Only in America – JINSA 2012 Awards Dinner

“When I was growing up, my parents would always say ‘Only in America,’” said Senator Lindsay Graham, as he received the Jewish Institute for National Security (JINSA) Henry “Scoop” Jackson Distinguished Service Award. “Only in America would military and civilian leaders come together. We have our military’s best interest to serve our nation.”

And come together they did on Monday night at the Atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center with emcee Catherine Herridge, national correspondent for Fox News, and popular country music artists, Ricochet. The room was packed with countless officers from all branches of the military as well as leaders from Capitol Hill and the defense industry.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld, Jr., Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Rood, Vice President of Raytheon, presented the Grateful Nation Awards to six of the nation’s bravest young men, each selected to represent his branch of the Armed Forces from among countless nominations by a special JINSA committee.

The entire audience remained standing as award citations were read for Sergeant First Class James T. Osaer (Army), Sergeant Brian M. Riddle (Marine Corps), Petty Officer Eric J. Strauss (Navy), Boatswains Mate First Class Jonathan Tatroe (Coast Guard), Technical Sergeant Clint T. Campbell (Air Force), Master Sergeant Paul L. Wiseman (Specials Operations Command).  Some have had tours in the Middle East or Africa, some were wounded, some have been awarded Purple Hearts… but all showed that humans are the most important hardware of our country.