Patriot Awards Gala

On October 3, 2024, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society will present four distinguished awards at the highly anticipated Patriot Awards Gala to honor selected individuals who, through their life’s work, promote and perpetuate the principles upon which our nation is founded and encourage the six core values of courage, commitment, integrity, sacrifice, citizenship and patriotism.

This annual black-tie celebration will be held in the magnificent Stars at Night Ballroom at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, the largest ballroom in Texas.

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The 2024 Patriot Awards Gala recipients include​

Patriot Award​

The Gene and Jerry Jones family

Distinguished Citizen Award​

Richard M. “Tres” Kleberg, III

Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment

Taylor Kitsch

John R. “Tex” McCrary Award for Excellence in Journalism

Martha MacCallum

Honorees

Patriot Award

The Gene and Jerry Jones Family

The Patriot Award is the highest award presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. This award is reserved for persons who, through their life’s work, have distinguished themselves as dedicated to freedom and the ideals represented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The 2024 Patriot Award will be presented to the Gene and Jerry Jones Family and will be accepted by Charlotte Jones, Chief Brand Officer and Co-Owner of the Dallas Cowboys and daughter of Gene and Jerry Jones. Charlotte has contributed generously and worked tirelessly to raise over $250 million to establish and bring to life the National Medal of Honor Museum opening in March 2025 in Arlington, Texas; the National Medal of Honor Griffin Institute which began programming in 2023 and has already reached more than 325,000 students around the country through Character Playbook; and the National Medal of Honor Monument which Congress has unanimously authorized the Foundation to build in Washington, DC. This three-part project is dedicated to sharing the stories and values of Medal of Honor recipients and inspiring us all to build upon their legacies in our own lives and communities. Charlotte Jones has been a key leader of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation for more than 5 years and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board.

Distinguished Citizen Award​

Richard M. “Tres” Kleberg, III

Richard M. “Tres” Kleberg, III, will receive the 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award. Kleberg, a U.S. Navy veteran and prominent San Antonian, is a lifelong supporter of active duty and veteran causes. He served as a Naval Aviator in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1970 and the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1970-1978. In 2008, he was appointed a appointed Civilian Aide Emeritus to the Secretary of the Army for Texas. Kleberg is a member of the Association of the U.S. Army, Alamo Council Navy League, and the Alamo Chapter of the Navy League of the United States. He is a trustee of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, the Kingsville Council Navy League, the Association of Naval Aviation, and the Tailhook Association. Kleberg is an honorary member of the First Marine Division Association and serves as an honorary chairman of the USS Kingsville LCS-36 Commissioning Committee. He is the former Chairman of the USS San Antonio LPD-17 Commissioning Committee. Kleberg is also a friend of West Point, a Distinguished Quartermaster at Ft. Sam Houston, and a Lifetime Patron of the Fifth Army Association. A member of the famed King Ranch family, Kleberg is the past president of SFD Enterprises, LLC, a family financial/investment business.

JOHN R. “TEX” McCRARY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM​

Martha MacCallum

Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum will receive the John R. “Tex” McCrary Award for Excellence in Journalism. MacCallum is the anchor and executive editor of The Story with Martha MacCallum and joined FOX News Channel (FNC) in January 2004. She authored the New York Times bestseller, Unknown Valor: A Story of Family, Courage, and Sacrifice from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima. Her interest in military veterans' stories stems from her cousin, Harry Gray, a Marine who died during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Throughout her career, she has supported veteran issues, including interviewing Jon Stewart about the harm caused by toxic burn pits. MacCallum encourages viewers to explore their ancestry to understand the sacrifices of veterans. On June 6, 2024, she interviewed World War II veterans and U.S. Senators in a broadcast from the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, during a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The “Tex” McCrary Award honors journalists who have distinguished themselves through unbiased coverage of the United States military.

Bob Hope Award For Entertainment​

Taylor Kitsch

Actor Taylor Kitsch will be recognized with the Bob Hope Award for Entertainment for his onscreen portrayal of Lt. Michael P. Murphy in the award-winning film Lone Survivor and his extensive offscreen support of the United States military. Lone Survivor tells the true story of Operation Red Wings, a mission in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of many U.S. servicemen, including Lt. Murphy, a United States Navy SEAL officer who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during combat. Kitsch also plays military members in American Assassin, Battleship, The Terminal List, and the upcoming Terminal List prequel series, a spinoff of the original that explores the life of Kitch’s beloved character “Ben Edwards". Preparing for these roles required constant, intense, and rigorous physical training that was led by actual Navy SEALs and special military consultants. Each Memorial Day, he participates in "The Murph Challenge" and supports numerous events to honor Lt. Murphy, active duty troops, veterans, and fallen heroes.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Gary Sinise

Actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, whose award-winning portrayal of Lt. Dan Taylor in the landmark film Forrest Gump formed an enduring connection with servicemen and women throughout the military community, will emcee the evening’s festivities. Gary, who established the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011, was a previous recipient of the Patriot Award in February 2020.

Featuring a Gourmet Dinner by

Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine

Robert Irvine is a veteran, world-class chef, entrepreneur, and committed philanthropist, supporting our nation's heroes and their families through the Robert Irvine Foundation's food, wellness, community, and financial support programs. Irvine dedicates nearly 345 days per year on the road, working tirelessly on enhancing food resources & nutrition, visiting bases, and much more. Irvine's commitment to our service members and first responder communities has earned him several civilian honors, and he continues to inspire through his work on TV and in his publications. Chef Robert Irvine founded the Robert Irvine Foundation that supports our nation's defenders and was awarded the Bob Hope Award for Entertainment in 2015.

Sponsors

Douglas MacArthur Tables

  • The Melissa and John Kauth Foundation
  • Clark Construction
  • Steves & Sons, Inc. 
  • Luther King Capital Management and Tres and Olive Kleberg
  • H-E-B
  • USS San Antonio
  • NuStar Energy
  • The Greehey Family Foundation
  • The Magatagan Family
  • Eleanor and Scott Petty
  • Jack Guenther Jr.
  • Huffman Developments
  • The Jones Family

William James Bordelon Tables​

  • Siebert Foundation
  • JJ and Tracee Feik
  • The Travis & Richardson Families
  • Commissioner Grant Moody, Pct 3
  • Kiolbassa Provision Company
  • Edward & Nancy Diefenthal
  • Henry Cisneros
  • Metropolitan Contracting Company
  • The Travis & Wieser Families
  • The Stade Family
  • Boeing

Cleto L. Rodriguez Tables

  • Vietnam Army Grunt Museum
  • WellMed
  • Daedalians

Robert George Cole Tables

  • George Block
  • CPS Energy
  • CENTEX Technologies
  • Bob Hayes
  • Hancock Whitney Bank
  • Frost Bank
  • Pape-Dawson Engineers
  • Law Offices of Davidson Trolio Ream & Garza
  • IBC Bank
  • Valencia Hotel Group
  • Alamo Colleges Foundation
  • SWBC
  • Amegy Bank of Texas
  • Brian & Larisa Colton
  • General Brady
  • Alamo Trust, Inc.
  • University of Incarnate Word
  • MNT Vietnam Veteran

QUESTIONS? Contact Dan Pedrotti Jr. [email protected]

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