Congressman Bryan Steil announced on April 30 that Racine veteran Sister Linda “Sister Sarge” McClenahan has been awarded the First Congressional District’s 2025 Veteran of the Year Award.
The award recognizes veterans who demonstrate service, excellence, and dedication to their community. According to Steil, “We are grateful to the brave men and women who have served our country and protected our liberties and freedoms. It is my honor to present Sergeant McClenahan with the Veteran of the Year Award. Her dedication to her country and community truly exemplifies what it means to serve.”
McClenahan grew up in California and initially planned to join a convent after high school in 1967. After her brother was drafted into the Marines, she decided instead to enlist in the Army, joining the Women’s Army Corps. She served as a communications operator with the 1st Signal Brigade in Long Binh during the Vietnam War, rising quickly to sergeant before returning from Vietnam in 1970. She later joined the Racine Dominican Sisters in 1992 after serving six years in the Army Reserves.
McClenahan began treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) herself and recognized a need for more support among veterans. She earned a master’s degree in counseling from UW-Whitewater and has led retreats focused on PTSD for nearly two decades.
The selection process for this award involved nominations by Wisconsin residents reviewed by Wisconsin’s First Congressional District Veterans Advisory Board based on criteria such as service, excellence, and dedication within their communities.
Bryan Steil is currently serving in Congress representing Wisconsin’s first district since replacing Paul Ryan in 2019 according to official records. In recent elections, Steil defeated Peter Barca in 2024 with approximately fifty-four percent of votes as reported by state election results, Ann Roe in 2022 with about fifty-four percent according to state data, Roger Polack in 2020 with nearly fifty-nine percent as noted by election officials, and Randy Bryce in 2018 with over fifty-four percent based on state reporting.
