A longtime South Dakota State Fair tradition continued Thursday with its annual Salute to Veterans.
Keynote speaker Susan Irons, a West Point Graduate and veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Storm, serves as Veterans Service Officer for Lincoln and Union counties.
“ A VSO sits across from the veteran who has carried an injury or a memory for decades without ever asking for help. A VSO is the person who explains to a surviving spouse that he or she is eligible for a benefit they did not know existed,” Irons explained. “A VSO helps a family find health care, education benefits, financial assistance, burial honors, military records, or simply the right person to call next.”
The post of Veteran Service Officer dates back to the Civil War.
Three of Irons children are members of the U-S Army, including daughter who like her mother, is West Point graduate.