Lt. Colonel Brewer Honored at Chief Standing Bear Breakfast

From Congressman Fortenberry's Fort Report:

"I recently had the great privilege of speaking at the Chief Standing Bear Annual Breakfast in Omaha. This important annual event celebrates the life of the great Ponca chief, Chief Standing Bear, one of America’s first civil rights heroes.  I am very thankful to the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, its director Judi gaiashkibos, and the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska for carrying on the critical work of telling Chief Standing Bear’s story (learn more about Chief Standing Bear here).

Following the event, I was invited to participate in a ceremony honoring another Native American hero. Lieutenant Colonel Tom Brewer is a decorated military leader and a Lakota Sioux tribal member who grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. He was presented a special gift in his honor by Norma Blacksmith, an Oglala Lakota and Cheyenne tribal member and a celebrated teacher and quilt maker in her own right. You can view the presentation of the quilt in this short video.

Colonel Brewer is an outstanding individual. A remarkably skilled soldier and fearless leader, he’s been involved in nearly all aspects of battlefield operations. He’s planned missions, run M1 tanks, and flown Cobra gunships. He received the Purple Heart for his courageous actions on the “Bone Yard” battlefield in Afghanistan in 2003. His actions are detailed in this account by Indian Country Today Media Network.

Brewer also led disaster response efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, he’s been back to Afghanistan. In December 2011, he suffered serious injuries when a rocket-propelled grenade launched by Taliban insurgents struck his vehicle. As you can see from the video, Lt. Colonel Brewer is still recovering from those injuries.

His spirit to finish the fight is unyielding. He told me he’s ready to go back to Afghanistan as soon as he is physically able, and he told Indian Country: “I look at it more as just getting the job done. As much as I enjoy time home with the family, I also know that this mission is important because the clock is ticking. If we don’t get Afghanistan on its feet and moving forward and ready to take over operations, we may very well have spent all the blood and sweat and money on this war for naught.”

Lieutenant Colonel Brewer is not only a model military leader. He’s a leader in his community, and a role model to us all. It has been an honor for me to get to know him. Tom Brewer is another great example of the many individuals across our state whose contributions make Nebraska “the good life.” 

-Congressman Jeff Fortenberry

OWH Article: Hundreds Celebrate Standing Bear's Message

Published in the Omaha World Herald Sunday May 13, 2012:

"About 700 people attended the Chief Standing Bear Breakfast on Saturday at the Hilton Omaha. The event honors and celebrates Standing Bear's message of “equality before the law.”

This marked the first time the annual event, organized by the Nebraska Comission on Indian Affairs, was held in Omaha. It was held in conjunction with the Conference of the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts.

At the breakfast, these awards were presented:

Humanitarian Award — To Santee Sioux Chairman Roger Trudell, for his longtime service to the Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska, especially related to youth and senior citizen education, employment development and health initiatives.

Organizational Awards — To Native Daughters and Dreams of Eagles. Native Daughters is a collection of stories, profiles and multimedia projects produced by students in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications under professor Joe Starita. Dreams of Eagles was recognized for organizing cultural activities and classes to assist native people living in urban settings to maintain their cultural traditions.

2012 Chief Standing Bear $2,500 scholarships — Aaron Ashley, Princella Parker, Shauntel Upton and Ruben Zendejas.

2012 McDonald's Chief Standing Bear essay contest — Vanessa Laravie Rodriguez, Angel Strong, Patience Teboe and Hung Vo. In addition to prizes, their essays will be printed on McDonald's tray liners for use in restaurants across Nebraska."

Chief Standing Bear Breakfast Tickets Now on Sale!

The 2012 Chief Standing Bear Breakfast will be held on May 12th at 9:00 AM at the Hilton Hotel, 1001 Cass Street in Omaha, Nebraska.  Click here for more information and to purchase a ticket/table.  The Chief Standing Bear Scholarship application is also now available (click here to read more) and the McDonald's Chief Standing Bear Essay Contest is now open (click here to read more). 

2012 One Book One Nebraska: "I Am a Man"

Today at the Nebraska State Capitol Building, Governor Heineman signed a proclamation declaring: "One Book One Nebraska Reads 'I Am a Man': Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice" by Joe Starita encouraging Nebraskans to read and discuss the book.  Libraries and schools are promoting the book in Nebraskan educational and cultural institutions through book discussions and events across Nebraska.  The author was previously an investigative reporter and New York Bureau Chief for The Miami Herald, and is now a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Journalism and professor for the school's Native Daughters project.  He is pictured below with NCIA Executive Director Judi gaiashkibos.

Click here to read more.