Photo By John Hughel | Oregon National Guard Gen. (ret.) Daniel R. Hokanson, the former Adjutant General of...... read more read more
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During an evening of celebration and commemoration, six Oregon military veterans were inducted into the 2026 Oregon Military Hall of Honor during a formal ceremony held at Camp Withycombe in Happy Valley, Oregon, on April 18, 2026, in recognition of their acts of heroism and exceptional service to the nation.
The six inductees, all of whom served in the active duty Army, and some with the Oregon Army National Guard, are Specialist 5th Class Carston R. "Bud" Calkin, Sergeant First Class Riley E. Lott, Jr., Command Sergeant Major Brunk Conley, Major Charles "Larry" Diebert, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard DeWitt, and General Daniel R. Hokanson.
"The men chosen for this year's Oregon Military Hall of Honor have shown acts of valor 'above and beyond the call of duty,' as well as exceptional post-service contribution in the community or state," said Daniel Lacy, a member of the Forward Assist Board of Directors and the Master of Ceremonies for the event.
Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Conley and Gen. (ret.) Hokanson both started their careers on active duty before joining the Oregon National Guard. They addressed the audience, describing their military careers that took them to the highest levels of service at the Pentagon. Spc. 5 Carston, Sgt. 1st Class Lott, Maj. Diebert and Lt. Col. DeWitt were honored posthumously by friends, family, and fellow veterans.
Command Sergeant Major Brunk W. Conley induction
"This story is about the Oregon National Guard, and the organization that I learned to love," Conley said. "I became a team leader as I focused on being a guardsman and citizen-soldier."
Conley, who is from Sublimity, Oregon, served in uniform for over 35 years and became the 10th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard. He was honored for his leadership and dedication to both the National Guard and the state of Oregon. On June 26, 2024, at Fort Moore, Georgia, he was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame as the first Ranger to serve as Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard, representing more than 300,000 enlisted soldiers.
After leaving active duty, he served as an infantry soldier in the Oregon National Guard, starting as a scout section leader with the 1-249th Tow Light Anti-Tank unit in Silverton. He later became a squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment in Tigard, and then a platoon sergeant with E Company, 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment.
After ten years of service and reaching the rank of Staff Sgt., he decided it was finally time to focus on his civilian career as a high school physics and chemistry teacher, while also coaching the football and baseball teams. However, a conversation with his wife, Laura, and their five sons, he said, "changed our whole lives."
"I said, honey, I am at 10 years now, and I am ready to spend more time together," Conley told the audience, reflecting on that moment. "I expected to hear, 'Oh, that's great.' Well, she said, 'that weekend you go to guard (training) we get to sleep in, watch cartoons… and not have someone dragging us through a list of things'," he said, laughing along with everyone else in the auditorium.
At that point, he knew it was time to 'step up' and decided to fully commit to his military career.
"I told myself, I am gonna' study. I'm gonna' shoot expert, I'm gonna' max my PT (Physical Fitness Test), I'm gonna' be the State's Army Sergeant Major."
Along the way, Conley earned a bachelor's degree in education from Western Oregon University and a master's in political science from American Military University. He later deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan with the Oregon Guard's 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment and the 41st Brigade Combat Team, respectively, leading infantry battalions in combat. As he predicted, in 2008, he was appointed the state's command sergeant major.
"It really is about the organization. They could have 'thrown me away a couple of times,' and I would have gone on my own and had a good civilian career," he said in closing. "Yet, the organization helped draw me back into the experience - when I missed the experience."
General Daniel R. Hokanson induction
In his introduction as the Master of the ceremony, Lacy painted a vivid portrait of Hokanson's remarkable journey, which began with his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1986 and culminated in his role as the 29th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, retiring in a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia, on August 2, 2024.
As a Master aviator, Hokanson logged more than 2,600 flight hours and nearly 100 air rescue and firefighting missions throughout the Pacific Northwest. His service took him from major deployments with Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama to Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan, where he served as Chief of Staff for Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, and to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, commanding the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He served as the 30th Adjutant General of the State of Oregon from August 2013 to August 2015.
