Plot Synopsis

Each year, the American Veterans Center Honors closes the American Veterans Center's Annual Conference, which takes place over Veteran's Day weekend in Washington D.C., calling attention to America's greatest heroes from the last 75 years of U.S. military history. This event honors American heroes from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Honorees are saluted for their valor, sacrifice and service -- both on the battlefield and in the years since they have served. Beginning in 2012, the American Veterans Center began a partnership with the Department of Defense and DoD News (formerly The Pentagon Channel) to televise the awards show. On Saturday, November 15, 2014 at 5pm ET/2pm PT, ReelzChannel premiered the 2014 AMERICAN VETERANS CENTER HONORS, as a two-hour special during which Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna, Lorraine Bracco, Mark Valley, Taylor Kitsch, and Pat Sajak are among the Hollywood stars to share the stories of heroes. The event, which was held the previous Saturday on November 8, honored these individuals and groups: Lt. Colonel James "Maggie" Megellas United States Army; 101st Airborne Division United States Army; The Borinqueneers United States Army; SFC Melvin Morris United States Army; SFC Joe Kapacziewski United States Army; Sergeant Dakota Meyer United States Marine Corps; Lt. General Susan J. Helms United States Air Force; and Elinor Otto "Rosie the Riveter". On Sunday, November 15, 2015 at Noon ET/9am PT, ReelzChannel premiered the annual two-hour special, now titled THE HONORS: A SALUTE TO AMERICAN HEROES. Hollywood stars including Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Joe Mantegna, Ryan Phillippe, Dean Cain, Tom Sizemore and Pat Sajak present stories of this year's honorees: Corporal Hershel 'Woody' Williams (Audie Murphy Award - WWII); 761st Tank Battalion, United States Army (Audie Murphy Award - WWII); General Charles Cleveland (Raymond Davis Award - Korea); Col. Bruce P. Crandall (Joe Ronnie Hooper Award - Vietnam); Lt. Jason Redman (Paul Ray Smith Award - Operation Iraqi Freedom); Dr. James H. Billington (The 'American Spirit' Citizenship Award); The Fallen Heroes of Operation Red Wings, United States Army & United States Navy (Michael P. Murphy Award - Afghanistan); Major Jaspen Boothe (Lillian K. Keil Award for Women's Contributions to the Military); and Col. Buzz Aldrin (Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Wings of Valor Award). The event was filmed in Washington D.C. on Saturday, November 7, during Veterans Day weekend.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 2016, the two-hour program AMERICAN VALOR: A SALUTE TO OUR HEROES premiered on AHC: American Heroes Channel at 8am and ReelzChannel at 11am ET/PT on Sunday, November 13, 2016. This year's event -- held on November 5, 2016 at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC -- honored the following people: The Defenders of Pearl Harbor (United States Navy); Colonel Charles McGee (United States Army Air Forces), who as an acclaimed pilot from the legendary Tuskegee Airmen; James McEachin (United States Army), who was the recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart for valor in Korea, later award-winning author and television & film actor; Judge Vincent Okamoto (United States Army), a U.S. Army officer in Vietnam, becoming the most highly decorated Japanese American to survive the war receiving the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts; Major Scott Smiley (United States Army), the first active duty blind officer in U.S. Army history after being wounded while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom; Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts (United States Army), a recipient of the Medal of Honor for valor in Afghanistan; Lt. Colonel Richard E. Cole (United States Army Air Forces), the co-pilot of Jimmy Doolittle on the legendary Doolittle Raid of April 18, 1942 -- and the last survivor of the 80 Doolittle Raiders; and Major Heather Penney (United States Air Force), one of the first female combat pilots in the Air Force, who flew a mission to intercept the hijacked Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. Plus, the television program features stories about these American heroes, as told by Gary Sinise, Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Kiefer Sutherland, and many others. The program was also released on November 13 on the American Veterans Center's YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6pGUUg3m8c