Local Veterans Service Officer receives Hometown Hero award

Still answering the call
Day County Veterans Service Officer Jeff Nelson, left, was recognized by Scheels as a Hometown Hero Sept. 22 in Sioux Falls. After serving nearly 36 years in the U.S. military, Nelson is now dedicated to serving his fellow veterans. Josiah Christoffer, Scheels Assistant Store Manager, is pictured right. Reporter & Farmer | Subscriber Snapshot
Day County Veterans Service Officer Jeff Nelson, left, was recognized by Scheels as a Hometown Hero Sept. 22 in Sioux Falls. After serving nearly 36 years in the U.S. military, Nelson is now dedicated to serving his fellow veterans. Josiah Christoffer, Scheels Assistant Store Manager, is pictured right. Reporter & Farmer | Subscriber Snapshot

Editor’s note: This article is based on original reporting and interviews conducted by our staff. Generative AI was used to assist in drafting portions of the article. The final article was reviewed and verified by the newspaper’s editorial staff.

In the late aughts, former infantryman Jeff Nelson was preparing for his first Marine Corps deployment to the Middle East. He was attending countless hou…