May's Most Inspiring Person of the Month

The Nominees Are ...

Memorial Day is such a significant holiday for our nation, not because it is the opening of the official summer season but because it is the day when the entire country pauses to honor all the Americans who have died while taking part in any kind of military action or war. We, here at Beliefnet, deeply appreciate the significance of Memorial Day and those who have sacrificed so much in service to this country, we decided that for this month’s most inspiring of the month feature we would honor 10 inspiring veterans. From a NFL Football player who gave up his career and lost his life in Afghanistan to two soldiers who fought side by side in World War II, these inspiring stories remind each of us that it is through the sacrifices of many that we enjoy our freedoms today.

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Eli Williamson

Eli Williamson, a native of Chicago, Illinois, received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Linguistics from Luther College in Decorah, IA. After college he transitioned form being a U.S. Army reservist to serving Active Duty as a Psychological Operations Specialist under the United States Army Special Operations Command. During Williamson’s military career he deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan, was an airborne paratrooper, and graduated from the Defense Language Institute basic Arabic linguists' course. Williamson is the Co‐Founder and Executive Director of Leave No Veteran Behind, a nonprofit that works to relieve the educational debt of veterans who are serving and have served in the U.S. military. The organization addresses this issue by taking private donations and applying them directly to veterans' student loan accounts. In return, Leave No Veteran Behind requires that all veterans helped through the program give back 100 hours of community service. Williamson’s efforts continue to inspire veterans to use their skills and lack of indebtedness to improve the lives of people in their communities and country.

Colin Powell

Born in 1937 in Harlem the son of Jamaican immigrants, Colin Powell began his military career enlisting in ROTC at City College of New York. After graduating in 1958 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. During his military career, Powell served as National Security Advisor from 1987–1989, as Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command in 1989 and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989–1993, he held the latter position during the Gulf War. Powell who retired as a four star general was the first and only African American to be appointed Secretary of State serving during the Bush Administration from 2001-2005. He was highly regarded by both the public and fellow politicians for his integrity and dedication to service. Powell, an influential military and political figure in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, remains a true inspiration to individuals in this country and throughout the globe.

Eileen Collins

Eileen Marie Collins is a retired American astronaut and a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel. In 1995, after several years of training with NASA, Collins became the first female astronaut to pilot a space shuttle mission, serving as second-in-command of the shuttle Discovery during its rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir. In 1997, Collins piloted her second mission, on the shuttle Atlantis, during its delivery of 7,000 pounds of equipment to Mir. She had logged 419 hours in space when she was chosen by NASA to become its first female shuttle commander. The shuttle Columbia, under Collin's command, made history on July 23, 1999, when it blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on its way to the deployment of a $1.5 billion telescope into earth's orbit. This inspirational woman has become a pioneer in the world of aviation, receiving numerous awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defenses Superior Service Medal and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.

Mark Radcliffe and Joe Glass

Mark Radcliffe, 94, and Joe Glass, 92, were the last surviving members of the First Special Service Force, or FSSF, a legendary commando unit consisting of American and Canadian soldiers that captured more than 27,000 enemy prisoners during World War II. Both men were selected in 1942 for the Plough Project, described as a "suicide mission," and underwent training at Fort Harrison in Helena, Montana. The accomplishments of the FSSF -- nicknamed by the Germans as the "Black Devils" -- later became inspiration for the movie "The Devil's Brigade”. Radcliffe, born in Farmington, N.M., and Glass, originally from Samia, Ontario, both returned to Helena after the war. Glass returned with a 50% disability after being injured by mortar shrapnel in his arm and chest but worked various odd jobs for most of his life. Radcliffe remained in the Army Reserves, retiring as a Full Colonel. These inspirational men died 12 hours apart from each other on the same day, Sunday, April 1^st, 2012.

J.R. Martinez

J.R. Martinez enlisted in the army in 2002 undergoing Basic and Advanced Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he gained skills as an 11-B Infantryman. After reporting to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in 2003, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Martinez was then deployed to Iraq serving as a Humvee driver. Less than one month into his deployment his front tire hit a land- mine ejecting the other soldiers but leaving him trapped in the burning vehicle. He suffered smoke inhalation and burns over 40% of his body. Martinez was evacuated to a local medic station in Iraq and then to Germany. He was eventually sent to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas where he spent 34 months in recovery and underwent 33 different surgeries including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery. Martinez has since become a daytime television actor, but devotes himself to traveling the country as a motivational speaker showing others the true value in making the most of every situation.

