President Clinton Joins President George H.W. Bush and General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) as Honorary Co-Chair to call upon American Public to Nominate Fellow Citizens for Nation’s Most Prestigious Civilian Awards For Service;
“Above & Beyond Citizen Honors”
NEW YORK, NY (October 26, 2007) PRNewswire
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which is solely comprised of the 109 living Medal of Honor
Recipients, is proud to announce that President Bill Clinton has joined President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) as an Honorary Co- Chair of their Above & Beyond broadcast which will showcase their Above & Beyond Citizen Honors. The Society, recently launched Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, their non- partisan “Service before Self” initiative and annual broadcast, which will identify and honor those ordinary Americans who have become extraordinary through their selflessness.
“We are pleased and proud that President Bill Clinton has joined with President George H.W. Bush and General Colin Powell as an Honorary Chair of our Above & Beyond initiative,” said Paul Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and Above & Beyond designate from the Society. “This sends a clear message that regardless of one’s political persuasions, Americans will unite and work together to celebrate unsung heroes in uniform or out, who go above and beyond for others.”
With just two months left before the December 16 nominating deadline, President’s Clinton, Bush, and General Powell are urging all Americans to nominate their fellow citizens for the nation’s most prestigious civilian award for service.
The Above & Beyond awards will be presented annually to three American civilians at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on National Medal of Honor Day.
After a nationwide search and selection process for the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, the Society will select 50 Finalists to represent their respective states. From these remarkable Americans, the Society will announce three Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients at the Medal of Honor Day ceremony in March, 2008, and their remarkable stories of hope and courage will be broadcast to the nation and to the men and women in uniform serving around the world.
Above & Beyond, co-created by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and EPOP International, is historic, as it is the first time all of the living Medal of Honor recipients have banded together to create a national platform to promote “Service before Self.” The Above & Beyond Citizen Honors are unique, because they are presented to unsung heroes by our nations most honored heroes, all of the living Medal of Honor recipients themselves.
ABOUT
THE MEDAL OF HONOR
Created by Abraham Lincoln in 1861, the Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force, which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the United States Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. To receive this rare honor, the President of the United States must approve it after a long and rigorous consideration process, and then presents it personally to the recipient in the name of Congress. Since the birth of our nation, over 40 million Americans have faced combat, yet only 3,463 have received our nations highest honor for combat — the Medal of Honor.
THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR SOCIETY
The Congressional Medal Of Honor Society is chartered by Congress, and regarded as the most exclusive organization in our country, as its membership is solely made up of living Medal of Honor recipients. Today there are only 109 members, who come from all social classes, race and economic levels. They range in age from 57 to 97, and live in all areas of our Country. No amount of money, power or influence can buy one’s rite of passage to this exclusive circle, and unlike almost any other organization, this group’s members hope that there will be no more inductees. Beyond this attitude towards recruitment, about also share a passionate love for the United States of America and have the distinct honor of wearing our Nation’s highest award for military valor, The Medal of Honor. For more information, visit www.cmohs.org
THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOUNDATION
The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to perpetuate the Medal of Honor’s legacy of courage, sacrifice and patriotism. The Foundation supports the objectives, activities and programs of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and raises funds for initiatives such as Above & Beyond, that promote what the Medal of Honor represents. For more information, visit www.cmohfoundation.org
EPOP INTERNATIONAL
Above & Beyond Co-creator and Executive Producer David Clark founded EPOP which is unique, as it is solely dedicated to creating and producing cause-related properties in all forms of media. In 2002, EPOP worked with President Nelson Mandela to create the “46664” HIV/AIDS concert in South Africa. Globally broadcast on MTV, the landmark event featured performances by Bono, Beyonce, Queen, The Corrs and Peter Gabriel. In 2005 EPOP created the “Anne Frank 75th Birthday Tribute” with Anne’s cousin and only living family member Buddy Elias. Miep Gies, 97, the remarkable woman who hid the Frank family for over two years and later found Anne’s diary, participated as an event Chair, along with President’s Clinton and Carter, as well as Senator’s Clinton, Obama and Dole. Performers included Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Gere, Natalie Portman, Cindy Lauper, Lou Reed, Laura Linney and more.