"The first thing is this – the importance of why we're here tonight," Hokanson said as he began his remarks, touching on the generations of valiant volunteers who have worn the nation's uniform. "As many of you are familiar, there is only one percent of our nation that serves in the military, and 99 percent haven't. So if we lose that connectivity to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and now our Space Guardians, we're not really doing our nation any favors."
Embracing the notion of storytelling, Hokanson emphasized how the Hall of Honor ceremony brings hidden stories to light and bonds generations. "In our midst, there are heroes not only on the fields of battle, but for what they have done at home and in their communities. We need to continue to tell these stories."
His own strong sense of community engagement was pivotal in his assignment as Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
During his four-year tenure at the Pentagon, Hokanson spent substantial time abroad, reflecting his strong commitment to the State Partnership Program. He played a key role in expanding the program to include six new partner nations: Finland, Palau, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Sweden, and Tanzania. These partnerships focus on security cooperation. In addition, they include humanitarian assistance and training with partner nations to enhance emergency management readiness.
Over time, these new nations are combined with other U.S. States and territories' National Guard units, working in concert with the Department of Defense and the State Department.
"The pairing of a state with a nation is not random," Hokanson asserted in March 2024. "Demographics, economics, and military size and composition are all factored in. This helps establish a sense of commonality and to make the partnerships beneficial for both parties."
These lasting partnerships he helped forge reflect his nearly forty years of national service; his dedication, inspired by those who served before him, demonstrates a clear continuity of purpose.
Looking back, Hokanson, who grew up in Happy Camp, California, shared that both his father and grandfather served in the National Guard, though they rarely spoke about it. He was also inspired by two other people when he was young. One was Ray Knudsen, the janitor at his elementary school, who served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. The other, he said, was Jim Morrison, an infantryman "who was badly injured in Korea, who came back home to Happy Camp, and continued to serve the community."
"So, it wasn't until they came out with the 'Pearl Harbor Survivor' license plates that I realized he had served on a small ship during the attack," Hokanson said, describing Knudsen's humility. "He was quiet, always put together, an extremely hard worker, and now and then, would keep the kids in line and give a little bit of recommendations on what you should do."
Hokanson once more emphasized that veterans, especially from the WWII and Korea generations, often kept their stories locked away, seldom sharing them with others.
"I always wonder how many kids in our town even knew that (their military history). They were widely respected because of who they were, but they didn't really tell their story," he said. "Looking at the divide across the country now, we need to remind folks our nation is what it is because of those men and women – because of what they have done and the sacrifices they've made."
Hokanson and his wife, Kelly, embrace this responsibility personally, as all three of their adult children are currently serving on active duty in the Army and Air Force. Kelly has devoted nearly three decades to assisting military service members and their families, particularly through the United Service Organizations. She served on the USO Service Council and previously sat on the board for USO Northwest.
"I like the example that each of us sets. There are a lot of people that I really need to thank, because who I became, and the opportunities I was given, are directly reflective of that," he said in summarizing his remarks. "I worked with such amazing people. They inspired me to work even harder – to become better and try and set a good example."
Major Charles "Larry" Diebert's induction
One of those influential leaders for Hokanson was Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, a highly decorated military leader who served as the Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard for a total of 17 years across three different tenures. After retiring from the military in 2013, he concluded his years of national service as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Training, Readiness, and Mobilization from 2014 to 2019. Rees was in attendance to honor many of his former service members, but specifically, his friend and fellow Vietnam veteran, Maj. (ret.) Charles "Larry" Diebert on his induction into the Hall of Honors.
"It's a great pleasure to be able to speak on behalf of the Diebert family and accept this honor on behalf of Larry Diebert," Rees said as he began his tribute. "To me, Larry was representative of the vast majority of Vietnam veterans. "That tens of thousands of those veterans served their nation, and returned to become productive members of society and leaders in their communities."
As the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on September 10, 1967, over the skies of Vietnam, Rees reiterated the action Diebert took that day, supporting the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, "where 20 Marines were pinned down in a bomb crater, near Con Thien… along the northernmost part of what was then South Vietnam."
"They were under heavy, cross-border artillery fire and engaged in a vicious fight against two regiments of North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces," Rees said, describing the seven hours of unrelenting battle. "Despite this extreme danger, then Captain Diebert flew his Cessna O-1 Bird Dog and survived intense anti-aircraft fire to call in air support and artillery strikes while continually identifying enemy concentrations on the ground."
