsin Veteran of the Year award.