VFW awards honor wide range of heroes in Flagstaff | Military

The Flagstaff Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709 hosted its annual awards banquet Saturday evening at the post to hand out a number of awards.

Donald Joseph Coleman took first place in the Patriot’s Pen essay contest, with Julia Roe Overhiser finishing in second place and Tyler Daniel Wood placing third.

Patriot Pen Award

Donald Joseph Chapman reads the essay that won him the Patriots Pen Award Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709. For an online gallery of the event, visit azdailysun.com.

Patriot Pen Award

Patriot Pen Award

Donald Joseph Chapman, center, stands flanked by his father, left, and Bob Braatz, right, after being presented with the Patriots Pen Award Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709.

Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll speaks Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709.

Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Local law enforcement officers and family members sit together Saturday night at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709 during an awards banquet.

Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Sgt. Jess Payne, left, was recognized Saturday night with an Officer of the Year Award by Rex Stermer, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during the 2022 awards banquet hosted by the post.

Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Deputy Chief Scott Mansfield talks about Detective Michael Hansen Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709. Hansen was recognized as an officer of the year.

Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Detective Michael Hansen, left, is recognized with an Officer of the Year Award Saturday night by Rex Stermer, center, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during an awards banquet hosted by the post.

Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Trooper Russell Shearman, right, was recognized as an officer of the year Saturday night by Rex Stermer, center, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during an awards banquet hosted by the post.

teacher of the year

teacher of the year

Andrew Robarge, second from left, was presented with the Teacher of the Year Award Saturday night during the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709 awards banquet. Robarge is a history teacher at Base Flagstaff.

business of the year

business of the year

Missy Heal, second from right, is presented with the Business of the Year Award Saturday night for Mike and Rhonda’s West by Rex Stermer, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during the 2022 awards banquet at the post.

veteran of the year

veteran of the year

Robert S. Noel, left, is honored with the Veteran of the Year Award Saturday night presented by Rex Stermer, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during the awards banquet hosted by the post.



Patriot Pen Award

Patriot Pen Award

Donald Joseph Chapman reads the essay that won him the Patriots Pen Award Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709. For an online gallery of the event, visit azdailysun.com.



Patriot Pen Award

Patriot Pen Award

Donald Joseph Chapman, center, stands flanked by his father, left, and Bob Braatz, right, after being presented with the Patriots Pen Award Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709.



Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll speaks Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709.



Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Local law enforcement officers and family members sit together Saturday night at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709 during an awards banquet.



Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Sgt. Jess Payne, left, was recognized Saturday night with an Officer of the Year Award by Rex Stermer, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during the 2022 awards banquet hosted by the post.



Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Deputy Chief Scott Mansfield talks about Detective Michael Hansen Saturday night during the 2022 awards banquet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709. Hansen was recognized as an officer of the year.



Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Detective Michael Hansen, left, is recognized with an Officer of the Year Award Saturday night by Rex Stermer, center, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during an awards banquet hosted by the post.



Police Officer of the Year Award

Police Officer of the Year Award

Trooper Russell Shearman, right, was recognized as an officer of the year Saturday night by Rex Stermer, center, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during an awards banquet hosted by the post.



teacher of the year

teacher of the year

Andrew Robarge, second from left, was presented with the Teacher of the Year Award Saturday night during the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709 awards banquet. Robarge is a history teacher at Base Flagstaff.



business of the year

business of the year

Missy Heal, second from right, is presented with the Business of the Year Award Saturday night for Mike and Rhonda’s West by Rex Stermer, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during the 2022 awards banquet at the post.



veteran of the year

veteran of the year

Robert S. Noel, left, is honored with the Veteran of the Year Award Saturday night presented by Rex Stermer, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1709, during the awards banquet hosted by the post.

Police Officer of the Year awards were presented to Trooper Russell Shearman from the Department of Public Safety, Detective Michael Hansen from the Flagstaff Police Department, Sgt. Jess Payne from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Officer Daisy Romero from the NAU Police Department.

Andrew Robarge, a history teacher at Basis Flagstaff, was honored as Teacher of the Year, and Missy Heal picked up the Business of the Year award for her restaurant, Mike and Rhonda’s West. VFW Post Quartermaster Robert S. Noel was named the Veteran of the Year.

“It is one of the important tenets of the VFW to recognize those people in the community who continue to serve the community from law enforcement to teachers. We are excited for the young folks who turn in the essays for the Patriots Pen, as it demonstrates young people’s patriotism to their country and community,” Rex Stermer, post commander, said of the event.

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He added of the officers recognized on Saturday evening: “These people are our guardians at home. We may come from different parents, but when you serve in the military or law enforcement, you have a lot of brothers and sisters.”

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