One of many men in his close family with deep ties to the military, he served in Nebraska's Army National Guard in his Southeast Nebraska hometown and across the state for more than two decades.

August's Jefferson County Veteran of the Month is Jay Hatfield.

Born and raised in Fairbury, Hatfield enlisted in the local National Guard unit in 1977, sworn in by his older brother Dennis, who had already reached the rank of captain.

The younger Hatfield brother was trained as an Army Recon Scout at Fort Knox, and served in the National Guard in Fairbury, helping oversee the unit's evolution from Combat Support Unit to Armored Unit with the introduction of a tank. 

His 20 years of service in the National Guard brought him to Hastings, Kearney and Ashland, and he ultimately reached the rank of First Sergeant, all while working for 44 years in various roles for what would become Endicott Clay Products.

Military service runs deep in Hatfield's immediate family, which he says makes him appreciate this recognition even more.

"I always knew how important the military was," Hatfield said Tuesday. "My dad was World War II veteran, my brother served 34 years in the National Guard as a colonel, my brother-in-law was in Korea, and my brother’s son was even an officer in the National Guard. So this is very important to me, and I feel very honored."

Many of Hatfield's family members, including his wife Marcia, were on hand for Tuesday's ceremony in Jay's hometown of Fairbury, where he's been a member of the local Elks Lodge since the age of 21.

He earned many distinctions throughout his career in the National Guard, which also took him out of the state to California, Kansas, Minnesota, and plenty of trips to Fort Carson in Colorado.