Congressional Medal of Honor Society Presents 2015 Citizen Honors in Celebration of Medal of Honor Day

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Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Mar 25, 2015, 11:00 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Congressional Medal of Honor Society celebrated Medal of Honor Day and recognized its 2015 Citizen Honors recipients at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery today.

"Every year, on this day, the Medal of Honor Recipients visit the Tomb of the Unknown to recognize the sacrifice of those who serve this country. The wreath they place commemorates and honors service and sacrifice," said Ron Rand, president and CEO of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.

On Medal of Honor Day, America's truest heroes also present their highest honor, the Citizen Service Before Self Awards, to three ordinary Americans who have performed extraordinary deeds. "It may have been a single instance of bravery, or through a lifetime of service to others. These acts of courage and self-sacrifice embody the American spirit, and are recognized every year on National Medal of Honor Day," said Rand.

The 2015 Citizen Honors recipients, selected for their acts of courage and selfless service, are:

Alton Brieske of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was selected for his heroism on December 10, 2014 when he plunged into a snake and alligator infested canal to rescue and resuscitate an unresponsive driver from a submerged vehicle.

Jon Meis of Renton, Washington, was selected for his heroism on June 5, 2014 when he disarmed and subdued a shooter on the campus of Seattle Pacific University.

Michael G. Reagan, a Vietnam veteran from Edmonds, Washington, was selected for his service in founding the non-profit Fallen Heroes Project, which provides hand-drawn portraits to the families of all servicemen and women who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Medal of Honor is the Nation's highest military honor, presented for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. There are only 79 living Medal of Honor Recipients. National Medal of Honor Day provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the freedom we enjoy and to consider how acts of selfless service can improve our communities.

For more information about the 2015 Citizen Honorees and Medal of Honor Day, visit the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation website at www.cmohfoundation.org.

About the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation: The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation was founded in 1999 by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society with the mission to perpetuate the legacy of the Medal through outreach and education. Through its Character Development Program, the Foundation reaches out to the citizens of America, and particularly to young Americans, to promote an awareness of the values embodied in the Medal and to teach that ordinary citizens, through courage, sacrifice, selfless service and patriotism, can make a difference in the lives of others and change the course of history. The Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit with Tax ID #25-1828488.

For additional information contact:
Eugenia Gardner
719-433-8101

SOURCE Congressional Medal of Honor Society