Ahead of National Purple Heart Day, Rosen Secures Purple Heart for Iraq Veteran from Las Vegas
A Few Weeks Ago, Senator Rosen Secured A Purple Heart For A Vietnam War Veteran In Northern Nevada
LAS VEGAS, NV – Ahead of National Purple Heart Day, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) awarded retired Sergeant First Class (SFC) Thomas Koehler with the Purple Heart medal during a ceremony in her Las Vegas Office. Senator Rosen secured the medal for Koehler for combat-related line-of-duty injuries sustained in Iraq in 2005. In 2016, he was medically retired from the Army and continued his dedication to the local military and veteran community as a Veteran Service Officer for the Nevada Department of Veteran Services.
“Sergeant First Class Thomas Koehler bravely served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan, sustaining combat injuries in service to our nation. And his service has continued even after he retired – doing truly admirable work by supporting our veterans here in Southern Nevada,” said Senator Rosen. “Sergeant First Class Koehler reached out to my office to help him secure the Purple Heart he earned through his service, and I’m so proud that my team and I were able to do so in less than two months. Assisting Nevada veterans is one of the most important parts of my job as a United States Senator. If any veteran in our state needs assistance obtaining medals or decorations they believe they are eligible for, dealing with issues with the VA or another federal agency, or obtaining their service records, please reach out to my office at rosen.senate.gov.”
Senator Rosen has been a champion for veterans in Nevada and across the country. In addition to securing Koehler’s Purple Heart, she recently ensured the awarding of a Purple Heart for a Vietnam War Veteran in Northern Nevada. Senator Rosen is also leading the charge in Congress to secure benefits for veterans who served at the Nevada Test and Training Range during the nuclear testing era and were exposed to toxins, but have been denied benefits despite their civilian counterparts receiving support. Earlier this year, she successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reverse a rule that could have decreased benefits for disabled veterans. Senator Rosen has also introduced bipartisan legislation to cut red tape and streamline the process for medical practitioners who work with both the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help eliminate delays in patient care.
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