Miyoko Hikiji

Miyoko Hikiji served as an enlisted soldier for nine years and was deployed 403 days in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 – 2004. Her job duties included truck driver, unit correspondent, and administrative sergeant. During the deployment, she completed over 70 supply convoy, security, and raid missions throughout the northwest quadrant of Iraq. Simultaneously, Miyoko wrote a company newsletter, contributed to her support squadron’s newsletter, and wrote articles for a hometown newspaper. Miyoko’s earned 16 military decorations including the Army Commendation Medal (2), Army Achievement Medal (2), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Iowa Humanitarian Service Medal. Her transportation company received the second highest unit decoration—the Valorous Unit Award—for extraordinary heroism. Upon her return from Iraq, Miyoko wrote her company’s deployment history for the archives at the Gold Star Museum on Camp Dodge—the Iowa Army and Air National Guard State Headquarters. Her war memoir, All I Could Be: My Story as  a Woman Warrior in Iraq, was published in 2013 by History Publishing. Miyoko earned B.S. degrees in journalism and psychology from Iowa State University in 2004. She is a current student at The George Washington University, studying political management. Miyoko works at the US Census Bureau and lives in Urbandale with her daughters Grace and Noelle.

Lee Tesdell

Lee S. Tesdell is the owner of Tesdell Century Farm in Polk County, Iowa. His ancestors came to Iowa as farmers shortly after the U.S. government had acquired this land from the Indigenous people of the area. He graduated from Scattergood Friends School in 1968 and later earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University. He is now retired from Minnesota State University, Mankato, as emeritus professor of English where he taught courses in the technical communication program. In November 2022, he was elected commissioner to the Polk County Iowa Soil and Water Conservation District. Tesdell’s latest conservation-related project is learning to grow and market a perennial grain called Kernza®.