R 191431Z DEC 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 669/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MR//
SUBJ/CY12 SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD SELECTION//
REF/A/DOC/DODI 1005.14/10JAN2013//
REF/B/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MR/191912ZMAR13//
NARR/REF A IS DODI 1005.14, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPIRIT OF HOPE (SOH) AWARD WHICH PROVIDES POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING THE AWARD PROGRAM.  REF B IS MARADMIN 143/12, CY 2012 SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD NOMINATION PROCEDURES AND DEADLINES.//
POC/MR. BRYAN DRIVER/GS-13/MRQ/-/TEL:703-432-2272/DSN:378-2272/EMAIL:DRIVERBR(AT)USMC-MCCS.ORG//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE REFERENCES REQUESTED NOMINATIONS FOR THE CY 2012 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 2012 MARINE CORPS SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD RECIPIENT IS SSGT JARED C. COONS, VMM-262, 1ST MARINE AIR WING, OKINAWA, JAPAN. SSGT COONS IS BEING RECOGNIZED FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS. AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER, STAFF SERGEANT COONS DONATED MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED THIRTY EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS OF HIS INHERITANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CIVILIANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND MILITARY FAMILIES SERVING AROUND THE COUNTRY. THESE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDED THE MARINE CORPS WOUNDED WARRIOR GAMES AND WOUNDED WARRIOR REGIMENT, THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY, SAN DIEGO VOICES FOR CHILDREN, SO CAL TRIKE CENTER, THE YMCA OF HANNIBAL MISSOURI, HANNIBAL MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL, CULVER STOCKTON COLLEGE, AND THE MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION. STAFF SERGEANT COONS' GENEROUS AND PHILANTHROPIC CHARACTER EPITOMIZES THE SPIRIT OF BOB HOPE AND WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE. AN AWARD PRESENTATION WAS CONDUCTED AT THE PENTAGON ON 19 NOVEMBER 2013.
4.ALSO NOMINATED FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE BUT NOT SELECTED WERE MR. KEITH A. BROCKMANN, MCAGCC TWENTY-NINE PALMS, CA; AND THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE RETIRED ACTIVITIES OFFICE, MCAS CHERRY POINT, NC.
5.RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY NF6, WILLIAM C. DILLON, DIRECTOR, SEMPER FIT AND EXCHANGE SERVICES DIVISION.//