Bear, an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes from New Town, and five of his 11 children served in the military as did his father who was a code talker during World War II. His uncle’s on his mother’s side were also in the military including both World War I and World War II.

“I didn’t know my father very well. He died when I was 5 years old,” said Bear. “He was known for his singing.”

Bear said a few years ago his brother in Montana called when he got a letter from the Department of Defense and wanted him to take a look at it. Bear drove to Montana to see the letter.

He said the letter said “24 boys out of Montana – Poplar” were code talkers during World War II.

Submitted Photo John Bear, who grew up in New Town, is among a number of family members who have served in the military. Now with the Adrian (Michigan) Police Department, he was a member of a team in the Michigan Police Pistol Match this fall. He was selected to shoot the National Patrol Rifle Championship Match this month and won.

“My dad and two uncles were among those,” Bear said. He said the Navaho were the first code talkers but members of other tribes also were code talkers. Bear’s father, Everett Dale “Johnny” Bear, was an Assiniboine-Sioux from Poplar, Montana, on the Fort Peck Reservation.

Code talkers used their tribal language to send secret communication on the battlefield.

Bear said when a ceremony was held for the code talkers at Poplar one of the men was still living. He was 94 years old.

At the ceremony Keith Bear was presented his father’s bronze star and silver star posthumously.He then gave the medals to his son, John, a Green Beret.

Bear’s father’s first enlistment was in the Merchant Marines and then he was in the U.S. Army in the South Pacific.

Bear said he grew up with veterans and wanted to be a paratrooper. “That was my goal,” he said. He served as a clinical specialist with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division from 1977-81.

(Today, Bear is a world-renowned whistle player — flutist — and storyteller.)

“On my mother’s side, they were also veterans – grandfathers back to World War I and II,” Bear said. Albert and Ralph Little Owl of Fort Berthold Reservation served in World War I and II.

Five of Bear’s 11 children have also served in the U.S. military.

– Paul served with the Minnesota National Guard’s military police “Red Bulls.” He lives in Clear Lake, Minnesota.

– Kelsy Joe served with the 82nd Airborne Infantry. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

– Shane Michael served with the 18th Airborne Corps Aviation as a helicopter mechanic. He lives in Missoula, Montana.

– John Alfred served with the 82nd Airborne first as a combat engineer, then moved to special forces, the Green Berets. He lives in Adrian, Michigan.

– Sonya Louise served with the Montana Army Reserve Logistics. She lives in Bismarck.

John, Paul, Sonya and Shane all served in Afghanistan. Paul and Kelsy served in Grenada.

Bear said his grandchildren already want to join the military.

Why have so many family members served in the U.S. military? Bear said, “It’s a respect for the land. They want to protect our homeland and protect our people at home.”