Medal of Honor Day 2024
Medal of Honor Day, held annually on March 25, provides an opportunity for Medal of Honor Recipients and the public alike to pause and reflect on the importance of service […]
Dozens of organizations around the country take an active interest in the Medal of Honor. But it wasn’t until the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s first-ever Summit in Washington on March 26 that they had a way to come together to support each other and discuss ways to amplify the Medal and the values behind it.
The outcome was a recognition that, by working together, there would be an opportunity to make a positive impact on American society through the work that they do.
“This is the start of a Medal of Honor eco-system,” said Medal of Honor Recipient Britt Slabinski, president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, as he addressed representatives from nearly 30 organizations dedicated to preserving the history of the Medal and educating people about its relevance today. “We are striving towards one goal – the projection of the values that built our country.”
The all-day event in the historic and ornate Nancy Pelosi Caucus Room at the Cannon House Office Building attracted nearly 30 leaders from museums, monuments and memorials, education and leadership institutions, military organizations, foundations and the National Park Service. They heard from Medal of Honor Recipients and discussed how they can share resources and better connect with each other and the Society.
The Society was chartered by Congress in 1958 to support those who wear the Medal, the nation’s highest military award for valor, and to promote the values of the Medal: courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, patriotism and citizenship. The Summit meeting came the day after the Society commemorated Medal of Honor Day and its annual Citizen Honors Award banquet, where everyday people who have done extraordinary things in their communities were honored.
Americans hunger for values
The Society also offers schools its Character Development Program, aimed at instilling Medal of Honor values in young people. But the idea of bringing together so many outside organizations at once was a new one – and comes at a time when Americans are hungry to focus again on traditional values.
A poll conducted by Ipsos for the Medal of Honor Foundation in 2023 found that 79% of Americans believe strong values and character are important and, yet, 71% believe that society doesn’t emphasize values enough.
“The poll underscores how our mission is more important than ever,” said Recipient Ryan Pitts. “This is not about politics. This is about the strength of our nation.”
At the Summit, each of the organizations present gave a brief presentation about their missions, and there was ample time for networking and discussion. Afterward, they pledged to continue their collective work to promote the Medal and its values.
“The values at the heart of the Medal of Honor are an integral part of the fabric of America and have the power to transform future generations,” said Chris Cassidy, president and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, in thanking the Society for organizing the Summit. “We are grateful to be part of an ecosystem of institutions and organizations dedicated to sharing Medal of Honor stories and the values they represent.”
Tommy Moore, president of the Medal of Honor Host Cities Program in Gainesville, Texas, said it was a humbling experience to participate. “The message conveyed by the leadership of the Society set high expectations for service and establishes a network that will have a positive impact on our nation,” he said.
Ian Berry, founder of Monumental Honor, which seeks to promote the legacy of Medal of Honor Recipients in Richmond, Va., added: “The Medal of Honor Summit was the embodiment of the Medal of Honor values. It created an opportunity to foster new relationships and build a united path forward. The Medal of Honor values are the threads that hold our freedoms together, and if that thread becomes frayed, our freedoms will ultimately become tattered and faded.”
The start of a movement
Slabinski noted that Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George requested a meeting with several Medal of Honor Recipients on Medal of Honor Day on March 25 to discuss the plunging enlistment rates among most branches of the military and to ask for the help of the Society.
“So much is at stake if we don’t find creative ways to get into the hearts and minds of the citizenry,” Slabinski said. “What we offer through our values is a solution to the problems our society is experiencing. The movement has to start with us.”
He said the Summit is the start of an ongoing collaborative process among all groups with a connection to the Medal under the auspices of the Society. This could include sharing multimedia content and cross-promoting events, along with showcasing best practices for topics such as fundraising. Another Summit is being planned for 2025.
At the end of the Summit, Slabinski presented each participant with a commemorative wooden paddle with the theme for the gathering – “Honor the Sacrifice – Inspire the Future” – inscribed on it. The idea came from a Navy SEALs and Marine Corps tradition and symbolizes the need for all to be paddling together.
“If you take this paddle, you’re entering into a covenant with all of us – that you are part of this team,” he said. “We’re now on the same team, rowing in the same direction, and we will do our damnedest to accomplish the mission.”