- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (Navajo Gaming) will honor and celebrate veterans and veteran team members during a special Veterans Day program on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, at Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the Diné Event Center.
The program, titled “Honoring Our Veterans,” will open with a Presentation of Colors by the Chinle High School JROTC Color Guard, led by Sgt. Joseph DeLeon. The National Anthem will be performed by Kylie Jim, violinist and guitarist of August Remedy, followed by an invocation from Harry Clark (Haatalii) of Monument Valley, Utah.
Invited speakers include former Navajo Nation Chairman and Navajo Code Talker Peter MacDonald, Council Delegate Otto Tso, and Percy Piestewa, founder of the Piestewa Fallen Heroes Memorial and mother of the late Army Spc. Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman killed in combat.
Special remarks will be given by John James, CEO of Navajo Gaming, who will recognize the service of veterans across the Navajo Nation and the contributions of Navajo Gaming’s own veteran employees.
The program will conclude with an Honor Song performed by Clark, followed by a reception for all guests. Herb Clah Jr., executive director of human resources for Navajo Gaming, will serve as master of ceremonies.
A highlight of the event will be the “Honoring Our Veterans” Wall, located in the rotunda. Attendees will receive a sticker to write the name of a veteran they wish to honor, which will then be placed on the banner wall—creating a visual tribute to service and remembrance.
“This event is an opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the tremendous courage and sacrifice of our veterans,” said John James, CEO of Navajo Gaming. “We’re proud to honor our community heroes and our own NNGE team members who have served our country with pride and dedication.”
The free event is open to the public. Veterans, active-duty service members, their families, and community members are encouraged to attend.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Oral History Project Announces 14th Stop in Portland, Oregon: NABS Continues to Gather Crucial Stories Across Indian Country
Next on Native Bidaské: Honoring Native Veterans: A Call to Action from Those Who Served
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
