The Congressional Medal of Honor Society will hold its annual celebration for recipients of the United States’ highest military award for valor in Knoxville, Sept. 13-17, 2022. But the story starts on July 22, 2021 when Medal of Honor recipient Kyle White, U.S. Army (Ret), will be in town to speak to teachers and administrators throughout the state at the Medal of Honor Character Development Program (CDP) training day at the Crown Plaza on West Summit Hill Drive.
“I did what any of my fellow soldiers would have done,” said White. “I’m doing the work I do now in their honor.”
White received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama in 2014 for his selfless bravery in Aranas, Afghanistan in 2007 when he risked his life to save his fellow U.S. servicemen as well as Afghan soldiers during an ambush. Although wounded in the attack, White continued to serve in Afghanistan until 2008, when his unit was called back to Fort Benning. He left active duty in 2011, but still wears a bracelet bearing the names of the six U.S. soldiers who died on that mountainside in Afghanistan.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society‘s CDP has successfully trained over 17,500 educators across the country to inspire students through the six core values of courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, citizenship and patriotism embodied in the Medal of Honor. While in Knoxville, White will speak to teachers and administrators about his Army experiences and how these values have impacted his life.
Molly Hudgens, a counselor at Sycamore Middle School in Nashville, will also be in attendance. Hudgens received the Citizen Honors Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation in 2017. Her heroic actions prevented a 14-year-old student from shooting faculty at her school. No shots were fired.
The Knoxville Medal of Honor Celebration team will travel to Boston this September to accept the official Congressional Medal of Honor Society flag and bring it back to Knoxville where it will be raised at the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial at World’s Fair Park. Thus begins a year-long series of events culminating in the 2022 Celebration which will coincide with the Tennessee versus Army football game in Neyland Stadium.
“I’m delighted the convention is returning to Knoxville and honored to work with the Medal of Honor recipients to help perpetuate the legacy of the Medal of Honor,” said Joe Thompson, one of the Celebration directors. “These men are living legends and continue to put country first as they share their unique and inspiring life experiences through the Character Development Program and other services.”
