SILVER DOLLARS AND WOODEN NICKELS: Nevada has always kept its guard up

The Nevada Appeal’s Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels feature recognizes achievements from the capital region and, when warranted, points out other acts that missed the mark.

While we’re always thankful for the Nevada National Guard, the Guard gives us two more reasons to be thankful for its commitment this week.

SILVER DOLLAR: To all those involved in The Nevada National Guard for its unveiling a tribute wall that commemorates the men and women from Nevada who have been deployed into combat zones since Operation Desert Storm. The wall was unveiled last week at the Office of the Adjutant General Friday morning in Carson City.

The wall’s message is simple, but appropriate where it states: “A Tribute to Nevada National Guard Combat Veterans: Operation Desert Storm/Shield Storm, August 7, 1990-February 28, 1991; Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan, September 11, 2001-December 31, 2014; Operation Iraqi Freedom, May 19, 2003-December 31, 2011.”

Underneath are displayed the names of all the platoons and 6,200 soldiers who were deployed during those wars from the Nevada Army National Guard and Air National Guard and the dates they were deployed and returned home.

Of course some didn’t make it home, paying the ultimate sacrifice, which is something we should obviously never forget.

SILVER DOLLAR: This past week also was an historic week for the Guard as Col. Joanne Farris became the first female brigade commander in Nevada Guard history.

SILVER DOLLAR: To Carson City’s Adam Whitt for being named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association Watch List for Stopper of the Year, putting him in contention to be named as the nation’s top relief pitcher. Whitt also receives a Silver Dollar for already tying the school single-season record for the Nevada baseball team with 13 saves as of this writing. So far this season as of this writing, Whitt has posted an outstanding 1.93 earned run average.

WOODEN NICKELS: Politicians continue to be an easy target in this week’s column. Assembly Judiciary Chairman Ira Hansen and Republican freshman Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman deserve a wooden nickel for their less-than-professional behavior during their recent feud. Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” also did a wonderful take on how our Congress and President Barack Obama all patted themselves on the back for simply doing what they were elected to do after they were able to pass a bipartisan Medicare reform bill. Stewart’s parody showed what it would be like if we all celebrated for simply doing our jobs the way these politicians did.