Published on Jun 13, 2011
Washington, DC - President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Jefferson Keel, well-known for his service to Indian Country and the United States, was inducted into the Military Memorial Museum Hall of Honor on today in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
The Military Museum Hall of Honor recognizes inpiduals whose achievements are exemplary, both military and civilian. Thus, this honor not only recognizes President Keel’s actions as an Army Ranger and artillery officer, but also as Lieutenant Governor of the Chickasaw Nation and President of NCAI, among many other positions.
“The professional and outstanding accomplishments of Captain Jefferson E. Keel reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, the Chickasaw Nation, the State of Oklahoma and the Nation,” according to the Museum.
Keel began his military service in 1963, when he enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard during his senior year of high school at the age of 16. He retired in 1989, as a Captain the United States Army after having served 22 years, 1 month and 20 days with distinction.
During his service, President Keel served as a Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Leader, both in peacetime and in combat. He served two extended tours of duty in the 1st Cavalry pision and the 101st Airborne pision in Vietnam and received numerous awards and decorations for heroism, including two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star with "V" for valor, and the Army Commendation Medal with valor.
The honor comes weeks after Keel laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day, in honor of the over one hundred thousand Native American veterans who have served in the US Armed Forces and the countless number who have been killed in the line of duty. Currently there are over 22,000 active duty American Indian and Alaska Native service members in the Armed Forces.
As the President of NCAI, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization, Keel serves on a variety of national boards. President Keel is one of nine commissioners to serve on Tribal Law and Order Commission established under the Tribal Law and Order Act in 2010. He was also recently invited to join the Board Advisors of the Center for Native American Youth, former Senator Byron Dorgan’s new organization created at the Aspen Institute.
In addition to being the current President of NCAI, he recently was reelected to another 4-year term as the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. Prior to his role as NCAI President, Keel served two 2-year terms as NCAI’s First Vice-President.
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