Carson City Marine honored with Veteran of the Month

A Carson City veteran was honored Tuesday morning for his service to the community as the Nevada Veteran of the Month.

Gov. Brian Sandoval recognized Frank Reynolds, a 20-year Marine, for his contributions to veterans and their families by awarding him with Veteran of the Month in a ceremony, held at the Governor’s Mansion Tuesday.

Reynolds was instrumental in helping form the Carson City Veterans Community Council and helping include Vietnam Veterans with the Nevada Honor Flight.

“When the commission first selected him (for Veteran of the Month), I thought ‘Why Frank?’ then I thought, “Of course Frank Reynolds,’” said Katherine Miller, director of Nevada Department of Veteran Services. “He is one of those guys that you don’t realize how much he does until it is on paper.”

Through Reynolds’s work, he was able to spearhead the CCVCC earlier this year to bring together local organizations to help veterans. One of the major projects they have accomplished is the Veterans website on the carson.org page for veterans, service members and their families to access information easily and effectively. He also helped bring Vietnam Veterans into the Honor Flight program, which flies veterans to Washington, D.C to see their memorials. Reynolds also was involved in the Carson City Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 388 and was a Commandant of the Marine Corps Leagues.

“I am proud to call (Reynolds) my friend who is doing his best to make this world better for vets,” said Mayor Bob Crowell. “I can’t thank you enough for what you do for vets. Frank, they don’t come any better than you and you are just one heck of a guy.”

Reynolds was humble accepting the award, saying he couldn’t have done anything without the people around him accepting his ideas.

“I am honored, I never expected this and I didn’t do it because of the award, I had time and there was a need,” Reynolds said. “These are all good people in the state, I have never been told no, it is always ‘what can I do for you Frank?’… I wouldn’t have this, I would be banging my head against a wall without a lot of you in this room because I went to you with my ideas and you said ‘sure let’s do it.’”

For Reynolds, his job isn’t finished. He’s currently working on getting sponsorship to build a Veterans Museum in Carson City within the next five years.

Also honored at the ceremony was the Nevada Veterans Coalition, receiving the Veteran Support of the Month award, for its role in honoring fallen veterans.

The 50-person coalition supports the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley and provides military-funeral services to any veteran laid to rest at the ceremony. The coalition also provides the Unaccompanied Service for the unclaimed veterans laid to rest there every week. The coalition also provides services to veterans such as building homes and suicide prevention initiatives.

“They help us remember the legacy of Nevada Veterans,” Miller said. “Some people in the community may understand this part of what they do or that part of what they do, but they are truly the glue that holds this community together.”

Eleven people, members of the NVC Honor Guard, were present at the Governor’s Mansion to present the colors and accept the award on behalf of the coalition.

Also present at the ceremony were a number of local officials, including Assemblyman P.K. O’Neil, Sheriff Ken Furlong, Congressional representatives and Sandoval.

Sandoval has been instrumental in attempting to make Nevada one of the most veteran friendly states in the country, and his administration created this program in 2011, recognizing one Nevada veteran each month.

“I have a boundless respect for the men and women in the military,” Sandoval said. “… In Nevada, we respect our men and women in the military and we respect and appreciate their service and we remember, we always remember.”

Sandoval said he’s proud to have veterans and supporters like the ones honored Tuesday.

“For you to provide dignity and respect for those at the cemetery, it is something I cherish and respect,” Sandoval said.

“It is days like these that make me proud to be the governor of the state of Nevada. I look forward to this (ceremony) because I know you don’t do this for awards or recognition, you do it from the bottoms of your hearts.”