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2008 Silver Helmet Award Recipients
Silver Helmet AMVET of the Year Award
Anthony Altieri
Altieri enlisted into the Illinois Army National Guard in 1955, and served with Co. B, 1st Battle Group, 131st Infantry Reg., 33rd Div. Honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1963, Altieri returned home to Wheeling and began what has become more than four decades of service to his community and fellow veterans.
Anthony Altieri became an AMVETS member in Nov., 1991 and is now a life member and commander of AMVETS Phillip Carpenter Post 66, Wheeling, Ill. Among his many accomplishments Altieri is specifically recognized for his service as Post 66 Building Corporation trustee and vice president from 1995 to the present. During his tenure, Post 66 has been completely renovated and redecorated and the post’s mortgage note has been paid in full. Additionally, Altieri negotiated for a much needed 18 car parking lot adjacent to the post home at no cost to the post.
His diligent work has led to a substantial increase in revenue resulting in significant increases in post donations and grants to community based organizations, schools, NJROTC programs and VA facilities activities.
Silver Helmet Special Award
Jerry “Reed” Hubbard
Known in country music as “The Guitar Man,” singer-songwriter Jerry "Reed" Hubbard is known not only for a successful solo career but also for his acting roles and for his work as an ace session player. Reed was born in Atlanta on March 20, 1937, and was signed to cut his first record, “If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creeks Don't Rise,” at age 18.
Reed served in the Army from 1959 – 1961. After his tour of duty he moved to Nashville to continue his singing and songwriting career, which continues to this day. During his career Reed never forgot his ties to the military community and has spent countless hours supporting veterans through various charitable activities.
Reed recently performed his song “The American Veteran” during the National Salute
to Hospitalized Veterans in Nashville. Reed also surprised the residents of a Murfreesboro long-term health care facility by staging an impromptu performance during the 2006 holiday season. He continues to participate in events that support veterans in his local community.
Silver Helmet Special Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick
The son of a WWII veteran, Dr. John J. Kopchick is an internationally recognized leader in the growth hormone (GH) field. Since 1987, he has held the Milton and Lawrence H. Goll Eminent Scholar Professorship in Molecular and Cellular Biology and directs the Growth/Obesity/Diabetes Section of the Edison Biotechnology Institute at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He also is Professor in the Biomedical Sciences department in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University.
In 1989, Dr. Kopchick and his group were the first to discover and characterize the molecular aspects of GH antagonists, an accomplishment for which he and Ohio University were awarded several U.S. and European patents. Dr. Kopchick has published more than 240 scientific articles and 220 published abstracts in the area of growth, obesity and diabetes. Twelve patents have been granted based on his work with several more pending.
Dr. Kopchick currently serves on the editorial boards of Endocrinology, Molecular Endocrinology, and GH & IGF-1 Research. He has been, and remains, an instrumental figure in the establishment of the AMVETS Diabetes Research Institute at Ohio University. The institute specializes in groundbreaking training for undergraduate students and spotlights molecular approaches for diabetes research.
Silver Helmet Rehabilitation Award
John Lynch
“If it’s good for the vet do it,” has been John Lynch’s motto since the day he discovered an old Army buddy living in a dumpster. Since then Lynch has applied single minded devotion to helping homeless veterans in New York get the services they need to regain their dignity and independence.
Born in Ireland, Lynch immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 17. He was drafted into the Army after high school and served for two years, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam. Lynch returned home from war and ran a successful equipment leasing company.
Lynch remains a tireless advocate for veterans’ causes, testifying on their behalf before the Congressional Veteran’s Affairs Committee as well as state and county legislatures. He is an active member of the National Coalition for homeless veterans and sits on the Workforce Investment Board and the Suffolk County Community council among others.
Silver Helmet Congressional Award
Sen. Patty Murray
Born in Bothell, Wash., Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) is one of seven children. Her father earned the Purple Heart as one of the first soldiers to land on Okinawa during WWII. The first woman elected to the Senate from Washington State, Murray has been a champion for women, families and veterans. She has spearheaded efforts to close the gender pay gap, protect women in retirement, and increase access to child care. Murray helped write and pass the historic Violence Against Women Act and was a key proponent of its reauthorization in 2000 and 2005.
Murray is a vocal advocate for Washington's 670,000 veterans and is the first woman to serve on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She brought the Veteran Affairs Secretary to Washington State for hearings on Gulf War Syndrome and has worked to improve health care access for veterans. Murray wrote the law that ensures all veterans can have military funeral honors. She has been honored for her work by the Vietnam Veterans of America, American Ex-POWs, the VFW, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and now AMVETS.
Ladies Auxiliary Humanitarian Award
Shauna Fleming
In 2004, 15 year-old Shauna Fleming was challenged by her father to get her school to do something positive for the military men and women serving the country. She decided on a national letter campaign to collect and distribute one million letters of appreciation and emails of thanks to current and past servicemembers as part of National Military Appreciation Month, which is celebrated each May.
With the support of Lutheran High School in Orange, Calif., Fleming started A Million Thanks organization. A Million Thanks has now grown into a year-round campaign that honors U.S. veterans for their dedication and sacrifice.
Fleming graduated from high school last spring, but continues her campaign through the recently founded A Million Thanks Foundation.
Visit our Silver Helmet page for past recipients
