The men and women of the military, along with their families, have made many sacrifices for our freedom. V100 and Prairie Band Casino & Resort are saying thank you to vets, and those currently serving, with our monthly Salute to the Military. Click here and tell us the story of someone you know in the armed forces. Every month we’ll select a story, feature it here and hand over $100 in Prairie Band Cash to them and their family.

This month’s Military Hero is Scott Shankland. Scott spent most of his service with the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as S.O.A.R. This specialized regiment’s mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. Known as Night Stalkers, these Soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations. They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision. They employ highly modified Chinook, Black Hawk and assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters.

Soldiers of the 160th have been actively and continuously engaged in the combat operations since October 2001. Today, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment continues a sustained and active forward presence in the U.S. Central Command area of operations at multiple locations in support of operations Enduring Freedom and in the U.S. Southern, Pacific, Africa, and European commands.

After finishing Advanced Individual Training, Scott was selected for special operations. He spent most of his time in the Night Stalkers in Fort Lewis, Washington. He has been out a little over a year and through faith and family he has made the very hard transition back to civilian life.

We salute Scott’s unique skills and service.