Arlington ceremony honors 'citizens who are truly heroes'

Arlington ceremony honors 'citizens who are truly heroes'
By JENNIFER HLAD
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 23, 2012

WASHINGTON – Patrick Brady earned a Medal of Honor in Vietnam, piloting ambulance helicopters again and again through foggy, heavily defended enemy territory to rescue wounded men.

On Friday, he and fellow living Medal of Honor recipients honored three civilians who Brady said “are the kind of people that we fought for.”

The ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery was the fifth annual Citizen Service Before Self Honors, a way to recognize “everyday people who become extraordinary,” Brady said.

The day also marked the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor and National Medal of Honor Day, which is Sunday.

Every American has the responsibility to put others in front of themselves, and there are many acts of courage and sacrifice every day, said retired Gen. Richard B. Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The awards are a way to “recognize those among our citizens who are truly heroes,” Myers said.
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2012 Citizen Service Before Self Honors recipients Montel Mixon, Brandon Wemhoff and James McCormick and American Spirit Award recipient Spencer Zimmerman tell their stories.