This Friday, November 10th students in the Lennox School District are planning a special Veterans Day program. The program is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Lennox High School gym. This annual program is a chance for students and community to honor the service of all veterans in our communities. The program is open to the public, doors open by 1:30 p.m. Veterans, active duty military personnel and their families are encouraged to attend.
This year’s guest speaker will be Thomas Stengrim. Lieutenant Stengrim is currently serving as the Logistics Officer (N4) at CRS-11 and was recently selected for promotion to Lieutenant Commander. Previously he was a Logistics Plans Officer, COMPACFLT (N53). In 2013 Lt. Stengrim was deployed to Afghanistan as a Fuels Officer for Defense Logistics Agency. In his previous assignments he was a Logistics Officer for the Commander 7th Fleet aboard the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), deployed as the Fuels & Logistics Officer at Isa Air Base in Bahrain. In 2011 Lt. Stengrim deployed to Japan for OPERATION TOMODACHI in response to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.
Lt. Stengrim graduated from the Naval War College in 2017. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Sioux Falls and Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Prior to being commissioned in 2008, he was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and Navy for 21 years; his staff assignments include 1st Sergeant for the 380th Expeditionary Operations Group and 1st Sergeant for the 133rd Airlift Wing, Mission Support Group in the Minnesota Air National Guard. He started his military career in 1987 when he enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Storekeeper at Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) Naval Air Station Fallon Nevada.
Lt. Stengrim has been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Joint Achievement Medal, three Navy Achievement Medals, three Air Force Achievement Medals, and an Army Achievement Medal along with several other unit and campaign awards.
In his civilian career, he is an entrepreneur. He also serves as an executive board member for Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) and a teacher for Junior Achievement of South Dakota.
Lt. Stengrim is married to Stacie Stengrim, they have two children and reside in rural South Dakota.