Exceptional Dedication - Honoring Native Americans Veterans

Each year, in honor of Veterans Day, the Institute for American Indian Studies
in Washington Connecticut honors the exceptional military service of
Native Americans in a formal dedication. This year, the Institute is
once again inviting the public to participate in the program that will
honor three Native Americans whose passion and loyalty have helped to
make America what it is today on Sunday, November 14 at 12 noon.

The first honoree is Joseph A. Perry, Jr. (Eastern Pequot), a Vietnam
Veteran who enlisted in the United States Army in 1960. Upon his
Honorable Discharge as Sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Division in 1963,
he joined the Connecticut State Police in 1964, retiring in 1995 as
Deputy Commissioner/ Colonel Division of State Police.

In 1995 Joseph became the Director of Public Safety for the
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, retiring in 2011 as Inspector
General.

Throughout his career, Joseph has volunteered extensively, serving
several terms as a Tribal Councilor and Tribal Treasurer for the Eastern
Pequot Tribal Nation from 1996 through 2017. He also served on the
Board of Trustees and Corporators of Norwich Free Academy from 1992 to
2007.

Currently, Joseph serves on Tribal Honor Guard, is a Tribal
Ambassador and member of the Native American Heritage Advisory Council
(NAHAC). In addition, he serves as a Corporator at William W. Backus
Hospital, is on the Chairman Criteria Committee at the Connecticut Law
Enforcement Memorial Foundation, and is a High School Football Official
on the Eastern Connecticut Board of Approved Football Officials. Joseph
is the recipient of numerous awards, including the University of New
Haven Distinguished Alumni award, the Connecticut Chapter NAACP Lifetime
Achievement Award, and the Southeastern Connecticut Chapter National
Football Award - Distinguished American.

The second honoree is Albert E. Sargent, Sr., a second-generation
submarine sailor. Sargent is a descendent of the Shinnecock, Pequot,
Cherokee, and Pokanoket peoples, with ties to the Narragansett and
Nipmuc Native American communities. Sargent enlisted in the U.S. Navy in
April 1977. He first attended Radioman A School in San Diego, CA, and,
later switched to sub-school training in Groton, CT. He served on the
USS Trout SS566 and was later assigned to the USS Grayling SSN566
submarine in Charleston, SC, as a machinist mate. In April 1981 he was
transferred to the USS Casimir Pulaski SSBN-594, where he became Petty
Officer, Second Class. In 1984, he was given shore duty at the Sub
school in Groton, CT.

In 1987 Sargent was offered a submarine construction job at Electric
Boat in Groton, CT on the greatest FBM of its time, the USS Tennessee
SSBN-734. He served on board this vessel until 1991 as Petty Officer,
First Class. Offered shore duty again in Groton, CT at NSSF Naval
Submarine Support Facility, he supervised a group of sailors to service
the subs at homeport. Leaving the NSSF, Sargent was offered the
opportunity to serve on the USS Groton in 1994. While serving on the
Groton, he was selected for Chief Petty Officer and asked to serve two
more years, but having served twenty years, he declined. Sergent served
on the USS Groton from 1994 until his retirement in August 1997.

The third honoree is Dante Biss-Grayson, who served in the U.S.
military as a Senior Airman from 2000 to 2012. His active military duty
included seven combat tours in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Italy. In
addition to Department of Defense Contracting, he was part of the Crash,
Fire, and Rescue teams. He is trained in Emergency Management, Chem
Warfare, base defense, search and rescue, heavy rescue, aircraft rescue,
and inspection.

Today, Biss-Grayson is an Osage Artist that specializes in many media
including fine art, large abstract paintings as well as drawings,
installations, archetypes, abstract expressionism, expressionism, and
the creation of ribbon skirts. A recent and ongoing project is creating
poetry based on case files for missing and murdered indigenous women; to
date, he has written more than 70 poems. Biss-Grayson, a world traveler
will be at the Institute for American Indian Studies for the Veterans
Ceremony as well as for several special programs planned throughout the
weekend.

This outdoor ceremony will honor these individuals as well as all
veterans, Native and Non-Native that have served our country. Following
the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments. This
event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is requested.
Please call 860-868-0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS)

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through
archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. We have an outdoor
replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village, the award- winning Wigwam Escape,
and a Museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic
artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a
new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native
Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut.