Honor Recognizes Honor: The 2024 Citizen Honors Awards
Service and sacrifice can be found everywhere, but the 2024 Citizen Honors Awards highlighted six extraordinary examples of those values in action. Recognized in a ceremony at the National […]
As National Medal of Honor Day activities come to a close, we are reflecting on all the incredible opportunities over the past week. Take a look back with us as we celebrate the anniversary of the awarding of the first Medals of Honor and celebrate the values of courage, commitment, sacrifice, integrity, citizenship, and patriotism which connect all Recipients of the Medal and can be seen in communities across our country on Medal of Honor Day and every day.
To kick off National Medal of Honor Day activities, a group of Medal of Honor Recipients traveled to New York City to meet with key stakeholders and to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
Following the trip to NYC, Recipients spent time in Indianapolis, Ind., taking part in community outreach, participating in the Indianapolis Medal of Honor Memorial 25th Anniversary ceremony, and attending an NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament game as guests of Charlie Baker, NCAA President. Learn more about the visit to Indianapolis here.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., hosted two days of celebrations, beginning with a series of history tours focused on the museum’s artifacts and their connection to Medal of Honor stories. A series of checkpoints around Patriots Point where volunteers spoke with visitors about the Recipients and their actions, giving all Patriots Point visitors a chance to learn about the importance of National Medal of Honor Day.
On March 25, a commemoration ceremony on the USS Laffey celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Laffey (named for Medal of Honor Recipient Bartlett Laffey) and the 161st anniversary of the awarding of the first Medal of Honor. Recipient Michael Thornton was there to lay a wreath honoring his fellow Recipients and service members.
The nation’s capital brought together Medal of Honor Recipients, veteran and military organizations, and special guests on Monday, March 25, to commemorate National Medal of Honor Day. For the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, March 25 is not only a day to pause and reflect, but also to inspire and ignite the leaders of tomorrow.
Recipients Sal Giunta and Earl Plumlee kicked off the events with a visit to the United Service Organizations (USO) in Fort Belvoir, Va., on Monday morning. They offered words of inspiration and encouragement to active-duty service members.
Giunta reminded those in attendance to stay determined if they do not find success right away. “I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not successful in anything the first time, but I try again and sooner than later, success is found,” Giunta said.
Tanya Bradsher, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), hosted Recipients Britt Slabinski, Barney Barnum and Ryan Pitts in a panel discussion at the department’s headquarters in D.C. Titled “Honor the Sacrifice: A Fireside Chat to Inspire the Future,” the panel delved into each Recipients’ time in the military, their inspiration for joining, lessons they learned which can be applied to everyday life, and how the community can further support veterans as they inspire others.
Sometimes veterans themselves need a boost to venture out into the community and give back, according to the panelists. Barnum encouraged those individuals to seek the help they need from resources like the VA. “Sometimes as veterans we don’t want to admit that we have a problem, but others can’t fix the problem unless we ask for help,” said Barnum.
“I’m somebody who has gone to the VA for mental health care,” said Pitts. “I talk about it. I’m an advocate for it. I encourage veterans to talk about it when comfortable because that’s how we normalize it. You have an opportunity to lead in that sense and inspire others and tell them that it’s OK.”
View the recording of the panel here.
A solemn, respectful silence pierced the air surrounding the Arlington National Cemetery on Monday afternoon. Recipients Robert Patterson and Walter Marm Jr. laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the cemetery to remember those who have fallen amid their acts of service and sacrifice.
Other Medal of Honor Recipients were in attendance to pay homage at the annual wreath-laying memorial.
Service and sacrifice know no bounds. This sentiment is reflected in this year’s Citizen Honors Awards, presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society on Monday evening.
The Citizen Honors Awards annually recognizes individuals and organizations outside of the military who demonstrate the six core values of the Medal of Honor—courage, sacrifice, citizenship, integrity, commitment, and patriotism. This year’s ceremony took place at the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir and was emceed by NBC News Correspondent Courtney Kube.
When asked about what it means to be among the 2024 honorees, Riley Coon of Wailuku, Hawaii, said that the recognition is also for his peers who joined him in saving the lives of those escaping the Lahaina, Hawaii, inferno on Jan. 21, 2023. “I’m receiving this award and recognition, but truly, it’s my team,” said Coon. “I’m here on behalf on them, on behalf of people who drive boats for a living in Maui because we all sprang into action whether it be that night or the days following. It wasn’t just me—it’s not a solo effort. A lot of these guys would say the same.”
Other honorees include Brandon Tsay, of San Marino, Calif.; Danny Combs, of Golden, Colo.; Ethan Hill, of Birmingham, Ala.; Austen Macmillan, of Wellington, Fla.; and America’s VetDogs, based in Smithtown, N.Y. Learn more about their stories in our video library.
The events in D.C. concluded with the Medal of Honor Summit on Tuesday, March 26, hosted by the Society at the Cannon House Office Building. Thirty like-minded organizations from around the country joined the Society in presentations and thought-provoking discussions on how they are inspiring future generations through education, programming and awareness of the Medal of Honor, its Recipients, and its history.
Recipient Pitts, in his keynote address, emphasized the need for consistent data like those presented in Medal of Honor Foundation’s values poll released last year to inform how we can better instill the values of the Medal into society. At the end of the summit, representatives of each organization in attendance received a paddle from Recipient and Society President Slabinski, signifying a new pact.
“You are entering into a covenant with all of us,” said Slabinski. “We are all in the same team. We are rowing in the same direction. And we will work our hardest to achieve the mission.”
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About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor (the United States’ highest award for military valor in action) and its Recipients, inspiring Americans to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients as they connect with communities across America. Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Society’s membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor.
The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education, and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, Citizen Honors Awards, and The Medal of Honor Museum. As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, The Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites.
The Society’s programs and operations are fully funded by generous donors.
Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s initiatives at cmohs.org.