While Deibert used his limited supply of rockets to destroy an NVA machine gun, he also led a helicopter rescue team to help wounded and fallen Marines. For his bravery that day, he received the United States Army's second-highest award for heroism in combat. Today, he is known as Oregon's most decorated aviator, having flown 570 combat missions and awards including two Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Vietnam Crosses for Gallantry, a Bronze Star, and two Meritorious Service Medals.
Diebert began his military career by initially enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1956. Two years later, he joined the Oregon National Guard. He attended Officer Candidate School, flight school, jump school, and jungle survival school before volunteering for service in Vietnam in 1966. Overall, he served in the Oregon Army National Guard for 15 years and in the Army Reserve for an additional 5 years.
"On August 28, 2010, the Oregon National Guard had the honor of dedicating the aviation operations facility in Salem to Larry for his heroism. Much of the Audience was composed of Marines from the 3-26th, who attested to his courage and his life-saving heroics," Rees said, highlighting Diebert's lasting impact on the Oregon National Guard. The facility now serves as the headquarters for the Oregon Army National Guard's 2-641st Aviation Battalion and 102nd Civil Support Team.
Along with being inducted into the Oregon Military Hall of Honor, Diebert was added to the Evergreen Museum Hall of Honor in 2013, which recognizes outstanding people in Oregon aviation. He served as National Commander of the Legion of Valor from 2001 to 2002. After retiring from the military, he served as the civilian aide to the U.S. Secretary of the Army for Oregon from 2003 to 2017.
After Diebert passed away on March 13, 2024, he was laid to rest with full military honors at Willamette National Cemetery in Clackamas on May 17. He spent his last two years in Spokane, Washington, but lived most of his life in the Columbia River Gorge area. Diebert graduated from Wy'East High School in Odell and went on to study at Hood River Community College and Portland State University.
"He was a patriot dedicated to serving his country and his community, be it in uniform or civilian clothes. To many of us, Larry was a legend," Rees said, in closing his remarks. "A Citizen-Soldier to the core. A great American. A great American Soldier. An Oregon Guardsman, Marine, publisher, and too many of us, the simple words – 'Well done Charles Diebert, well done.'"
Lieutenant Colonel Leonard C. DeWitt's induction
With his induction into the Hall of Honor, Lt. Col. Leonard DeWitt was also praised for his courage in combat during World War II in the Pacific Theater of Operations. After enlisting in the Oregon National Guard in Bend at age 18, he was called back to active duty following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
"Against advancing enemy forces, and recognizing their intent to mass and attack an American position, Dewitt took immediate action, engaging the enemy with available weapons and continued in the fight, even after exhausting his ammunition," Lacy said, reading sections of Sergeant Leonard C. DeWitt's military citation for his action against Japanese forces in New Guinea on July 28, 1943 while serving with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division, United States Army.
As the battle intensified, DeWitt recalled a grenade flying toward him. As he took cover, he dove to the ground, only to tumble into a ravine, and landed between two Japanese soldiers, where he resorted to fighting them in close combat with his bayonet. Afterward, he crawled back up the hillside, then threw his helmet into the ravine. The Japanese soldiers, thinking it was a satchel charge, ran in fear of a massive explosion.
"His actions disrupted the attack and forced the enemy to retreat, demonstrating extraordinary courage under extreme conditions, and he was nominated in 1944 by the commanding general of the Sixth Army for the Congressional Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism in action," Lacy said.
The nomination was reduced to the Distinguished Service Cross upon review by General Douglas MacArthur. For more than 80 years, efforts to appropriately recognize the decorated war hero have continued.
Before his own passing on May 11, 2019, Robert D. Maxwell, Oregon's only living World War II recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, actively advocated for DeWitt's cause. In January 2014, he drafted a letter urging Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden to support the initiative to upgrade DeWitt's Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor.
In his letter to Senator Wyden, Maxwell emphasized that DeWitt's recognition would represent "the first Medal of Honor awarded to the 41st Infantry Division." The 41st had seen some of the toughest fighting in the Pacific but had never received or been credited with a Medal of Honor recipient. During the ceremony, Lacy spoke about the ongoing effort to correct the historical record, noting that these attempts continued even after DeWitt died on June 18, 2016.
