Kootéeyaa is a Tlingit word for totem pole. This kootéeyaa represents the veterans of the United States. At the bottom, one of our very important veterans is the empty boots. When you look at the empty boots, you'll see that it's Desert Storm boots, a Vietnam era rifle, a World War II helmet representing veterans throughout our history.

Deliberately left off was the dog tag that would normally be there. For this does not represent a fallen soldier, but all fallen soldiers. Above the empty boots is a Clint Warrior dressed in armor with a helmet, a face shield, and a war weapon that we would've gone to battle with.

The dog tags represent the branches of the US military, starting with the bottom being the first branch commissioned by the US government and working their way up the pole as they had been commissioned, except for the top dog tag that says Alaska Territorial Guard. During World War II, we had a territorial guard throughout Alaska and they were mostly volunteers. I wanted to honor them also.

They eventually became part of the US Army as National Guard, but during World War II, they were not. Above the lint warrior is a raven and an eagle turned partially back to back, not because it's a cold shoulder, but it's, "I've got your back buddy."