Arlington, VA (PRWEB) March 16, 2015USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore’s 34th Annual Awards Dinner Salutes Medal of Honor Recipients and Celebrities
30 Medal of Honor Recipients from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan; Writer-Producer Sebastian Junger; Singer-Songwriter Stevie Nicks; Quarterback Peyton Manning To be Recognized for Their Support of Troops and Their Families
WHAT: 2015 USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore 33rd Annual Awards Dinner
WHEN: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 , 5:00p.m. Media Availability 7:00p.m. Program begins
WHERE: Crystal Gateway Marriott 1700 Jefferson David Highway, Arlington, Va. 22202
WHO: The USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore (USO-Metro) is proud to partner with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation to salute Medal of Honor recipients, celebrities and citizens for their extraordinary service during its 34rd Annual Awards Dinner on March 24, 2015 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va. Nearly 30 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan will be recognized, as well as private citizens who will be honored for going “above and beyond,” both on and off the battlefield.
Honorees include the following in order of award presentation:
Legacy of Hope Award: Sebastian Junger, war correspondent, best-selling author, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and one of America's most acclaimed writers, embodies the spirit of this award. Junger will be honored for his heart-wrenching storytelling of the challenges military members endure during combat and upon returning home through his writing and production of the non-fiction movie trilogy: Restrepo, Korengal and The Last Patrol.
Outstanding Achievement Award: Stevie Nicks, singer and songwriter, holds the record for the most hours spent over a five-year period visiting combat-wounded service members as part of USO-Metro’s celebrity handshake tours. Over the years, Nicks has donated hundreds of iPods filled with music to those recovering at the then Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda National Naval Medical Center. Nicks was so moved by her hospital visits that she wrote the song “Soldier’s Angel” which was released as a single in 2011 and appears on her album “In Your Dreams.” Nicks will also present USO-Metro’s Col. John Gioia Patriot Award to Seema Reza.
Col. John Gioia Patriot Award: Seema Reza, poet and essayist, has spent years working with wounded, ill and injured service members at military hospitals and USO Warrior and Family Centers at Fort Belvoir and Bethesda. Reza conducts workshops to help service members recovering from visible and invisible wounds express themselves through art, writing, film and music. Reza will read a poem about her personal experiences working with these service members to a performance by Grammy-nominated, progressive hip-hop and multi-instrumentalist Christylez Bacon.
USO Merit Award: Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Denver Broncos, is being recognized for dedicating his time to boost morale of our troops through a USO tour which included stops in Afghanistan, Kuwait and the USS John C. Stennis (CVN74). As part of USO-Metro’s celebrity handshake tours, Manning has visited wounded, ill and injured service members at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda. Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, the 2014 USO Merit Award recipient, will introduce the award.
The Boeing Company serves as the evening's Presenting Sponsor, while DynCorp International is the event’s first Gold Sponsor. USO-Metro’s Annual Awards Dinner is attended by senior government and military leaders, celebrities and community leaders. Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev will perform the national anthem.
I'm know Stevie did not do this for the recognition. However, it is very nice that she's being recognized. It's wonderful to see they appreciate her!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Stevie and Payton and all honorees! Proof that Stevie's heart truly is24 Karat Gold!!!
ReplyDeleteAMEN
ReplyDeleteyes congrats to all for their work with the vets and active duty military
ReplyDeletestevie your heart is definitely 24karat gold
I am so happy when stevie is recognizedfor any award, exspecially for an achievement like this. I am sure this award she will be very proud of and will always be close to her heart She is truly 24 karot gold!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful and well-deserved honor for Stevie!
ReplyDeleteI think this is AMAZING, and I'm a die hard Stevie Nicks Fan. However, what about the millions of Drs, and especially nurses pulling 16 Hr shifts daily, doing the most heart wrenching of jobs????
ReplyDeleteThrilled for Stevie. She does this because she has a beautiful heart. It just keeps coming through at times like this and in her music. These are the times that make us remember why she stays so special to us.
ReplyDeleteSo happy she did write something special for the troops back when . Her fan mail lady asked her to do it because they were getting so many letters from the troops in the Gulf. See the fullstory on the booklet inside the TIMESPACE CD insert.
ReplyDeleteWe are all happy she did write something special for the troops back when . Her fan mail lady, Ginny Kamano, asked her to do it because they were getting so many letters from the troops in the Gulf. See the full story on the booklet inside the TIMESPACE CD insert.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the millions of doctors and nurses are getting paid - that's their job. If they don't want to work 16+ hours a day they can get other jobs. Simples. Not much of a *diehard Stevie Nicks Fan* if you're trying to degenerate the good works she has done, for NOTHING!
ReplyDeleteStevie was originally asked by the USO to take part in their Celebrity Handshake Tour in 2005, which she did through 2010. When they consolidated Walter Reed and Bethesda into one hospital (it had been two at different locations) the program had complications continuing. All through it they
ReplyDeletehad trouble getting celebrities to take part, very few actors (TV or movie star) and a few other musicians bothered when asked. Roger Waters from Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen and a couple others did. Stevie by far spent the most time there of any celebrity, each time she went over the five year period.
She is most deserving of this award, she spent long periods of time with every patient she visited, as well as with their visiting families, listening to their stories and offering support and encouragement, as well as giving those who were badly wounded and spending months in Walter Reed and Bethesda I Pods so they could at least listen to music to help pass the hours there.
Props to the USO for honoring her, Payton Manning and Sebastian Junger, all who helped our wounded troops who risk their lives and health for our freedom. I would bet this means more to Stevie than any music recognition she has ever gotten. Even though this was never publicized, people in the Washington DC area are more aware of it than most of the public. There are so many retired military and military medical people who stay in the DC area to live that the word has spread over the years.
Go Stevie! Support Our Troops!!!! And she has :)
ReplyDeleteThe song that is on the Time Space cd is not the song that is being referenced in this article. The song is " Soldiers Angel" which she wrote after visiting the Walter Reed Hospital. This song is on her In Your Dreams album which came out in 2011. Here is a very moving performance of "Soldiers Angel"
ReplyDeleteat Buffalo Chips Sturgis in 2011.
www.fleetwoodmacnews.com/.../video-stevie-nicks-at-buffalo-chips.html
you go girl
ReplyDeleteVery well deserved, congrat's Stevie!
ReplyDelete