To accept the award in his honor, Oregon National Guard Brig. Gen. (ret.) Steve Beach, the former Assistant Adjutant General – Army, and his wife, Chief Warrant Officer 4 (ret.) Diane Beach took the opportunity to fill in more of his story and read through some prepared notes, standing in for Leonard DeWitt's wife, Joanne, who was home recovering from a broken foot.
"She was very proud of him and always loved to tell his story," Diane said, as she began to read Joanne's message. "Leonard was a humble man and was liked by everyone he met. He was born in Cherokee, Kansas, but spent his early years in Oklahoma, spending most of his time on his grandparents' farm. His grandfather, a U.S. Marshall, had a reputation for being tough, and taught him how to handle a gun at an early age."
But, like many families devastated by the Dust Bowl in the 1930's, the DeWitt family made their way to California and Oregon. By the time he was 16, according to Joanne's letter, he had dropped out of school to support himself through odd jobs, which included breaking wild horses, working as a lumberjack, and hunting black rabbits.
Her note detailed a monumental moment in Leonard's military career. "One day, in 1938, when living near Bend, Oregon, Leonard heard a lot of shooting going on near town. He went to investigate and found soldiers from the Oregon National Guard practicing with their new Springfield Rifles. Fascinated, they let him shoot, and that was it, he was all in!"
He would join the 41st Division that day, according to Joanne, his enlistment came with $21.00 a month, plenty of food, and, of course, one of the new Springfield rifles.
After WWII, he returned to Bend and began working in construction, only to be called back into action with the 7th Cavalry during the Korean War. Once again, just as he had in the fierce battles of New Guinea years earlier, DeWitt faced the enemy without hesitation, only to be seriously wounded when a grenade exploded near his position, sending shrapnel through his body, and he received the Purple Heart. He would spend three months recovering in a hospital in Japan before coming back to Bend and starting his own construction company.
As Diane Beach filled in more details about his military career through Joanne DeWitt's writings, Leonard would eventually be offered a special assignment by the Army in Germany, "working in Intelligence during the Cold War, where he spent four years and would learn to speak three additional languages."
Along the way, he obtained his commission and adopted two children. After Germany, he served at the headquarters with the Supreme Allied Command Atlantic (SACLANT). During the Vietnam War, he was assigned to the 1st Army, "in charge of Operations and Training for troops deploying across 16 states," Diane said, as she concluded reading his legendary biography.
At this point, Steven Beach interjected, saying, "I think now we will let Leonard speak for himself," and everyone laughed lightly as a short video featuring Leonard's narration, recorded several years before his passing, was played for the attendees. "So in his own words, let's listen to his story about his extraordinary day on the 28th of July, 1943," Beach said.
DeWitt's actions with the 41st Infantry Division illustrate why its members, who wore the golden setting sun shoulder patch, called themselves the "Jungleers." They engaged in more jungle combat in the Pacific than any other American unit in WWII.
Sergeant First Class Riley E. Lott, Jr., Induction
Sergeant First Class Riley E. Lott, Jr., of Springfield, Oregon, exemplified the ethos of jungle warfare. He served as a combat medic in Vietnam for five of his nine years in the military. Lott first gained experience in jungle medicine in Long An, treating individuals during the siege of the Special Forces team when the Civilian Irregular Defense Group turned against U.S. forces. He later served at camps in Hai Yen and Don Phuoc, where he often told his comrades that it was "the best time of my life."
Born in Rolling Bay, Washington, Lott was a member of the Lower Umpqua Tribe and later helped unite the Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw, and Coos Tribes. At 16, he altered his birth certificate to enlist as a medic. When basic training personnel discovered his scheme, they sent him home to wait until his 17th birthday, after which he became one of the youngest soldiers to complete Special Forces Training as a Combat Medic.
Lott was inducted into the Oregon Military Hall of Honor following his posthumous induction as a Distinguished and Honorary Member of the Special Forces Regiment in April 2023, recognizing his unwavering and selfless service to Special Operations Forces Soldiers. At both ceremonies, his close friend Steve Cornacchia accepted the award on his behalf.
"We are here tonight to honor one of our brothers. Riley was the quintessential Green Beret. He was one of many Oregonians who made remarkable contributions to America and the U.S. Military," Cornacchia said.
