QOVF celebrated a major milestone by awarding the 300,000th quilt on April 20, 2022. The quilt recipient is Craig M. of Cincinnati, OH. Craig served in the United States Air Force from February 1992 to June 2000, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant. Craig began his Air Force career in Law Enforcement and eventually became a Resource Protection Officer.
In 1997, Craig cross-trained in broadcast journalism where he deployed as a Combat Journalist to numerous countries throughout Europe to include Kosovo, Albania, and Poland. During these deployments he often found himself hanging out of a Chinook attack helicopter while covering stories for Air Force news. Throughout this time, Craig was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and the National Defense Medal, along with other medals and ribbons with devices.
Craig is now a news anchor with ABC affiliate WCPO in Cincinnati, OH. The 300,000th quilt, awarded to Craig, was sewn by Michelle Nelson, QOVF’s Finance Director and former BOD member, and quilted by Lori Thompson, QOVF’s Executive Director.
QOVF will continue to celebrate the 300,000th QOV milestone by encouraging QOVF groups to make and award an honorary quilt to a veteran of their choice. Several QOVF groups have made awards and are sharing the stories of their quilts and award recipients. QOVF is encouraging groups to share their stories by emailing 300QOV@qovf.org. QOVF will be collecting the stories and creating a historical record.