R021644Z DEC 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 692/11
UNCLAS
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MR//
SUBJ/SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD//
REF/A/MSGID:MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MR/YMD:20110201//
POC/MR. BRYAN DRIVER/GS-12/UNIT:MRQ/-/TEL:703-432-2272//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. REFERENCE A REQUESTED NOMINATIONS FOR THE CY 2010 SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD.
2. BACKGROUND. THE SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE WIEGAND FOUNDATION IN 1997 IN HONOR OF MR. BOB HOPE. THE SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD IS PRESENTED TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO EMBODY THE VALUES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE MILITARY: DUTY, HONOR, COURAGE, LOYALTY, COMMITMENT AND INTEGRITY.
3. DISCUSSION. THE 2010 MARINE CORPS SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD RECIPIENT IS MR. RONALD A. KATZ, WHO WAS A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OPERATION MEND, A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE RONALD REAGAN UCLA MEDICAL CENTER, BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND THE VETERAN'S AFFAIRS-GREATER LOS ANGELES HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THROUGH HIS GENEROUS EFFORTS, THE KATZ FAMILY FOUNDATION PROVIDED THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL NON-COVERED COSTS, INCLUDING TRAVEL AND HOUSING, FOR 43 CATASTROPHICALLY INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING PROLONGED TREATMENT OF WOUNDS INCURRED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. AN AWARD PRESENTATION WAS CONDUCTED AT THE PENTAGON ON NOVEMBER 15, 2011.
4. ALSO NOMINATED FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE BUT NOT SELECTED WERE LT EVAN D. ADAMS, NAVY CHAPLAIN, MARINE WING SUPPORT SQUARDRON 274, CHERRY POINT, NC; LTCOL LEONARD F. ANDERSON IV, MARINE AVIATION TRAINING SUPPORT GROUP 42, NAS PENSACOLA, FL; MR. JOHN AND MRS. BARBARA LYON, SAN DIEGO, CA; MR. PHILLIP ROY, ATLANTA, GA; AND THE TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS.
5. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN ROBERT E. MILSTEAD JR, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVER AFFAIRS.//