Honoring Pueblo’s Living Legacy of Valor
Mt Carmel Veterans Service Center recently honored several standout veterans and service members with ties to Southern Colorado with the nonprofit’s fourth annual Salute to Service event on January 16 at Pueblo’s Weisbrod Air Museum attended by over 320 individuals.
In a community defined by service, Pueblo stands tall as the Home of Heroes — a place where courage, sacrifice, and resilience are not just remembered, but lived every day. Of the nearly 19 million veterans who have proudly served and defended our nation. More than 400,000 veterans call Colorado home, and nearly 13,000 veterans strengthen the Pueblo County community every single day.
Among those who embody that legacy include Frank Cirullo, Maj. Gen. Linda Urrutia-Varhall, and Medal of Honor recipient Drew Dix — three extraordinary Coloradans whose service has left an indelible mark on the nation.
Frank Cirullo, a three-time Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam War veteran, exemplifies valor under fire and steadfast dedication to his fellow soldiers. His humility and patriotism continue to shine through in his work with the veteran community, where his stories of service and recovery inspire generations. In 2024, the City of Pueblo honored Cirullo during its Veterans Day Parade, celebrating not just his sacrifice but his lifelong commitment to those who served beside him. He was also recently selected as Colorado’s representative for the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project, a national tribute honoring American veterans wounded in combat.
While Cirullo’s heroism was forged in the jungles of Vietnam, Maj. Gen. Linda Urrutia-Varhall’s journey of service began in the skies. A trailblazer in military intelligence, she has dedicated her career to strengthening America’s national defense from the command centers and briefing rooms that shape global security. A proud graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Urrutia-Varhall has served at every level, from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska to executive roles at the Pentagon, where she advised three Secretaries of Defense and contributed to the Somalia Task Force. Today, as Director of Operations at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, she continues to demonstrate the same discipline and excellence that define the spirit of service shared by Pueblo’s veterans.
That same spirit finds its highest expression in Pueblo’s own Medal of Honor recipient, Drew Dix, a living symbol of courage and humility. One of only 61 Medal of Honor recipients still living, Dix represents the enduring strength and selflessness that have come to define the “Home of Heroes.” His bravery in combat and leadership after service continue to inspire not only his hometown but the nation as a whole.
Together, these heroes, Cirullo, Urrutia-Varhall, and Dix, remind us that valor takes many forms: on the battlefield, in the intelligence community, and in the quiet work of building stronger ties among veterans and civilians alike. Their stories form a living legacy, one that Pueblo carries forward with deep and abiding pride.
