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Minnesota Lynx Homegrown Heroes

  • Lindsay Whalen Announces Retirement at End of WNBA Season

    Homegrown Hero (August 19, 2018) Senior Airman Elizabeth Skilbeck

    Senior Airman Elizabeth Skilbeck, of the United States Air Force enlisted as an explosive ordnance disposal technician in 2001. She deployed in 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. After her service, she helped bring the Mission Continues to Minnesota where she served as their first Minnesota fellowship and started one of two local service platoons.
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  • Homegrown Hero (August 14, 2018) Sergeant Farrah Kennedy

    Sergeant Farrah Kennedy joined the Minnesota National Guard in 2008 at the age of 32 and currently serves in the Joint Force Headquarters as a human resource specialist. She also works full-time as the equal employment specialist for the Minnesota National Guard.
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  • Homegrown Hero (August 12, 2018) Specialist Stacey Chambers

    Retired Specialist Stacey Chambers of the United States Army enlisted in the Army in 1989 as a combat medic and shortly after arriving to her first duty station in Germany, she was deployed to the Gulf War in 1990. She was honorably discharged in 1993 and then served 4 years in the inactive ready reserves.
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  • Homegrown Hero (August 5, 2018) Captain Chaplain Kelley Lynn Adelsman

    Captain Chaplain Kelley Lynn Adelsman of the Minnesota Army National Guard served the 1/34 Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division in 2007 and as Battalion Chaplain until 2012. She now serves her southeast corner of Minnesota community in suicide prevention, spiritual health and bereavement support in hospice.
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  • Homegrown Hero (July 24, 2018) Sergeant Shelia Malec

    Sergeant Shelia Malec, of the United States Air Force enlisted in 1985 as a cryptographic repairman and cross-trained at the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and became a special agent in 1989. She served in support of Operation Desert Storm and through the Gulf War until 1994 and is now a senior investigator at the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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  • Homegrown Hero (July 18, 2018) Specialist 6 Joyce Rudquist

    In 1973, Specialist 6 Joyce Rudquist enlisted in the United States Woman’s Army Corp as a nurse. She was based out of the Martin Army Hospital in Columbus, Georgia where she did medivac missions and worked with patients whose wounds needed daily treatments. After her time in active duty, she worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs until her retirement in 2002.
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  • Homegrown Hero (July 15, 2018) Specialist Shantia Hutchinson

    In 2011, Specialist Shantia Hutchinson of the Minnesota Army National Guard enlisted in the Army on active duty where she attended Airborne School prior to being stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina as a mechanic. She was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After 4 years of active duty, she transferred to the Minnesota Army National Guard.
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  • Homegrown Hero (July 13, 2018) Staff Sergeant Lucinda Barth

    Staff Sergeant Lucinda Barth of the Minnesota Army National Guard enlisted in the Army in 2001 where she was stationed in Hawaii and then deployed to Iraq in 2004. After returning home in 2005 she joined the army reserves and then in 2007 transferred to the National Guard where she was deployed again in 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
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  • Homegrown Hero (July 5, 2018) Carolyn Hardwick

    Carolyn Hardwick enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1975 where she served for 24 years. In 1986, she deployed to Honduras as an operation room technician during an operation to open a new hospital.
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  • Homegrown Hero (July 3, 2018) Private First Class Kayla Steen

    Private First Class Kayla Steen enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard in 2015 where she attended basic training at Fort Jackson. Upon graduation, she was stationed at Fort Lee and now serves at the HSC 834th Aviation Support Battalion as a culinary specialist.
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  • Homegrown Hero (June 29, 2018) Corporal Lindsey Erdmann

    In 2012, Corporal Lindsey Erdmann of the United States Marine Corps was deployed with the 24th Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East, Albania and Spain where she served as a supply administrative clerk and fiscal chief. She received a Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal in 2013 and last year she won the Veterans’ Voice Award for continuing to serve her community by advocating for women veterans’ issues and creating a space for their stories to be heard.
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  • Homegrown Hero (June 26, 2018) Lieutenant Colonel Lori James

    Retired Lieutenant Colonel Lori James of the United States Army Reserves spent 30 years with the military starting in 1976 and has held many positions over the years including radio teletype operator, signal officer, instructor trainer and adjutant general with the North Dakota National Guard, the Minnesota National Guard and the Army Reserves. She is now an early childhood special educator for the St. Paul Public Schools.
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  • Homegrown Hero (June 19, 2018) Lieutenant Colonel Erika Cashin

    Lieutenant Colonel Erika Cashin who founded the ‘Lean In’ Military Chapter, creating a women’s employee resource group for the largest employer in the world. In 2016, she launched a similar program for women veterans and currently also serves on the Secretary of the Air Force’s Barrier Analysis Working Group Women’s Initiative Team where she has partnered with the VA to provide a new transition assistance program for women separating from service.
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  • Homegrown Hero (June 16, 2018) Senior Airman Jee Taylor

    Senior Airman Jee Taylor enlisted in the Air Force in 2007 as a Command Post Controller and deployed in 2011 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Currently she is attending grad school to become a teacher and is also the only female officer in the Student Veterans Association at the University of Minnesota.
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  • Homegrown Hero (June 1, 2018) Sergeant Richelle Couillard-Nelson

    Retired Sergeant Richelle Couillard-Nelson enlisted in the Army Reserves in 2002 as an automated logistical specialist. She deployed to Iraq where she received numerous awards for her efforts during wartime, including the Army commendation medal, the good conduct medal and the national defense service medal. Her final unit assignment was with the 644th regional support group where she completed her enlistment in 2010.
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  • Homegrown Hero (May 23, 2018) Colonel Carol Lohman

    In 2009, Colonel Carol Lohman retired from the Air Force after serving 30 years in combined active and reserve service. She entered the Air force in 1979 and has served in several air force units in Ohio, Minnesota, and Nebraska. She has participated in exercises in England and Denmark and deployed twice to southwest Asia in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Currently, she works as a civil servant for the 934th Airlift Wing as the Chief of the Contracting Office.
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  • Homegrown Hero (May 20, 2018) Lieutenant Tara Ann Schwinghammer

    Lieutenant Tara Ann Schwinghammer of the United States Navy who was one of 30 college students selected to teach at the Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando. While teaching, she brought to light several inconsistencies in reactor plant manuals and improved 30-year-old text books. She received numerous awards including the Navy Achievement Medal during her service and this past year she served as Minnesota State Disabled American Veteran’s chaplain.
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