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ESCANABA -- Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Steve Kwarciany has been named the 2026 Upper Peninsula Veteran of the Year in recognition of his unwavering commitment to fellow veterans, exceptional leadership and lasting service to communities across the Upper Peninsula.
The U.P. Veteran of the Year ceremony will start at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time Thursday, Aug. 20, at the U.P. State Fair in Escanaba.
Kwarciany's record of service reflects the very best of the veteran community -- commitment, humility, leadership and a tireless dedication to serving others, organizers behind the selection said in a news release.
For more than a decade, he has been a respected and dependable leader within veteran organizations throughout Delta County and across the Upper Peninsula.
He is a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Hiawatha Post 2998, AMVETS Escanaba Post 123, DAV Delta County Chapter 24, and Bark River American Legion Post 438. He has also served with the Delta County Veterans Council since March 2017, the Delta County Soldiers and Sailors Relief Committee from 2021 to 2025, the Delta County Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Committee from 2021 to present, and the Delta County Department of Veterans Affairs Committee from 2025 to the present.
His leadership has been equally distinguished. Kwarciany has served as commander of the Delta County Veterans Council from 2020 to the present, previously serving as senior vice commander from 2018 to 2020. He has served as senior vice commander of Disable American Veterans Chapter 24 since 2021, quartermaster of VFW Post 2998 since 2020, and board chairman of the Delta County Department of Veterans Affairs from 2025 to the present.
Kwarciany's leadership has had a lasting impact on veteran services in Delta County. He played a key role in the successful ballot referendum that established the Delta County Department of Veterans Affairs. After the referendum passed, he was appointed to the Department of Veterans Affairs Committee, where his peers later elected him chairman.
His commitment reaches far beyond meetings and titles. Kwarciany serves his fellow veterans and his community through the U.P. Honor Flight Welcome Home Honor Guard, as director of the Delta County Veterans Council's annual Memorial Day, POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Veterans Day ceremonies, and as Funeral Honor Guard Commander for the Delta County Veterans Council. He also serves as a Funeral Honor Guard member with Bark River American Legion Post 438.
Through VFW Post 2998, he coordinates the annual Poppy Sale, helping sustain one of the most meaningful symbols of remembrance and veteran support. Through DAV Chapter 24, he contributes as a Unit Raffle Tickets Prizes Committee member, and through the Bark River Lions Club, he has served since October 2017, advancing through leadership roles as third vice president, second vice president, first vice president and president beginning in 2026.
His community service also includes serving as committee chairman for the U.P. Off Road Races and as advisor to the Bark River-Harris Leo Club, where he continues to model service, citizenship, and leadership for the next generation.
What distinguishes Kwarciany is not simply the number of organizations he has served, but the dedication and integrity he brings to each role. His leadership, experience, strong communication skills, attention to detail and genuine concern for the well-being of others have earned him the respect and admiration of fellow veterans, community leaders, and the many individuals who have had the opportunity to work alongside him. His commitment to service continues to make a meaningful difference throughout the Upper Peninsula.
Whether mentoring members of veterans' organizations, encouraging young people during his time as a Bark River-Harris school bus driver or sharing lessons learned through military service, Americanism and volunteerism, he has consistently shown what it means to live a life of purpose beyond oneself.