Former Daviess County Sheriff and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Keith Cain was recognized Monday by the Kentucky General Assembly’s Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection, but he made it clear the honor belonged to far more than himself.
Cain was presented a Senate commendation recognizing his decades of military service, law enforcement leadership, and contributions to Kentucky communities. Rather than viewing the recognition as a personal achievement, Cain said he accepted it on behalf of every veteran, especially fellow Marines.
“I want people to understand that this was not my award,” Cain said. “It was an award for all of our veterans, and with regard to myself, particularly those veterans of the Marine Corps.”
The committee recognized one representative from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces during Monday’s meeting. Cain said he was humbled to be selected to represent the Marine Corps.
“I was very much honored and humbled to have been asked to do so,” he said. “Our veterans collectively and individually raise themselves higher than most, and so it’s altogether fitting when they’re recognized and honored, particularly from a body such as our legislature.”
The Senate commendation highlighted Cain’s distinguished military and civilian career. A graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College with a master’s degree in education from Western Kentucky University, Cain served in the U.S. Marine Corps before beginning his law enforcement career with the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office in 1974.
He was elected Daviess County Sheriff in 1999 and served until his retirement in 2021. Along the way, he served two terms as president of the Kentucky Sheriffs’ Association, held a leadership role with the National Sheriffs’ Association, chaired the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council for 17 years, taught as an adjunct professor at Owensboro Community & Technical College, and became the only person to receive the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Kentucky Law Enforcement twice. He was also inducted into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame.
State Sen. Gary Boswell, who nominated Cain for the recognition, said there were many deserving candidates but believed Cain’s lifetime of service made him an ideal choice.
“Keith has been a true team player,” Boswell said. “He has a distinguished Marine career, and he has a lifetime of service — not just to the armed services, but to our community. He was definitely a good person to give the award to.”
Boswell said Cain immediately shifted the focus away from himself after receiving the commendation.
“Even though it’s got his name on it, he made it clear when he spoke that he was representing all Marines,” Boswell said.
Cain said the recognition also serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans across every generation.
“What possesses an individual when they’re in the prime of their life to leave the safety and the security and the love of friends and family and home, and in many cases travel halfway around the world to a place they’ve never even heard of, and then willingly give up their very life if necessary for people they’ve never met?” Cain said. “That’s overwhelming if you think about it.”
He said those sacrifices can never truly be repaid.
“We owe them a debt of gratitude that can never, ever adequately be repaid, but we should endeavor to do so,” Cain said. “Not just on the national holidays that have rightfully been set aside to honor them, but every day.”
Cain said Americans often take their freedoms for granted without recognizing the sacrifices that made them possible.
“Everything that we have here in the way of our freedoms didn’t just happen,” he said. “It happened because of these men and women that not only knew the meaning of sacrifice, but understood the necessity of sacrifice. It’s because of them that we have these freedoms that, unfortunately, we all too often take for granted.”
For Cain, Monday’s recognition was ultimately about ensuring that service and sacrifice remain at the forefront.
“It was an honor to be the individual who represented all our veterans and received it with from state legislature,” he said.
