Sheila Kozar SP ‘84 Honored for Civilian Service to Deployed Minnesota Military Service Members

Sheila Kozar SP ‘84 (social work) received a Commander’s Award for Public Service Medal and Certificate of Honor from the U. S. Army on November 4, 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel, Bloomington, MN, during a meeting for Minnesota National Guard soldiers returning from Iraq. Among many other acts of service, Kozar coordinated, managed, and distributed over $10,000 of needed supplies to the soldiers and their units, offered ongoing support to the soldiers’ families, and was a founding member of the Blue Star Mothers of America Chapter 8 in Minneapolis. Supplies Kozar sent ranged from sheets for hospital beds to kitchen plates and utensils for Army mess halls to shavers for soldiers.

Governor Tim Pawlenty as well as Brigadier General Erlandson, Lieutenant Colonel William Lieder and Chaplain Major Jerome Fehn (a Catholic priest) presented the award. Chaplain Fehn, as the compassionate eyes and ears in the field kept Kozar abreast of the soldiers’ needs by email. Then Kozar solicited donations or inexpensive purchasing to acquire the items. She sent over 250 certificates of appreciation to donors who contributed to the Operation Iraqi Freedom mission. The Commander's Award was presented on behalf of the 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division.

The items Kozar collected not only went to Minnesota military members, but Kozar gained such a Good Samaritan reputation on the base that other units submitted some of their needs to her too. She has received a flag once flown over an Iraq medical unit and other honors of gratitude. She has been actively supporting the Army and Minnesota National Guard efforts since 2003, when she organized civilian efforts to sustain the peace-keeping mission in Bosnia.

PHOTO: Governor Pawlenty, Sheila Kozar (with eyes full of tears), CH Major Fehn and Lt. Col. William Lieder.