2023 Parade Grand Marshals Salute!
L to R, first row, U.S. Navy Veteran Jerry Hecht, Celebrity Grand Marshal Kim Alexis, U.S. Marine Corp Veteran Herbert Pierpan, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Navajo Code Talker Thomas Begay. L to R, second row, U.S. Air Force Veteran Jeffrey DeVore, U.S. Army Veteran Amanda Tallman, U.S. Army Veteran Pat Little-Upah, U.S. Army Veteran Hugues Byrne.
With more than 245,000 veterans in Maricopa County and 450,000 in the state, we know that there are dozens of phenomenal military veterans to recognize and honor today and every day. At HAV, we strive to build a patriotic spirit in the community by highlighting our veterans’ sacrifices to defend our freedoms.
This is why Honoring America’s Veterans and KTAR are presenting the annual Honor Our Heroes Veterans Grand Marshals competition.
The competition winners will be honored as the veteran grand marshals at the Honoring America’s Veterans Phoenix Veterans Day Parade on Monday, November 11, 2024.
“The ‘Honor Our Heroes’ program plays an important role in the Parade. We are looking for nominations of men and women who exude the characteristics of dedication, commitment, respect, and service,” said HAV Board President Dale Villani.
Past parades have seen the attendance of more than 40,000 people lining the streets to honor the service of America’s veterans. The 2024 “Honor our Heroes” nominee competition selects recipients from the seven significant eras of service representing their comrades. Eras include:
- World War II − 1941 to 1945
- The Korean War − 1950 to 1953
- The Vietnam War − 1958 to 1975
- Cold War − 1945 to 1991
- Desert Storm − 1990 to 1991
- Operation Enduring Freedom − 2001 to ongoing
- Operation Iraqi Freedom − 2003 to 2011
Both winners and their nominators will receive rewards for participating in the competition. Winners will be invited to ride in the parade and will be recognized by announcers at the eight-speaker towers along the parade route. Their bios will also be printed in the parade program and posted on HAV’s website. They may also be featured in local media and receive Veterans Day commemorative items.
Nominators will receive VIP Seating for two at the Parade Awards Ceremony and Veterans Day commemorative items.
You can nominate veterans who have demonstrated extraordinary honor, respect, and gratitude and allow them to spotlight those who have gone above and beyond, inspiring others. The key to winning is to ensure you are sharing a compelling story about your military service to our country.
Nominations are due by July 30. Nomination guidelines can be found online at https://honoringamericasveterans.org/honor-our-heroes/