We are the land of the free because of the brave. The men and women who serve our country provide us safety, freedom and security. Many of them devote their lives to the military, giving up their own free time and time spent with their loved ones. They do this to ensure we have time with ours. Whether actively serving or Veteran status these men and women deserve to be taken care of by the people they protect. There are many wonderful organizations created to give back to those who have given us freedom. Heroes Linked is one of those incredible organizations. Founded in 2009, Heroes Linked is a national nonprofit that supports those actively serving in the military, veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star families by providing support for successful post-service careers, home retention, education, and more.
Organizations like Heroes Linked have passionate missions they are striving to maintain, and they cannot do that without the help of people like us. To help cover the cost of tuition for Gold Star children, or fix-up the home of a deserving veteran, these organizations need funding. Generous people who want to thank those who have served, donate throughout the year, but once a year Heroes Linked holds a glamorous gala to raise funds. Not only does the party raise money, but it’s also a chance to recognize some of the incredible men and women who have served our nation.
This year, the gala was held in November at the famed Beverly Wilshire (a Four Seasons Hotel). Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner, a live auction full of fantastic items to bid on, and a touching musical performance by JD Hinton. Before guests had a chance to bid on items such as a private tour of NBC Studios Rockefeller Center, a signed Medal of Honor flag, a visit to the Palm Springs Air Museum, and LA Police Department and Sherrif’s Department experiences, they enjoyed listening to recording artist JD Hinton. Hinton brought some of his Texas twang to the stage, singing a heartfelt song dedicated to our troops, as gorgeous images of those troops played in the background. It was a beautiful way to start the evening of celebration. (Listen to JD Hinton on Spotify.)
Among the galas attendees were 4 Medal of Honor Recipients (there are only 60 living in the US today), a nearly 100-year-old World War II veteran, a Gold Star child who received tuition support from Heroes Linked, veterans who received home repair assistance from the organization, members of the LAPD (fun fact – the LAPD actively recruits veterans retired from military service, as law enforcement is a natural transition from military service) and the honoree of the night, Col. Jack H. Jacobs.
Col. Jacobs, a Vietnam veteran, was presented with the Don Schwarz Distinguished Service Award. (Don Schwarz was the founder of Heroes Linked – which originally started as a yearly golf outing and has morphed into the incredible non-profit it is now.) Actor Joe Mantegna, along with Medal of Honor Recipient Col. Harvey Barnum Jr. presented the award. Mantegna shared that he never got drafted, even though he was willing to serve and went through all the testing, but has the utmost respect for veterans, as he saw his friends serve. Mantegna is a strong supporter of veterans and hosts an annual Memorial Day concert in Washington D.C. to honor those who have served that we have lost. He and Barnum both teased Jacobs about his height (he stands around 5 feet tall), with Barnum stating, “Jack takes a lot of teasing about his height, but standing in front of us tonight is a real giant. I treasure you and your friendship.” Mantegna then called upon Jacobs to receive the award saying, “I’d like to call up one of the tallest men in America.” It is no joke that Jacobs is a hero of epic proportions.
Jacobs was more than deserving of this award. He not only served in Vietnam, he also saved in Vietnam. He received the Medal of Honor for saving more than a dozen men, all while dealing with his own head injury. Not only did Jacobs survive a harrowing battle, but he also ensured his fellow brothers survived. It’s been said the scene in Forrest Gump, where Forrest pulls men to safety was inspired by the heroic actions of Col. Jack Jacobs. Jacobs went on to become a consultant for national broadcast shows on NBC, as well as a board member of Heroes Linked and Children of Fallen Patriots.
The gala was successful in raising money, but even more successful in raising awareness of the heroic efforts of the men and women who serve and have served our country. At the end of the evening, the Heroes Linked director said, “to succeed, we must have your support. We cannot achieve our mission without it. Our freedom has never been free. Men and women pay for it, and we owe them payment in return.”
If you’d like to learn more about Heroes Linked or donate to the organization, please visit heroeslinked.org.
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