The hall recognizes distinguished CT veterans who have made significant contributions to their communities after leaving military service.
Vincent Salzo, Patch Staff
HAMDEN, CT — A Hamden resident is among the 14 veterans selected as part of the 20th class of honorees for induction into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Tuesday.
The hall is the state’s official tribute recognizing former members of the United States Armed Forces who are from Connecticut and have continued making significant impacts in their communities after leaving military service.
This year’s class will be celebrated during an induction ceremony that will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23 in the Gold Star Families Memorial Auditorium on the campus of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs in Rocky Hill.
“There are so many veterans from Connecticut who have continued their generosity even after leaving military service by volunteering in their communities and providing leadership that has helped improve the lives of others in many ways,” Lamont said in a statement. “The Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame is a way we can celebrate the many veterans in our state who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and have truly made a lasting impact. I congratulate the 14 veterans who are being inducted this year and I thank each of them to everything they have provided to our nation and the State of Connecticut.”
The local inductee is (biography prepared by the state):
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Conley F. Monk, Jr. of Hamden (United States Marine Corps)
Conley Ferandus Monk, Jr. was born on September 20, 1948, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He is the oldest of nine children and one of four veterans in his family, including his father, who served in World War II.
After volunteering to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps and serving in Vietnam, Mr. Monk returned home with a less-than-honorable discharge. He spent 45 years fighting to remove this stigma. Upon speaking with other Vietnam veterans who had suffered similar injustices, he decided to organize the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress (NVCFLR). The primary mission of the organization was to empower veterans to upgrade their discharges. Under his leadership, the organization played a pivotal role in the Chuck Hagel memo and was the lead plaintiff in the Magus v. Monk class-action lawsuit, resulting in a mandate allowing Vietnam veterans with PTSD the opportunity to have their discharges upgraded. Mr. Monk also participated in numerous nationwide class-action lawsuits, press conferences, and television appearances, all aimed at bringing attention to not only his case but also those of other veterans facing similar challenges.
Seven years ago, Mr. Monk’s discharge was upgraded to honorable. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with a Rifle Marksman Badge.
Although his personal battle has been won, Mr. Monk remains a dedicated advocate for veterans dealing with discharge issues, PTSD awareness, and other wartime-related diseases. He is a born-again child of God, a loving husband, and a proud father of six children, fourteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Administered and sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and the Connecticut Military Department on behalf of the Office of the Governor, the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 2005 and inducts a new class annually. With the addition of this year’s class, there will now be 215 honorees inducted.
The focus of the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame is on veterans’ service to their communities after they have left military service. Many of the honorees are veterans who have been leaders in a variety of areas, such as the arts, education, public service, volunteer organizations, and community and business leadership.
The honorees are nominated throughout the year by members of the public, and then a committee – consisting of the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, the adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard, members of the legislature’s Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, and a group of veterans from the state – reviews the nominations and selects inductees.
To be eligible, nominees must have been born in Connecticut or resided in the state for a minimum of five years. They must also meet the definition of a “veteran” under Connecticut General Statutes § 27-103 and have received an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces. The submitted nomination package must contain the completed nomination form, the veteran’s discharge documents, and a detailed narrative of the veteran’s community and/or public service at the local, state, and/or national level and the veteran’s contributions to the community at large.
For information on how to nominate a veteran for a future class of inductees, and to read the names and biographies of previous inductees, visit here.
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