From left, Kennedy Space Center Associate Director, Technical, Kelvin Manning, Kennedy’s Veterans employee resource group chair Ana Contreras and executive champion Edwin Martinez are photographed with the proclamation designating Kennedy a Purple Heart Entity on Nov. 7, 2019. The proclamation was presented by the Military Order of the Purple Heart during a Veterans Day observance event held in the center’s Training Auditorium. Kennedy is the first NASA center to receive this designation for support and services provided to veterans through the Florida spaceport’s Veterans employee resource group. Attendees included Kennedy employees and more than 20 Purple Heart recipients. Following this, Christopher Vedvick, a combat wounded veteran and Military Order of the Purple Heart department of Florida commander, spoke about his experience serving in the United States Army before retiring, his involvement in the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the purpose of the organization.