Pat Tillman

In May 2002, eight months after the September 11 attacks NFL Player, Pat Tillman proudly turned down a contract offer of $3.6 million over three years from the Cardinals to enlist in the U.S. Army to serve his country. After enlisting he completed the Ranger Indoctrination Program in late 2002 along with his brother Kevin and both were then assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion in Fort Lewis, Washington. Tillman resided in University Place with his wife before being deployed to Iraq. After participating in the initial invasion of Operation Iraqi Freedom, in September 2003, he entered Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and graduated in November of 2003. He was subsequently deployed to Afghanistan. During that deployment in April of 2004, Tillman was killed in action by friendly fire. This inspirational man’s decision to serve in the military was just one of many he made over the course of his lifetime to help and inspire others and serve a cause greater than his own self-interest.

Tammy Duckworth

National Guard Captain, Tammy Duckworth was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom and deployed in 2004. As a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Duckworth was one of the first women to fly combat missions in Iraq until her helicopter was hit by an RPG on November 12th, 2004. She lost both legs and part of the use of her right arm in the explosion, and was awarded the Purple Heart for her combat injuries. During her recovery at Walter Reed, Duckworth was one of the highest-ranking amputees who became an advocate for her fellow soldiers. Her leadership was recognized when she was asked to testify before Congress and recruited to run for the House of Representatives. After losing a close race, she continued to serve as a Major in the National Guard and became Director of Illinois' Department of Veterans' Affairs. In 2009, President Obama appointed her as Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth recently stepped down from that position and is hard at work running for Congress in the state of Illinois.

Wes Moore

Wes Moore graduated as a commissioned officer from Valley Forge Military College in 1998, from Johns Hopkins University with a B.S in International Relations in 2001 and completed a MLitt in International Relations from Oxford University in 2004. Moore was a paratrooper and Captain in the United States Army, serving a combat tour of duty in Afghanistan with the elite 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division in 2005–2006. He is recognized as an authority on the rise and ramifications of radical Islamism in the Western Hemisphere. From 2006-2007, Moore was as a Special Assistant to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He remains a strong supporter of U.S. veterans and is actively involved in the plight of American Youth. Moore has been featured in People Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post and other media outlets. His first book, The Other Wes Moore, which follows the lives of two kids with the same name growing up in the same city on completely different journeys, was released in April 2010.

Paul Rieckhoff

Paul Rieckhoff enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1998 and transferred to the New York Army National Guard in 1999. He graduated from Officer Candidate School in June 2001 where he was named a Distinguished Military Graduate. Rieckhoff selected infantry as his branch and joined A Company, 1/105th INF (Light). After the attacks of 9/11, his National Guard unit was formally activated for rescue and security operations. The following year, Rieckhoff enrolled and completed Infantry Officers training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was as an Army First Lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader in Iraq from 2003-2004. After returning to the U.S. in 2004, he founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a nonpartisan, nonprofit with over 150,000 members in all 50 states. IAVA’s mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and their families. Today Rieckhoff is a nationally recognized authority, author and speaker on the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and a broad range of issues affecting troops, veterans and their families.

Audi Murphy

Audie L. Murphy was the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. He earned and received every decoration for valor that the United States had to offer along with 5 decorations presented to him by France and Belgium. Murphy enlisted in the Army at the age of 17 after having been turned down by the Navy, Marines, and Army Air Corps. He spent 30 months in combat in World War II. For over one hour he remained alone atop a burning tank destroyer calling artillery adjustments and manning a .50 caliber machine gun while defending his unit. He was personally responsible for protecting his sector and saving his unit from destruction. Following the war he became a best-selling author and motion picture actor starring in more than 40 films. Tragically, Murphy died in an airplane accident in 1971. Even in death, he remains an inspiration to millions of Americans and role model to military personnel around the world.