Hometown Heroes Awarded on 150th Anniversary of Medal of Honor

Recipients Celebrate Brave U.S. Citizens with Special Ceremony

ARLINGTON, Va., March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Our nation's greatest war heroes - Medal of Honor recipients - will personally present awards to four unsung citizen heroes who've saved lives in extraordinary circumstances, during a special ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Approximately 20 Medal of Honor recipients are expected to attend the ceremony.

The recipients will first commemorate Medal of Honor Day, on the 150(th) anniversary of the Medal's first presentation, with a wreath-laying at 2:00 at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The recipients will then present the Citizen Service Before Self Honors (CSBSH) awards at 2:30 to four honorees selected from a nationwide campaign for going above and beyond for their fellow man.

The four honorees for the Citizen Service Before Self Honors (CSBSH) are:

    --  Father Joe Carroll, (San Diego, California) - Developed and ran a
        multi-faceted homeless support center offering assistance, counseling
        and job training, that is now modeled throughout the U.S.
    --  Marcos Ugarte, (Troutdale, Oregon) - 15-year-old boy who saved a younger
        neighbor from a burning home by climbing a ladder, pushing his way
        through a window and coaxing the boy to safety.
    --  Jesse Shaffer III and Jesse Shaffer IV, (Braithwaite, Louisiana) -
        During Hurricane Isaac, this father-and-son team used their boat to
        rescue 120 people from their flood-ravaged town after official rescues
        were called off.

These four honorees were chosen by Medal of Honor recipients from a pool of 23 finalists, announced last month in the CSBSH program that collected hundreds of hero nominations from across the U.S. between September and December 2012. It's all part of the Medal of Honor Society and Foundation's mission to share the values of the medal with all Americans.

"We believe that the values of the medal, courage, sacrifice and selflessness are present in all Americans. These four hometown heroes have demonstrated these values by acting courageously to change fate. We celebrate these heroes today, and thank them for the hope they give us," said Medal of Honor Society President Hal Fritz.

Citizen Service nominations were made online by Members of Congress, police and fire officials, mayors, governors and ordinary citizens. Nominations for heroes surrounding the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in December are being handled separately later this year.

The complete list of CSBSH finalists, including details of their heroic stories, and more information on the CSBSH program is available at www.csbsh.org. More information on the Medal of Honor can be found at www.CMOHS.org.

    March 25th Arlington National Cemetery Event Details:
    -----------------------------------------------------


    12:30-1:40                     A Media Bus will provide on-
                                   going rides from WIMSA
                                   (Women in Military Service
                                   Memorial) near the entrance
                                   to ANC to the Tomb of the
                                   Unknowns.


    2:00-2:30                      Medal of Honor Recipients
                                   place wreath on the Tomb of
                                   the Unknowns
                                   No interviews or stand-ups
                                   are allowed at this
                                   location, out of respect.
                                   The wreath-laying will occur
                                   rain or shine.


    2:30-3:30                      Citizen Service Before Self
                                   Honors Ceremony
                                   Held just below the Tomb on
                                   the grassy area, weather
                                   permitting.

                                   In case of inclement weather,
                                   CSBSH Ceremony will be held
                                   inside the WIMSA auditorium.

SOURCE The Congressional Medal of Honor Society & Foundation