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A Legacy of Service: Native Americans in America’s Military History

   By Joshua Arce

Native Americans have a long and complex history of military service in what is now the United States. Long before the country was founded, Indigenous nations had their own warrior traditions and histories of defending their homelands. As the United States developed, Native Americans became involved in its military conflicts in many different ways, serving as allies, soldiers, scouts, and, eventually, code talkers.

During World War I and World War II, Native servicemen made particularly significant contributions by using their Indigenous languages to protect military communications. Today, the stories of the Choctaw, Comanche, Navajo, and other Code Talkers are an important part of American military history.

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, their stories offer an opportunity to recognize the many Native nations and individuals who have helped shape the country’s history.

Native American Military Service in the Early United States

Native American involvement in American military conflicts dates back to the Revolutionary War. Indigenous nations made their own decisions about whether to support the American colonies or the British, often weighing those alliances against their interests in protecting their lands and sovereignty.

During the War of 1812 and the Civil War, Native Americans continued to serve on opposing sides of military conflicts. Some fought alongside U.S. forces, while others defended their nations against American expansion. During the Civil War, Cherokee leaders Stand Watie and Ely S. Parker became notable figures on opposite sides of the conflict.

Following the Civil War, the U.S. Army formally established Indian Scout units in 1866. Native American scouts served alongside military forces, using their knowledge of local terrain, tracking, and survival skills. These units remained active into the 20th century, with the last Army Indian Scout retiring in 1947.

World War I: Indigenous Languages Become a Military Advantage

By World War I, thousands of Native Americans were serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. More than 8,000 Native American soldiers served during the conflict, many volunteering despite not yet being recognized as U.S. citizens under federal law.

It was also during this war that Native American languages first became an organized tool for secure military communications.

In 1918, Ho-Chunk soldiers Robert Big Thunder and John Longtail used their language to transmit military messages in France. Cherokee soldiers also used their language to communicate during the war.

Perhaps the best-known effort came from the Choctaw Nation. In October 1918, American forces were struggling with German troops intercepting their communications. An officer with the 142nd Infantry Regiment recognized an opportunity when he heard Choctaw soldiers speaking their language. He arranged for them to transmit military messages over field telephones.

Eighteen Choctaw soldiers participated in the organized effort, relaying information about troop movements, artillery positions, and battlefield operations. Their communications helped American forces coordinate military maneuvers against German troops.

Other Native American servicemen, including Comanche, Cheyenne, Osage, and Yankton Sioux soldiers, also used their languages for military communications during World War I. These early efforts revealed how Indigenous languages could protect sensitive information from enemy interception.

World War II: The Expansion of Code Talker Programs

The success of the Choctaw soldiers during World War I helped establish a foundation for the code-talking programs developed during World War II.

When the United States entered the war, military leaders recruited Native American servicemen from several nations to use their languages for secure communications. The Army and Marine Corps developed different programs, drawing on the linguistic knowledge of Indigenous soldiers serving in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific.

Among the Army’s early recruits were Comanche, Meskwaki, Chippewa, and Oneida speakers. Eight Hopi speakers were later added to their code-talking efforts.

The Comanche Code Talkers served with the 4th Infantry Division in Europe. Their communications supported Allied operations, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944. They developed specialized code words for military terminology, allowing them to transmit battlefield information that German forces could not decipher.

Meskwaki servicemen also contributed to communications during the North African and Italian campaigns. Their story, like those of the Chippewa, Oneida, and Hopi soldiers, demonstrates how servicemen from numerous Indigenous communities played important roles in the war effort.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps developed its own code-talking program using the Navajo language. Beginning with 29 recruits in 1942, the program grew to include more than 400 Navajo Code Talkers. They developed a specialized code based on their language and transmitted messages across the Pacific, supporting critical military operations from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima.

Other Indigenous languages, including Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, and Sioux, were also used for military communications during World War II.

Together, these servicemen demonstrated how the linguistic knowledge of Native communities could become an invaluable military resource.

A Legacy That Continues Today

Despite their contributions, many Native American code talkers did not receive widespread recognition immediately after the wars. Their communications programs remained classified for years, and many returned home without public acknowledgment of their service.

