Veteran’s Day is one of the most significant holidays is our society. This holiday gives us the opportunity to honor the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line for the nation. Since 1938, This day has been commemorated on November 11. The observance day was originally referred to as Armistice Day. Around 1954, the name of this holiday was changed to Veterans to highlight those who served in all U.S. wars.
This year in Washington D.C., we had the chance to attend one of the most memorable ceremonies in honor of our veterans. The American Veterans Center Annual Gala, American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes was hosted the Omni Shoreham Hotel. The rooms were filled with joy and gratitude from guests and family members. Notable attendees included David Boreanaz, Yvette Nicole Brown, Glenn Powell, and Maggie Sajak. The evening was hosted by the talented Emmy Award Winning nominated actor and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Rob Riggle, who kept a lively atmosphere the whole night. The attendees saw several shows hosted by service academy students from West Point, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy. The shows included band performances, singing and short movies. During the interim, the guests enjoyed a dinner during which they had the opportunity to socialize and get to know those monumental figures. After the dinner, the honorees were highlighted by Rob Riggle. 
As he highlighted our heroes, you could see the pride on everyone’s face, whether they had a personal relationship with the honorees or not. To conclude the event, the attendees took it to the dance floor. The attendees sang and danced the night, while some enjoyed cocktails and conversations. The American Veterans Center Annual Gala, American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes was a night to remember.
Honorees Include:
- Lt. Col. James H. Harvey, III, Tuskegee Airman, and winner of the first ‘Top Gun’-style competition in 1949, the first African American jet pilot to fly combat missions, with special guest Lt. Col. George Hardy, one of two living Tuskegee Airmen combat pilots of WWII.
- The U.S. 8th Air Force: ‘Masters of the Air,’ surviving heroes of the Allied Air Forces who owned the skies over Hitler’s Fortress Europe, subject of the forthcoming Apple TV+ series from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
- The Chosin Few, veterans of the harrowing Battle of Chosin Reservoir – the most epic battle of the Korean War
- ‘The Women who Brought Them Home’ – wives of the Vietnam POWs who fought to raise awareness to their plight, leading to their release 50 years ago, and permanently changing Pentagon policy toward POWs and MIA. With special guests, their POW husbands.
- The Real ‘Moonlight Graham,’ Roy Gleason – The only man in history to have a perfect MLB batting average, a World Series Championship ring, and a Purple Heart
- Nearly three dozen surviving heroes of World War II, with a special musical performance from the Air Force Band’s ‘Airmen of Note’ and 100 members of the Naval Academy Glee Club.
