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Veterans Day falls on Nov. 11 each year. Though Native Americans were universally 

, they have served in every major conflict since the Revolutionary War. Over the years, citizens of tribal nations have had a high record of military service, according to the state of Minnesota. 

“Back in 1967 I got a letter from the president of the United States saying, ‘Hey, you are hereby ordered to report in the to the MEP Station (Military Entrance Processing Station) for induction in the United States military,’” 76-year-old Jerome Whiteman said about his enlistment in the Vietnam War. 

Jerome is a part of the 1.3 percent of veterans in 

 who identify as Native American. He says his family are now in their fifth generation of service. His grandfather and father both served in the military, followed by himself and his own children and now, grandchild. 

The Whiteman family is from the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa in northeastern Minnesota. 

Jerome’s daughter, Adrienne Whiteman was 19 years old when she joined the Navy as a diesel mechanic. She says she was stationed abroad for most of her service, one location being Bodmin, England until 1992. 

“I missed home a lot, but, knowing that I played an important part within that base, I was okay, and it made time go by pretty fast,” Adrienne said.  

She says the pride that the family has for their predecessors is what continued to inspire the next generations to enlist. Adrienne's daughter is now currently serving in the Navy, following in those footsteps. 

“I'm pretty proud that she took that opportunity, because she was one of the ones that was timid and a wait-and-see kind of kid,” Adrienne said. “I just had to gently nudge her.”  

While Jerome says he may not have voluntarily enlisted, he says his experiences serving taught him valuable life lessons that he has carried with him since.  

“As I see it today, I'm very grateful for what little I have,” Jerome said. “I don't need too much material things to get along because I have the ability to think and help grow with somebody.” 

For some veterans, military service was a significant part of their lives before enlisting. Fellow Bois Forte Band member and veteran Frederick McDougall Sr. says it was a tradition in his family. He enlisted right after graduating from Hibbing High School in 1960 after a conversation with his uncle.  

“It goes beyond patriotism. It goes beyond citizenship. It goes beyond even the maltreatment that we suffered under many different situations,” McDougall Sr. said.  

, 44,000 Native Americans, including women, served during World War II in some capacity. 

“We are keepers of this land. We're the caretakers. And if there's an act [of] aggression against it, it doesn't necessarily mean that we're defending United States,” McDougall Sr. said. “It's deeper than that. It's further. It's what we feel about our land.” 

A more well-known example of Native American service members in World War II includes the 

, like the Navajo Code Talkers, who played a unique role in translating English into their Native language. Code talkers, who came from at least fifteen tribal nations, would transmit information that could not be translated by foreign powers.  

Benjamin Rosaasen is from the Upper Sioux Community in southern Minnesota and is an Air Force veteran. Like the Whitemans and McDougall Sr., he says he also enlisted due to familial ties.  

“My great-uncle and his brother were both code talkers,” Rosaasen said. “You already feel like you're a part of something, but then having a relative that served… that gets a little bit more emotional than anything.”  

According to Rosaasen, his relatives Daniel and Rufus Ross, are featured at the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Granite Falls. The Ross brothers were Lakota Code Talkers from the Yankton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. 

Rosaasen was stationed in Germany for a part of his service 27 years ago. He says the camaraderie between soldiers and the acts of selflessness of those soldiers is what makes the military special to him.  

There are many reasons that one could enlist into the military. However, Adrienne Whiteman says that no matter the reason, being a veteran brings valuable experiences to one’s life. 

“Being a veteran to me, [it] brought me discipline, brought me structure, brought me organization. It brought a purpose and to be able to apply that to anything I do in my life afterwards,” Adrienne said.  

This year marks the 70th year since the official naming of Veterans Day in 1954 by Congress to honor American veterans from all wars and acts of service. 

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Chandra Colvin

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Monday is Veterans Day. For many Native American veterans, military service is a family tradition.

Native American veterans reflect on military service and family ties

Courtesy of Benjamin Rosaasen

A black and white photo of a soldier surrounded by children.

Native American veterans reflect on military service and family ties

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