East Tennessee State University’s (ETSU) Sherrod Library and Veterans Affairs Department partnered with the Quilts of Valor Southern Appalachian group on Monday to host a ceremony honoring several veterans with handmade quilts. Among those veterans was Jennifer Hunt, Officer in Charge for the Public Health Section of the 134th Medical Group, 134th Air Refueling Wing. She is the rank of Major in the Tennessee Air National Guard with seven years of service. Ms. Hunt is a graduate program advisor and field contract manager for the ETSU College of Public Health. She also serves as a senior lecturer for the Department of Health Services Management and Policy and coordinates the Health Care Management Graduate Certificate.
“Being selected to receive a Quilt of Valor is such an honor and a beautiful piece of art to represent the sacrifices these men and women made, and continue to make, to protect and serve our country,” said Taylor Dula, Assistant Dean of Student Services for the college. “We are so incredibly proud of Jennifer Hunt and the accomplishments she’s made through the years in the Tennessee Air National Guard.”
The Quilts of Valor Foundation, established in 2003, has awarded over 140,000 quilts nationwide to veterans and active-duty service members. This is the first time ETSU has hosted the event. According to the group, a Quilt of Valor is a quality, handmade quilt awarded to service members or veterans who have been touched by war.