Gen. Patrick Henry Brady To Receive 2025 Great American Patriot Award

FORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 25, 2025) – Gen. Patrick Henry Brady, widely recognized as the most highly decorated living veteran, is the 2025 Great American Patriot Award honoree. Presented annually by Armed Forces Insurance at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, the Great American Patriot Award honors a candidate in recognition of their exemplary service to the United States.

Gen. Brady is the only living veteran to hold both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest award, and one of very few soldiers ever to receive those two honors as well as the Distinguished Service Medal. In all, he earned more than 85 medals during his career, including 65 combat-related and 12 for valor.

“Armed Forces Insurance is extremely proud to recognize General Brady as the 2025 Great American Patriot Award recipient,” said Lt Gen Sid Clarke, US Air Force, Retired, Chairman, Armed Forces Insurance. “His incredible heroism and service to the United States of America make him a most deserving honoree.”

Among Gen. Brady’s other awards are the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm and silver star and 53 Air Medals. His civilian awards include the Distinguished Citizen Award from the American Legion, the organization’s highest award, and the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Medal of Honor.

In two tours in Vietnam (1964-65, 1967-68), he flew more than 2,500 combat missions and helped rescue over 5,000 wounded men, women and children, enemy as well as friendly. He was awarded the Medal of Honor during his second tour while commanding a UH-1H ambulance helicopter. On Jan. 6, 1968, he piloted four flights into a combat zone to rescue 51 wounded soldiers. He used three different Huey helicopters that day, replacing his aircraft after each was hit with bullets or had its controls shot away. 

Gen. Brady is a Master Army Aviator and member of both the Army Aviation and Dust Off Halls of Fame. Additionally, he is the first and only Army Aviator in the National Aviation Hall of Fame. The lone Army Aviator to receive the Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award, he was recently inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation.

After graduating from Seattle University, Gen. Brady was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Medical Services Corp in March of 1959. He served in West Berlin, Germany, until 1961 before graduating from the United States Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Ala., in 1963. He retired from the United States Army as a major general on Sept. 1, 1993, after 34 years of service.

A past President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Gen. Brady has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Seattle University and an MBA from Notre Dame University. He was a member of the Commissioner of the Battle Monuments Commission at the time it completed the World War II memorial.

Along with his daughter Meghan he published Dead Men Flying which covers his experiences with the origin and execution of Aero Medical evacuation in Vietnam, called Dust Off, the greatest battlefield life saver in history. He started The General and Nancy Lee Brady Foundation.

Candidates for the Great American Patriot Award must be of high moral fiber and good character, having spent their lives and/or careers serving the common good of the United States. They must have gone beyond the call of duty to serve and protect this country, with proven dedication and loyalty in upholding the Constitution and the laws of the nation. Finally, the award winner must have worked tirelessly to make the U.S. a better and safer place for all its citizens.

Gen. Brady joins a prestigious group of previous Great American Patriot Award recipients that includes General Mark Welsh, Admiral William McRaven, General Peter Pace, Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, Medal of Honor Recipient Salvatore Giunta, General Norton A. Schwartz, Congresswoman Kay Granger, Team Rubicon, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Gary Sinise, Chris Cassidy, Captain Florent Groberg and Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

The “Bowl for the Brave” has featured the Armed Forces theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all branches of the service are prevalent throughout the game. The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, played in honor of the Armed Forces of the United States, was the first collegiate football bowl game to host all three U.S. Military Academy football teams – Air Force (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2022, 2023), Army (2010, 2017, 2018, 2021) and Navy (2013, 2016, 2024).

The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl is one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN. The 23rd edition will be played Friday, Jan. 2, at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. Kickoff will be noon (CT) on ESPN.

Armed Forces Insurance

Armed Forces Insurance was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Armed Forces Insurance understands that its members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that's unequalled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at www.afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premier regular-season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events fosters relationships with conferences, schools, and local communities, while also providing unique experiences for teams and fans.  Follow ESPN Events on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube pages.