In 2001, the Navajo Code Talkers received Congressional Gold Medals in recognition of their contributions. In 2008, Congress passed the Code Talkers Recognition Act, and in 2013, 33 Indigenous nations were honored with Congressional Gold Medals for their code talkers’ service.

Native American military service also continued through the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Gulf War, and more recent conflicts. Native servicemen and women have continued to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, carrying forward a long history of military involvement while maintaining their connections to their Tribal nations and communities.

Honoring Native American Veterans by Supporting Native Communities

This Veterans Day, we honor the Native American veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces across generations. Their contributions are an important part of both Native history and the nation’s story. Honoring their service also means supporting the communities, families, and cultures they come from. Here are a few ways you can make a difference:

  • Learn and share Native history. Take time to learn about the contributions of Native veterans from different Tribal Nations and share their stories with others.
  • Support Native-led organizations. Donate to or volunteer with organizations that serve Native veterans, strengthen Tribal communities, and preserve Native cultures.
  • Invest in Native communities. Support programs that address essential needs such as food security, housing, education, and access to resources.
  • Recognize Native veterans locally. Attend Veterans Day events, listen to veterans’ experiences, and support recognition efforts in nearby Tribal communities.
  • Support Native-owned businesses. Choose Native-owned businesses, artists, and creators, helping strengthen local economies and support self-determination.

At Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA), we work alongside Native communities to help address critical needs and support stronger, healthier futures. By learning, giving, and taking action, we can honor Native veterans not only for their service, but also by investing in the communities they call home.