Among numerous confident actions, Cornacchia noted that Lott worked with Cambodian forces to rebuild the abandoned Special Forces camp at To Chau and clear areas around the camps at Cai Cai and My Dien II. "During this time, he treated many, including myself, for injuries sustained because of booby traps and mines," Cornacchia said.
There, he spent most of his time living with, fighting with, treating, and training the Cambodian strikers that made up the Mobile Strike Force Command, also known as the MIKE Force, and their families. In Don Phuoc, he immersed himself in the lives and fortunes of the IV Corps MIKE Force, whom he helped convince to join forces with the U.S. to fight the communists.
"He spent over five years of his military service in Vietnam. Four of those were continuous. He didn't come home. He stayed there for four straight years," Cornacchia said. These continuous tours lasted from 1964 to 1968, followed by another tour after a one-year break.
His extraordinary time in Vietnam resulted in 3 Bronze Stars with "V" device, an ARCOM with "V" device, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (all for bravery in combat), the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, ten Overseas Bars, the Army Commendation Medal, the Combat Medical Badge, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
Lott embodied the core values of special operations forces and positively influenced those around him during and after his military service. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Oregon and continued to serve others.
"Yet his service did not end with wearing the uniform," Lacy noted in his opening formal induction remarks about Lott's post-military career. "For more than 50 years after leaving the army, SFC Lott continued to serve others, opening his home to homeless and terminally ill veterans, providing transportation and hosting weekly gatherings that built a lasting community and support for other veterans."
Lott passed away on August 29, 2021, and was buried at the Willamette National Cemetery with full military honors the following month on September 22.
"One of several Green Berets of Native American descent, Riley E. Lott, Jr. lived an extraordinary life of charity and courage that few men can truly understand, and even fewer can duplicate," Conracchia said about his Special Forces friend. "Lott left a legacy of how to live the special operations core values."
Specialist 5th Class Carston R. "Bud" Calkin Induction
"Specialist Carston R. Calkin represents a rare and powerful combination of military service, technical innovation, and lifelong dedication to saving lives both on and off the battlefield," Lacy said, with the formal introduction of Calkin into the class of 2026 Hall of Honor. "A veteran of the United States Army and the National Guard, Calkin served as a combat medic and later as a dental laboratory specialist, including service in West Germany with the 86th Medical Detachment."
After enlisting, he trained at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. Later, he served at Fort Ord on Monterey Bay in California. He started as a combat medic, then became a dental technician, making bridges, crowns, and dentures. He also taught at the Dental Technology School.
After leaving the military, when Bud's sister got stuck on a design for a game hunting carrier she was working on, he suggested she change it into a rescue stretcher for injured people. When she didn't develop that idea, Bud took on the project himself. He redesigned it to be basically the Sked as it is today. For decades, medics and rescue teams used stretchers, also called litters, made of fabric or netting. Skedco makes litters from a strong but flexible plastic, making them small and light. The current versions can be dragged, floated, lifted by helicopter, and loaded onto vehicles for transportation.
"At his own expense, Bud traveled to combat zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan, to train soldiers in the use of his equipment, ensuring that innovation translated into saving lives," Lacy said, touching on the development of Calkin's Sked. "Specialist Bud Culkin's legacy is defined not only by what he has built, but the lives his work has saved. "His contributions and unwavering commitment to saving those in harm's way make him exceptionally deserving of induction into the Oregon Military Hall of Honor."
The Oregon Hall of Honor recognizes these six Oregonians for their 2026 induction, acknowledging their exemplary military service and their advancement in military programs, doctrine, or education. The recognition also encompasses major technical or strategic contributions that have had a substantial impact on military technology, strategy, or acquisitions.
Forward Assist, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit in Oregon, sponsored the Oregon Hall of Honor ceremony. Founded by combat-injured veterans and supporters, the group helps veterans, first responders, and their families. They support service members as they transition to new chapters in life, offering tailored events and addressing individual needs. Activities include outdoor adventures, relationship-building events, outreach, and guidance through government systems like the Veterans Administration. The organization is run entirely by volunteer board members and has no paid staff.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2026 14:37 |
| Story ID: | 563545 |
| Location: | HAPPY VALLEY, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
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