Congrats to local Lao American veteran, Khao Insixiengmay, who was recently honored for his tireless advocacy efforts as one of the recipients of Minnesota Humanities Center‘ 2015 Veterans Voices. Read our past piece on Khao Insixiengmay: http://littlelaosontheprairie.org/2014/02/12/khao-insixiengmay-royal-lao-veteran/

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From Minnesota Humanities Center: 

Minnesotans from across the state nominated Veterans who have honorably served and have shown exemplary community service to receive the 2015 Veterans’ Voices Award.  From a host of nominees, nine “Legacy” Veterans (age 41 and over) and 16 “On the Rise” Veterans (age 40 and under) were recently selected by a panel of their peers to receive the Veterans’ Voices Award.

This event is part of the Humanities Center’s Veterans’ Voices program that draws on the power of the humanities to call attention to the stories—which have often been missing—and contributions of Veterans. This program empowers all Minnesota Veterans to speak in their own voices through plays, art, and/or discussion groups, and to publicly acknowledge Veterans who are making an exceptional difference in their communities and throughout the state.

Khao Insixiengmay is a Veteran from Brooklyn Park who served honorably in the Royal Lao Army during the Vietnam War as Colonel of a Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU) and Commander of Group Mobile (GM) 33. The 3,000 men led by Insixiengmay secretly served for and were trained by the U.S. government to intercept and interject supplies in Laos and were responsive exclusively to U.S. direction and control. Under his command, GM 33 participated in the Battle of Khong Sedone, where his unit helped destroy two North Vietnamese regiments. After the Battle of Khong Sedone, his GM was asked to carry out the heliborne operation and successfully destroyed enemy tanks in the only such event of the war. He also worked to evacuate many men to the U.S and continues to advocate for these men and getting them recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Insixiengmay was a critical force in getting the Lao Veterans Memorial deciated at Fort Snelling and is now working on a Congressional resolution to recognize the military service members who served in Royal Lao Army. Insixiengmay continues his work with U.S. and Lao Veterans; without his service these soliders would be forgotten and the stories of their service lost.

Awards will be presented at the Veterans’ Voices Award Ceremony on September 11, 2015 at the University of St. Thomas Anderson Student Center in St. Paul. Public and private sector achievements of 25 Minnesota Veterans will be recognized. Gulf War Veteran and WCCO-TV reporter Reg Chapman will emcee. Past award presenters were Governor Mark Dayton and Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Retired Major General Larry Shellito. The following Minnesota Veterans were recently selected by a panel of their peers to receive the Veterans’ Voices Award. Learn more here.