Corey joined the PWNA Board in 2019, served as Treasurer for several years, and recently renewed his commitment to PWNA to serve as Board Chairperson. An enrolled citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas, Corey has served 10 years as a Board Member for the tribe’s business enterprises, assisted with long-term strategic planning for business development, completed two major expansion projects, assisted with new business startups, and advanced long-term goals and acquisitions for other enterprises that impact Tribal programs and well-being on Native lands in Kansas. He also worked for (then) Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars), holding front-line, supervisory, and management roles. In his early career, Corey was commissioned as an Officer in the U.S. Air Force where he attended flight school and then amassed 18 years of military aviation experience. Corey also worked in the civil aviation sector for about 2 years. Today, Corey provides flight expertise, consulting services, flight tests, aircraft delivery, and flight/simulator training in multiple aircraft to domestic and international customers while also juggling part-time service in the U.S. Air Force Reserves at Randolph AFB, Texas. Corey holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the Washburn University School of Business in Topeka, Kansas, and a master’s from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Passionate about making a continuing impact on Tribal nations, he brings to PWNA skills in business operations, Tribal government programs, strategic planning, finance and economic development, organizational restructuring, and international business.
COREY MZHICKTENO
COREY MZHICKTENOChairperson
A former AIEF scholarship recipient, MaKenley is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation tribe. She earned her bachelor’s in healthcare administration from Northeastern State University and her master’s from Oklahoma State University. MaKenley has been working in Tribal health care since college, completing job shadows and internships at W.W. Hastings Hospital, which is Cherokee-operated. She started her career with Cherokee Nation Health Services as an Administrative Officer for a value-based care program the Tribe participates in and then was promoted to Director of Patient Access Management to direct the scheduling and registration departments for the hospital and new outpatient health center. Since 2019, MaKenley has been serving as the Deputy Hospital Administrator for W.W. Hastings. She always wanted to work in healthcare but, more specifically, the health care system of her own Tribe. MaKenley brings her knowledge of healthcare (rural and tribal), finance, operations, and strategic planning to PWNA.
MAKENLEY BARTON
MAKENLEY BARTONVice Chairperson
A leading business development expert with extensive knowledge of institutional wealth for corporations and nonprofits alike, he is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Matt currently works with the Bank of Texas as Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer in their corporate division, and earlier with their institutional wealth team. His focus is building teams around middle-market business leaders and helping them meet their business’ operational needs through his bank or partner network. Prior to the Bank of Texas, Matt worked with BOK Financial for eight years, focusing on retirement planning, investments, and institutional wealth. He holds a bachelor’s in business administration with a major in financial management from Oklahoma State University, Spears School of Business. Besides his passion for connecting people for mutually beneficial relationships, Matt brings to PWNA skills in business development and financial management.
MATT HORINEK
MATT HORINEKTreasurer
Currently a senior director of Learning and Workforce Development with Disability:IN, Emily accelerates early career talent for professionals with disabilities, oversees the development of educational content for disability inclusion, and consults with Disability:IN partner companies through the Inclusion Works program. Formerly a senior leader of Walmart’s Culture, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (CDEI) team, Emily focused on enterprise strategy, brand identity, external relations, digital engagement, and benchmarking surveys for the Disability Equality Index and Global Disability Equality Index. Earlier with Walmart, Emily managed corporate strategy and stakeholder outreach for Native Americans and People with Disabilities. During her 12 years at Walmart, she also held roles in corporate communications, associate engagement, data insights and measurement, public relations, philanthropic program management, and the Tribal Voices: Indigenous Associate Resource Group. Prior to Walmart, Emily served as Executive Director of the Heritage Youth Development Center at the YMCA. In further support of Native youth, Emily serves as co-chair of the American Indian College Fund’s Next Generation Advisory Council to help increase the number of Native students who hold college degrees. She holds a bachelor’s from Missouri Southern State University and her DEI perspective is informed by her experience as a Native Hawaiian – Pacific Islander woman with non-apparent disabilities. Emily brings to PWNA expertise in diversity and inclusion, strategic planning and communications, effectiveness benchmarking, and empowerment of women and youth.
EMILY MCDONALD
EMILY MCDONALDSecretary
Jackie is an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribe and a descendant of the Assiniboine (Nakoda) Tribe of Montana’s Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Her Aaniiih name is ‘Itha Gibi That’ (translated to English means’ Walking Woman’). Jackie graduated from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management with a bachelor’s in business. Jackie works as the Indigenous Communities Officer for Newman’s Own Foundation. Before her current role, she worked for her community’s tribally owned business, Island Mountain Development Group (IMDG), and she spent 18+ years with Nike managing their N7 Fund, building capacity for sport and physical activity, and providing grants to maintain or expand programming in tribal communities. Jackie enjoys traveling, attending Tribal ceremonies, and helping her husband manage their food truck. As part of her give-back to the community, she serves as a Board member for the Native Wellness Institute and the Aaniiih Nakoda Community Foundation, and she is a trustee of Harlem Public School District. Jackie brings to PWNA her knowledge of Tribal communities and experience in partnership building, grants, program management, and strategic planning.
JACKIE BLACKBIRD
JACKIE BLACKBIRDBoard Member
Joe is a citizen of the Puyallup Tribe of Tacoma, Washington, with 20 years’ experience in Native American communities as an administrator, teacher, and coach. He recently launched Strength-Based Consulting (SBC), a grant-writing, capacity-building, and consulting firm serving Native causes. Prior to SBC, Joe was Executive Director of the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP) for six years, drawing on his experience as a culturally responsive researcher, published writer, and award-winning coach to more than triple the size of their annual revenue, youth served, programs offered, and workforce. Joe believes that when youth sports are done well, they have the power to transform lives and unite communities. As Zuni High School’s head football coach, he led the team to three district championships, one district runner-up, and a team grade point average better than 3.0 in just four years. He holds a bachelor’s in Indigenous studies from Haskell Indian Nations University, a master’s in education from the University of Oregon, and a Ph.D. in sport and exercise psychology from the University of Kansas. Joe brings to PWNA his skills in research and consulting, along with strategies for helping Native people leverage their strengths in pursuit of their goals.
JOE CLAUNCH
JOE CLAUNCHBoard Member
Joshua joined PWNA as president & CEO in January 2020, our 30th year of serving Indian country. A citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, he has more than 20 years’ experience in education management, social work, and business development. Most recently, he served as Chief Information Officer of Haskell Indian Nations University, advancing their IT infrastructure and services to better meet their mission. Other public sector experience includes Tribal law and governance; after-school, youth, foster care, and housing programs for low-income families; and diversity and inclusion. Josh has also volunteered for the Kansas court-based Citizen Review Board for child welfare and Lawrence+Memorial Hospital for health equity, diversity, and inclusion. Joshua earned his bachelor’s in social work from the University of Kansas and then a J.D. specializing in Tribal law, applied Indigenous leadership, federal Indian law, and Indian gaming law. Sincere and forward-looking, Josh actively supports the advancement of Native communities.
JOSH ARCE
JOSH ARCEPWNA President & CEO (Non-Voting Board Member)