Storm Lake taps Army veteran John Felton for Memorial Day keynote

Storm Lake turned to one of its own for this year’s Memorial Day keynote, naming Sgt. 1st Class John Felton as the speaker for the 10 a.m. ceremony Monday, May 25, on the Buena Vista County Courthouse lawn. If rain forces a change, the program will move to the Storm Lake High School auditorium.

Felton’s selection carries a homecoming note that fits the holiday. He was born in Storm Lake, grew up in Arizona and enlisted in the U.S. Army out of Phoenix, then built a 22-year career that took him far beyond northwest Iowa. He returned to Storm Lake in 2022 with his wife, Heather, and their daughters, Avery and Adyson, and now works as an assistant manager at Bomgaars.

His Army record spans field artillery, airborne service and special operations support. Felton served with the 82nd Airborne Division, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the Southern European Task Force and the Joint Special Operations Task Force. His leadership roles ranged from team leader and squad leader to platoon sergeant, drill sergeant, senior drill sergeant and first sergeant. Over the course of his service, he deployed to 86 countries for training missions, humanitarian work and combat operations, including Desert Fox, Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.

The honors attached to that career are extensive, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Master Parachutist Badge, Drill Sergeant Badge, Combat Action Badge and Gold Recruiter Badge, along with Expert Rifleman and Grenadier recognition. Felton also earned a management degree from Park University after years in uniform.

The Memorial Day program will again draw on one of Storm Lake’s longest-running traditions. The Parade of Flags began July 4, 1973, when the Buena Vista Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution first displayed 125 flags on the courthouse lawn, including one that dated to the Revolutionary War. Since then, nearly 800 U.S. flags have been dedicated in memory of veterans with roots in Buena Vista County, and the foundation’s work remains focused on purchasing, presenting and displaying those flags on patriotic holidays.

Volunteers will be needed to put up the flags at 7 a.m. and take them down at 4 p.m. Felton’s address is expected to fit squarely into that setting, giving Memorial Day a speaker whose military service, family return and local ties all point back to the county’s own history of remembrance.