FIFTY-SIXTH SILVER HELMET AWARDS RECOGNIZE PUBLIC SERVANTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

AMVETS honors Team River Runner founder Joseph Mornini, Rep. Tim Walz for continued service to veterans
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2010— On Saturday, March 20, AMVETS will present its prestigious Silver Helmet Awards to champions of veterans’ service during a black tie celebration at the Hilton Washington Dulles in Herndon, Va. Commonly referred to as “The Veterans’ Oscars,” the Silver Helmet recognizes excellence and outstanding accomplishment in the fields of Americanism, defense, rehabilitation, congressional service and civil service.

“Each of this year’s recipients has demonstrated a sustained commitment to our nation and the veterans’ community,” said AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin. “Whether motivating wounded warriors to excel, consistently improving the quality of care afforded to our veterans, continuing to look out for our troops and veterans on Capitol Hill, teaching generations of schoolchildren about what it means to be an American, or serving our veterans and our communities, I applaud this year’s recipients for their continuing dedication and service, keeping with the ideals of AMVETS.”

At this year’s banquet, AMVETS will honor Glen Maurer, William Montague, Joseph Mornini, and administrators of Gloucester Township Elementary School for their tireless efforts to improve the lives of America’s veterans, their families, and the community at large. AMVETS will honor Maurer for his decades of service to the AMVETS community at all levels of the organization; Montague for his work as director of the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland, consistently improving care for Ohio’s veterans; Joseph Mornini for his vision and continued dedication to helping wounded warriors achieve success through the national Team River Runner program; and Gloucester Township Elementary School for its sustained commitment to one of the nation’s most active and most honored Americanism programs.

On Thursday, March 18, AMVETS also honored Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz with the Congressional Silver Helmet Award during a special reception on Capitol Hill. AMVETS acknowledged Walz, a retired command sergeant major in the Minnesota Army National Guard, for his tremendous contributions to the veterans’ community in only two short terms—such as pushing for advances in veterans’ optical care, as well as improved screening for traumatic brain injury.

Prior to the reception, Cmdr. Miskulin will testified before a special joint session of the Senate and House committees on veterans’ affairs, outlining AMVETS’ legislative agenda for 2010, which was published on Veterans Day and is available for download on www.amvets.org.

This year marks the 56th anniversary of the Silver Helmet Awards. The Silver Helmet, a unique silver replica of a WWII GI’s helmet, was first presented in 1954 to Gen. George C. Marshall at the AMVETS 10th Anniversary Dinner in recognition of his contributions as a soldier, statesman, and American.

The Silver Helmet Awards Banquet is held annually in conjunction with the spring meeting of the AMVETS National Executive Committee. In addition to AMVETS members, cabinet members‚ members of Congress, military officials, service members, and wounded warriors often come to pay tribute to the recipients of the award.
Highlights from this year’s Silver Helmet will be available on the official blog of American Veteran magazine, http://americanveteranmagazine.blogspot.com.

About AMVETS:
A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, as well as community service and legislative reform that enhances the quality of life for this nation’s citizens and veterans alike. AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves. To learn more visit www.amvets.org.