Medal of Honor recipients honor others’ service

NEWS AND OPINION:

“Ordinary people can do extraordinary things,” says the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which was chartered by Congress in 1958 for those who wear the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award.

National Medal of Honor Day is Monday – a day for Medal of Honor recipients themselves to honor Americans who have gone above and beyond to assist their neighbors, communities, and those in need – through acts of valor and service.

More than 20 of those recipients will be on hand at Fort Belvoir to recognize five individuals and one organization for their courage, determination and helpful service.

“Launched in 2007, the Citizen Honors Awards program reflects the mission of Medal of Honor Recipients to show that the values associated with the Medal of Honor are relevant to all Americans. The tradition is also in keeping with the preference of Recipients to shine a light on others rather than themselves as they believe that the Medals of Honor they were awarded should be seen more broadly as a symbol of the sacrifices and service of others,” the nonprofit organization says in a mission statement.

A nationwide search is conducted each year to select five U.S. citizens and one nonprofit group to receive the Citizen Honors Awards. The awards were created to encourage others to recognize acts of heroism and selfless service.

This year’s honorees are credited with such acts as saving victims during the fires in Lahaina, Hawaii; disarming a mass shooter in Los Angeles; and performing acts of service benefiting those with autism and our veteran communities.

“Medal of Honor recipients know that there are many Americans who share the values we seek to promote through our outreach, and we think it is important to hold them up as role models for others. Their self-sacrifice embodies the American spirit and shows that the opportunity to serve others does not require a military uniform,” Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor recipient and the society’s president, said in a written statement.

He is a retired Navy SEAL who received the Medal of Honor on May 24, 2018, for his actions during the Battle of Takur Ghar in Afghanistan.

The awards event will be emceed by Courtney Kube, NBC News correspondent.

Nominations for the 2025 Citizen Honors Awards are now open, by the way. Find information about the process — along with the history of the nonprofit organization, its remarkable honorees and ongoing activities at CMOHS.org.

ON THE RADAR

Former Vice President Al Gore is still very much attuned to climate issues. He will take part in a “Climate Reality Leadership Training” event in New York City in mid-April.

“My many years in the climate movement have taught me one essential thing: Political will is itself a renewable resource,” he said in a written statement.

“Just like solar and wind, we need to build and scale up that political will to confront the climate crisis head-on. That’s exactly what our 50,000 Climate Reality Leaders around the globe are working tirelessly to do,” he said in the outreach.

The free training will include “incredible conversations, skill-building sessions, and networking opportunities to help you make a big difference on climate,” he said.

TRUMP’S LATEST

“You’ll never get Trump Tower!” former President Donald Trump warns in a dramatic campaign message released Sunday.

“We will never surrender. Our patriotic movement cannot be stopped,” the message advised.

“Peacefully stand with me now. We will make America great again! Thank you,” he later concluded in the message.

KENNEDY ON THE MOVE

The presidential race is still a factor for independent hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who will announce his choice for a vice presidential candidate on Tuesday in Oakland, California.

“This historic event will reaffirm the key principles of the Kennedy campaign of restoring the middle class, ending the chronic disease epidemic, unwinding the war machine, and unraveling corporate capture of our government agencies,” his campaign said in a statement.

Things get underway at 11 a.m. PDT at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland.

“As president, I will end the forever wars, clean up the government, increase wealth for all, and tell Americans the truth,” Mr. Kennedy said, also in a statement.

“A recent Quinnipiac poll shows him leading Presidents Biden and Trump nationwide among voters under 35. An NBC poll shows 34% of people saying they could see themselves supporting RFK Jr. Another Quinnipiac Poll discussed on CNN shows Kennedy in a three-way tie with Presidents Biden and Trump among Latinos,” his campaign advised.

“Kennedy leads Presidents Biden and Trump among independents. Independents continue to constitute the largest political bloc in the U.S., with an average of 43% of U.S. adults. In contrast, 27% of U.S. adults identify as Republicans and 27% of U.S. adults identify as Democrats,” the statement noted.

“The Kennedy campaign has launched a robust ballot access plan to ensure RFK Jr. is on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The campaign has exceeded all its ballot access benchmarks to date,” it said.

POLL DU JOUR

• 18% of registered Republican voters say former President Donald Trump should choose Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as his vice presidential candidate.

• 17% say Mr. Trump should choose former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

• 15% say he should choose Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

• 15% say he should choose entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

• 7% say he should choose former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

• 6% say he should choose South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

• 6% say he should choose Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

• 3% say Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

• 2% say Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida.

• 2% say Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York.

• 1% say Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

• 7% say Mr. Trump should choose “someone else.”

SOURCE: A Center Square Voter Choice Poll of 1,044 Republican voters conducted March 11-15.

• Contact Jennifer Harper at jharper@washingtontimes.com.