Georgia State Sen. Don Balfour, the current president of conference, and Nancy Cyr, legal counsel of the Nebraska Legislature and conference staff chairwoman, said Yumul and Towai will join other legislators and legislative staffers of the nation who will be honored for their commitment and dedication to serve their country in different battle zones like Iraq or Afghanistan.
“We plan to honor America’s civil soldiers — the men and women who serve their country both as state legislators or legislative staff and as members of the National Guard or Reserves called to active duty and deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and other parts of the world. We invite you to be on stage before an audience of several thousand legislators and legislative staff to receive NCSL’s National Medal of Civic Honor,” the two officials of the National Conference of State Legislatures told Yumul and Towai in separate letters.
Yumul said he’s honored but is unsure if he could make it to Kentucky.
Towai, a sergeant of the Echo-Company Detachment-1 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry Regiment, said he’s going to attend the summit to personally receive his Medal of Civic Honor.
A father of five, Towai’s 26-year-old daughter is also serving the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
He said his family appreciates the recognition.
Towai was deployed to Balad, a city north of Baghdad, Iraq’s capital, from 2004 to 2006.
He was assigned to the combat unit whose responsibilities included watching polling stations and ballots transported to the canvassing areas.
In 2005, Towai narrowly escaped death when their convoy of vehicles was hit by improvised explosive devices.
The incident claimed the lives of Sgt. Wilgene Lieto, 28, and Army Specialist Jeff Derrence Jack, 32.
Towai said he wants to share the Medal of Civic Honor with all the Iraq war casualties and other U.S. soldiers.
Towai still wears a metal bracelet bearing the names of Lieto and Jack, which he said is his way of honoring their patriotism.
