Photo By Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh | Two Minnesota National Guard Soldiers were among five reserve component service...... read more read more
Subscribe
Two Minnesota National Guard Soldiers were among five reserve component service members who received the American Legion’s Outstanding National Guard and Reserve Service Member Award during the organization’s fall conference in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Oct. 24, 2025. The award is presented to service members who make a difference in both their military branch and in their communities.
“Leadership and community involvement are two things that we look for,” said Jim Kellogg, the American Legion national security and foreign relations chairman. “They’re all eligible to be members of our organization and one of our main objectives is to find out what we can do to help support them in their various military roles.”
Sgt. Derek Kulla, a UH-60 Black Hawk repairer assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment and Spc. Christopher Herrington, a network communications systems specialist assigned to Charlie Company, 834th Aviation Support Battalion were recognized during the conference.
“It’s been an honor to be able to serve,” Kulla said during the ceremony. “I am grateful to be recognized and be here today with everyone.”
Kulla enlisted in 2016 as a carpentry and masonry specialist. He later deployed to the Middle East with the 851st Vertical Engineer Company in 2018. Throughout his career, Kulla has served on several state and federal missions. In 2020, he was activated again for both Operation Safety Net and support to the state’s long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 response efforts. In 2021, Kulla served in Washington D.C., during the 59th presidential inauguration.
More recently, Kulla has volunteered as a hunting guide during the Disabled Veteran Deer Hunt held at Camp Ripley Training Center, where he mentored and assisted a veteran in the field for three days of hunting.
“Being able to connect with another veteran one-on-one was inspiring,” said Kulla, a Farmington native. “I enjoyed sharing my hunting knowledge to help him and allow him to be in nature, doing something he hasn’t been able to do since his injury 12 years ago. Seeing the joy it brought him made it all worthwhile.”
While Kulla has spent nearly a decade serving the state and nation, one of Minnesota’s newer Soldiers is also making a strong impression. Herrington is a Saint Paul native who enlisted in 2022.
“Herrington represents the very best of today’s enlisted force,” said 1st Sgt. Ross Johnson, the senior enlisted leader of Charlie Company, 834th Aviation Support Battalion and Herrington’s nominator. “In the past 12 months alone, [his] contributions have been formally recognized through the award of two Army Commendation Medals.”
The other service members who were recognized were Marine Sgt. Joseph Terwey, assigned to Detachment Support Company, 4th Law Enforcement Battalion, Air Force Tech Sgt. Scott Kosmatka, assigned to the 934th Airlift Wing, and Navy Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 1st Class Brittney Aarness, assigned to the Navy Reserve Center in Fargo.
“This is a way to show respect from those who served to those who are serving,” said Amy Larsen, the American Legion 3rd district commander and award committee member.
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2025 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 552246 |
| Location: | ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Service beyond the uniform: Minnesota National Guard Soldiers honored by American Legion, by SSG Mahsima Alkamooneh, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
