Allen Named Veteran of the Month and Morse Named Veteran Supporter of the Month – October 2020

We congratulate Norman Allen for being named Veteran of the Month and Belinda Morse being named Veteran Supporter of the month of October.

Allen is a Vietnam Veteran who served in a weapons platoon with the 3rd Marine Division.

Allen has been a committed and supportive member of the veteran community in northern Nevada. He is an active member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Nevada Honor Flight, and United Veterans Legislative Council. As an active member of the veteran community, he has held leadership positions with VFW Chapter 9211 and VVA Chapter 989. In his roles with the VVA, he supported his Chapter’s efforts with the Veterans Guest House, Northern Nevada Veterans Home, and the Chapter’s, veteran scholarship.

In 2017, Allen was an active participant in the Northern Nevada Native American Honor Flight that brought together Native American Veterans from WWII to the present. During the 2019, Legislative Session, he worked as unpaid lobbyist to support the interest of veterans and active duty service members. He volunteers as a board member for the Veteran Development Group, pairing veterans with employers and assist veterans with resume writing and interviewing skills. In his capacity as an attorney, he has worked in support of the Office of Military Legal Assistance providing pro bono legal services to Nevada’s veterans and active duty family members. This dedication to community also extends outside of the veteran community, where he works with Nevada Legal Services to provide pro bono legal services to individuals in need.

Morse is the president and one of the founding members of Honor Flight Southern Nevada. Before that, she was a volunteer for Honor Flight Nevada and a volunteer at the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home (SNSVH) in Boulder City. Morse learned about Honor Flight when her children’s great grandfather had the opportunity to participate in a flight. Afterwards, she began volunteering with Nevada Honor Flight of Reno. She soon realized that a second branch was needed to support all the veterans from the greater Las Vegas area. Upon this realization, she worked with partners to organize Honor Flight Southern Nevada in 2013. She has since been tasked with fundraising for the trips and organizing reunion luncheons for the attendees. She works with Quilts of Valor, a group that makes military themed quilts and photo albums.

The Veteran of the Month is awarded to veterans across Nevada who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, specifically with respect to volunteer work in support of veterans and the military. The Veteran Supporter of the Month award recognizes both organizations and non-veteran Nevada community members who support military members stationed in Nevada, Nevada veterans, and their families. Both programs shine a bright light on individuals and organizations that help military members, veterans, and their families with no expectation of recognition or award.

Due to the risk of coronavirus exposure, special ceremonies to honor and recognize the VOM and VSM are postponed until it is safe to resume them once again.

Veteran of the Month – Guidelines and Nomination Forms

The Veteran of the Month (VOM) award recognizes Nevada veterans who contribute their time and energy to support veterans, their communities and/or the military. View the VOM guidelines and and nomination form.

Veteran Supporter of the Month

The Veteran Supporter of the Month (VSM) Award recognizes both active organizations and non-veteran Nevada community members that provide exceptional support to military stationed in Nevada, Nevada veterans, and their families. View for VSM guidelines and nomination form.