Salute to Veterans
Date: November 11, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Performing Arts Center
- Palo Alto College, Faculty & Staff, Students, Alumni, Community, App-Calendar-PAC Students
Join us at Palo Alto College as we proudly host a Salute to Veterans event to honor the bravery and sacrifices of our nation’s veterans. This special day is dedicated to recognizing the men and women who have served our country with courage and distinction. We invite the community, veterans, and their families to join us for this momentous occasion. Let us come together to celebrate our veterans’ contributions and to look forward to the future as we continue to support our veteran community.
Veterans Day CeremonyThe event will feature a Veterans Day Ceremony, with keynote speaker Shoshana Nyree Johnson, the first Black female prisoner of war in the history of the United States military. Shoshana Johnson’s inspiring story of resilience and strength in the face of adversity serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by our veterans. Keynote Speaker Bio
Shoshana Nyree Johnson
Johnson was a JROTC cadet in 1991 and an Andress High School graduate. She attended the University of Texas at El Paso and joined the US Army in September 1998. She completed the US Army Basic Training Course at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, and the Advance Individual Training at Ft. Lee, Virginia. A second-generation Army Veteran, Johnson’s first military assignment was at Ft. Carson, Colorado. In February 2003, at her second military assignment at Ft. Bliss, Texas, Johnson received orders to deploy to Iraq and to carry through her duties as a Food Service Specialist (92G) with the 507th Maintenance Company, 5/52 Battalion 11th Brigade. On March 23, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson was in a convoy that was ambushed in the city of an-Nasiriyah. Johnson received a bullet wound to her ankle, causing injuries to both legs. She and five other members of the 507th Maintenance Company were captured and taken Prisoners of War. The ambush and its aftermath made world news headlines. House raids conducted by US Marines in the city of Samarra, Iraq, resulted in the successful rescue of seven POWs on the morning of April 13. Later, Johnson, together with six former POWs, came back to a hero’s welcome in the US. Specialist Johnson retired from the Army on an Honorable Discharge on December 12, 2003. Johnson’s awards and decorations include the US Army Service Ribbon, Army Commendation Ribbon, National Defense Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, and the Prisoner of War Medal. US Army officials identified Johnson as the first female POW of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first black female POW in US war history. Shoshana was awarded the Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero by her native country of Panama, its highest honor. Since her return to the United States, Specialist Johnson has received numerous awards and recognition for her courage, valor, and service to the United States. She graduated from El Paso Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in May 2008. She received her degree in culinary arts (pastry) in May 2011 at the same college. Johnson has penned a memoir about her experience entitled I’m Still Standing: From Captured Soldier to Free Citizen-My Journey Home. The biography was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Johnson plans to pursue a nutrition degree in the near future and, when possible, advocate for fellow veterans.
|