Service Puppy and Army Transportation Officer Share Spotlight at Spring Forest Middle Veterans Day Events

Keynote speaker, U.S. Army veteran, Katherine Meadows, is a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient.

A Golden Retriever puppy sponsored by student donations and former U.S. Army Logistics and Transportation officer will be featured during the Friday, Nov. 10, Veterans Day Celebration at Spring Forest Middle School.

The middle school celebration has been held 17 years in a row. It begins on Friday with an 8 a.m. family breakfast and 9 a.m. gym program. Spring Forest’s live event is the largest campus-based Veterans Day observance held on Houston’s west side. The school address is 14240 Memorial Drive.

This year’s observance will include at least two highlights. Patriot Paws, a service dog training group based at Texas A&M University, is expected to exhibit a Golden Retriever puppy. The young service dog, named Astro, is in training and was purchased with funds donated by Spring Forest Middle students, staff and families.

In addition, keynote speaker is a U.S. Army veteran, Katherine Meadows, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient. She holds her bachelor’s degree in business management from Jacksonville State University in Alabama. She joined the U.S. Army after her graduation through a ROTC commission as a Transportation Officer. She was commissioned in 2004.

Her overseas Iraqi military assignments were varied and complex, including warehouse development and operations, soldier deployment, troop monitor and movement, cargo delivery involving five Army brigades, transportation networks, and logistics for future doctrine and force structure design.

Meadows retired for medical reasons from the U.S. Army in 2011. She now works for Defense Logistics Agency Energy Americas East in Houston. As an Inventory Management Specialist, her manages the bulk fuel distribution system in areas ranging from pipelines to tanker trucks for 22 fuel sites.

The Army veteran officer is studying to earn a master’s degree in business administration and qualitative analytics through Indiana University, located in Bloomington, Ind.

In addition to the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, Meadows holds numerous military awards. These include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.

Read biography of Katherine Meadows >>

To RSVP for Friday’s breakfast event, please call 713.251.4618. Separate Veterans Day events are scheduled on Friday at other SBISD campuses, including Spring Branch Middle School.