Nominations open for the 2026 Michigan Veteran of the Year

LANSING, Mich. - Nominations for the 2026 Michigan Veteran of the Year are now open. The deadline for nominations is June 15, 2026.

This award is an annual honor presented to a Michigan veteran who has contributed the most over the course of the year to benefit veterans and their families, including their service as a member of a veteran organization and their work in their community.

To nominate a veteran for the 2026 award, please complete the 2026 Michigan Veteran of the Year application form online.

If you'd prefer to mail a paper application, please complete the 2026 Michigan Veteran of the Year application form PDF and mail to:

MI VOY
P.O. Box 30140
Lansing, MI 48909

The application can be written and submitted by anyone, but it is requested that the application be reviewed by a local veteran organization or service officer for legitimacy prior to submission.

The 2026 winner will be selected by a committee of Michigan veteran organization leaders, based on the following criteria:

• Accomplishments in the veteran community
• Positions held within veteran organizations
• Accomplishments within the civilian community
• Positions held within the civilian community

The 2026 Michigan Veteran of the Year Award will be presented to the veteran in their local community later this summer. The award winner will also be recognized at the 2026 Michigan Military and Veterans Gala, to be held in Detroit in November. It is encouraged that all veterans and veteran organization officers from across the state of Michigan attend the Gala to show their support for the outstanding veteran. This show of support helps all veteran organizations highlight the great work veterans do in their communities and aids in membership and recruiting.

More information about the Gala, including registration information, will be available later this year.

If you have any questions, contact Lexis Jones at [email protected].

Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency - The MVAA is the central coordinating agency, providing support, care advocacy and service to veterans and their families. As a state agency, MVAA works to identify and break down barriers veterans face in employment, education, health care and quality of life, to make Michigan a great place for veterans and their families to call home. More information about MVAA is available at Michigan.gov/MVAA or by reading our FY25 Annual Report.