We’d like to add our voice to the chorus of congratulations directed toward Howard Seid of Rockland in Ontonagon County for being named Upper Peninsula Veteran of the Year.

Plans are to honor him at a ceremony on Thursday at the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba.

Seid has been called the Swiss army knife of veteran’s volunteers, meaning he does so much. We agree.

For example, Seid has been the western U.P. representative for the Veteran’s Community Action Team (VCAT) since 2016. He has worked on numerous individual issues with community veterans. For example, he worked with a veteran who had stage 4 cancer and needed a special chair so he could sit and sleep in comfort during his last days. Howard not only raised the money for the chair, but he also purchased, delivered, and set-up the chair for the veteran. The veteran was able to sleep and sit comfortably and safely for the last four months of his life due to his efforts.

Seid also drives the DAV van to the VA Hospital in Iron Mountain and works as the instructor for teaching new drivers as well as advocating for new volunteers. As an active member of the Ontonagon County Veterans Association, he attends most military funerals in Ontonagon County, serving as the rifle squad commander or as the commander presenting the US flag to the next of kin.

In 2023, Seid planned and organized a veteran outreach event for Ontonagon County.

Seid is the vice-chairman of the VCAT Steering Committee and is responsible for the administration of grant money given to the VCAT. In the last two years, he worked with the team giving over $265,000 in food cards to veterans across the U.P.

He is currently working on dispersing another $110,000 in grant money for July. He is part of a VCAT team, donating days of his time, to send over 1,200 letters with food cards and other veteran information to help veterans who have food disparities. He also manages all calls and messages from Western U.P. veterans who contact VCAT or UPCAP and he works with them one-on-one to answer their questions, solve their problems, or support their needs.

He is an amazing person and veteran volunteer. An honor well deserved.