Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs

Minnesota Veteran - July

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Desk of the Commissioner - July

July has been an active although quiet month for the agency. Obviously, the Fourth of July enabled the Department to spend time with their family, enjoy the Minnesota weather, and also reflect on the day’s significance for our country. We must always be vigilant in remembering that freedom is not free!

Medals Presentation Ceremony for Minnesota WWII Veteran

A fallen Minnesota Veteran was honored on Thursday, July 6 more than 70 years after his death. Staff Sergeant Gerald “Jerry” Jacobson was reported missing in action in 1944 during World War II. Jacobson’s widow, Catherine Tauer spent decades wondering where he was. Last month, with help from Senator Amy Klobuchar, DNA tests confirmed that the remains buried in an unmarked grave in France were Jacobson’s. He died at age 27, shortly after his regiment landed on the beaches of Normandy.

Governor Mark Dayton Proclaims July “Hire a Veteran Month” in Minnesota

Lt. Governor Tina Smith provided remarks at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED) annual Minnesota Veterans Career Fair in Bloomington. The Veterans Career Fair connected nearly 200 employers with approximately 1,000 former and current military members. Governor Mark Dayton also issued a proclamation declaring the month of July to be “Hire a Veteran Month” in Minnesota. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith encourage all Minnesota employers to help connect military service members with employment opportunities during the month of July, and to continue hiring veterans throughout the year.