Military pin ceremony slated for Monday at Northern is postponed

A military pinning ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m Monday in the Student Union Ballroom at Montana State University-Northern, has been postponed, after Congressman Ryan Zinke’s mother-in-law suffered a stroke Friday, a Zinke spokesperson said.

Heather Swift, communications director for Zinke’s office, said in an email Friday night that the ceremony would be postponed due to what she described as “a breaking family emergency.” She later said in a second email Saturday afternoon that Zinke’s mother-in-law had suffered a massive stroke Friday.

A new date for the ceremony has not been announced.

Zinke, a retired Navy SEAL commander who holds Montana’s only seat in the U.S House of Representatives, was set to hold four such ceremonies in Eastern Montana early this coming week. The ceremonies were to present 50th anniversary commemorative pins to members of the U.S military who served on active duty in the Vietnam War era, regardless of where they were stationed.

The pin was authorized by Congress in the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.

It is not yet known if similar events that were to take place in Glasgow and Sidney Tuesday and Miles City Wednesday will be postponed.

Zinke, a Republican and first term member of congress, is campaigning for re-election against Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, a Democrat in November’s general election.