CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The 2025 Patriot Award Gala was a night of honor, reflection, and celebration in Chattanooga.
Last night, audiences heard from the former Secretary of Defense.
Now, the spotlight turns to two well-known stars, actor Gary Sinise, best known for his iconic role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, and country music artist John Rich.
Both men stepped into a different kind of spotlight, celebrating America’s heroes and the legacy of service that binds generations together.
John Rich shared a message that resonated deeply with the crowd.
“If you’re an American citizen, every single morning when you wake up, you should look out your window and thank the good Lord above that you live here.”
The evening brought together Medal of Honor recipients, military leaders, and community members to celebrate those who go above and beyond in service.
Rich reflected on how his love for America was shaped early in life.
“I remember someone once told me, John, you never know what might happen. You live in America. We’ve got life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—not the right to be happy, the right to pursue it. And I always took that to heart. I understood that the reason we still have those inalienable rights intact is because of men and women who have been willing to fight and die if necessary, so all of us Americans get to chase the American dream.”
Actor and musician Gary Sinise echoed that same pride through his own mission to serve those who serve.
“My band is doing a lot of concerts for the military. We’ve done over 600 shows over the years for the military, for veterans, for first responders, raising awareness, raising money, raising spirits, all that. So, the fact that this was here, I wanted to offer the band, and we were going to play at the end of the gala tonight.”
The evening also brought an unexpected moment of humility for John Rich, as he was honored with the Bob Hope Award.
“I was reached out to by the Medal of Honor Society, the Association here, and they said, we’d like to give you the Bob Hope Award. Well, first of all, I didn’t quite know what to say. I was stunned by that, because I remember my dad watching Bob Hope when he was a kid, and my granddaddy, who fought in World War II, always spoke of Bob Hope as an American iconic hero. He set the precedent. So to have my name associated with that at all is a really humbling thing for me.”
Both stars shared a heartfelt message to the next generation, encouraging young people to learn about the heroes who came before them.
Sinise urged, “I encourage all young people to study their stories. Look up the Medal of Honor Foundation website, the Medal of Honor Society website. Look them up. Study the stories of these great American heroes, because they really are the best of America.”
Rich added, “I think the youth of America have been done a serious disservice over the past few decades. They’ve been indoctrinated to a large level to think badly of their own country. What they fail to realize is that you’re allowed to speak badly of your country because you live in the greatest country in the world. If you speak badly about other countries, you won’t be around long. They’ll make sure you don’t speak for long. They don’t have the First Amendment, for instance. It doesn’t matter where you started out in this country. You could have started out blue collar with a high school diploma like me, or even less than that. If you’re willing to think big, work hard, and be prepared to fail over and over until you finally get that win, there’s no telling where you might end up in this country.”
The night closed with applause, pride, and gratitude, a reminder that America’s freedom endures because of those who sacrifice for it, and because of those who continue to honor them.
