TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation honored three veterans with the Medal of Patriotism during the April meeting of the Council of the Cherokee Nation.
Christopher Michael Huitt of Porter and Luke Isaac Brown of Sand Point, Idaho, were recognized by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner, and Secretary of Veterans Affairs S. Joe Crittenden, acknowledging their service and sacrifice to their country. Daniel Lee Brown, a Navy veteran, was posthumously honored by the tribe.
Christopher Michael Huitt joined the United States Army on Jan. 14, 1997, as a military police officer. Huitt completed his basic training and advanced individual training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, with the Charley Company 795 MP Battalion 3rd Platoon. He was first assigned to Fort Myers, Virginia, with the Fort Myers MP Company. In July 1997, he was promoted to Private E-2 and was later promoted once more to Private First Class E-3 in that same year. In May 1998, Huitt was assigned to the Military District of Washington Provost Marshal’s Office as the operations driver, performing high status ceremonies. In September of 1998, he was promoted to Specialist E-4.
Huitt served as the lead escort into Arlington National Cemetery wreath ceremonies and a lead escort for two capital police officers who were killed in the line of duty in July of 1998. Huitt received orders and stationed at Camp Hialeah in Pusan, Korea, where he was part of the 522 MP battalion, 3 platoon as team lead. Huitt was part of a joint service training exercise with the Korean ROK Army. After Korea, Huitt received his last duty assignment for Fort Polk, Louisiana, and stationed until he was honorably discharged on Jan. 13, 2002. Huitt received the Army Achievement Medal (3rd award) and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
“It’s been an honor, this really touches me deep,” Huitt said. “I’m honored by our people and it’s an honor that I’ve made our people proud.”
Luke Isaac Brown joined the United States Army on June 2, 2017. Brown was assigned to the Military Intelligence Branch with qualifications he received from Basic Military Intelligence Officer course at Fort Huachuca in Arizona. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk, Louisiana, for the remainder of his service obligation. Brown served in various infantry battalion and brigade level intel positions including the Battalion S-2 for the combat support battalion. Brown was deployed to Iraq for Operation Inherent Resolve where he served over four months. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 1, 2021.
Luke Isaac Brown received the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal w/ C Device, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with Campaign Star.
“Thank you all for being here and honoring us today,” Luke Brown said. “It’s an honor to be able to stand in the ranks with everyone else.”
Daniel Lee Brown joined the United States Navy on June 8, 2004. He completed three combat tours in Afghanistan as a hospital corpsman assigned to the United States Marine Corps. Brown’s first tour to Afghanistan was with the 1st Marine Recon Battalion and the last two tours were served with the 1st MARSOC Battalion Raiders. Brown was a Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman and later rated as a Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman after completing the 18D Special Operations Medic course at Fort Bragg. He was temporarily honorably discharged early due to a traumatic brain injury suffered during combat action in Afghanistan and later permanently honorably discharged on Feb. 25, 2015. Daniel Lee Brown died on Aug. 1, 2022.
Daniel Lee Brown received the Purple Heart Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat V, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the GWOT Service Medal, the NATO Medal, and the Navy Rifle Expert Medal.
Daniel and Luke Brown’s mother Tanya Brown received the award on behalf of Daniel.
“I’m the Cherokee of the family and I just appreciate you honoring my offspring and inviting us to come and honoring us in this way,” she said.
Each month the Cherokee Nation recognizes Cherokee service men and women for their sacrifices and as a way to demonstrate the high regard in which all veterans are held by the tribe. Native Americans, including Cherokees, are thought to have more citizens serving per capita than any other ethnic group according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
To nominate a veteran who is a Cherokee Nation citizen, call 918-772-4166.