Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Barbara Corcoran Barbara Corcoran is a businesswoman best-known for her role on one of America's top-rated TV shows, Shark Tank, by acclaimed TV producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Apprentice) that airs on the ABC Network. She is a self-made real-estate millionaire, possesses a commanding presence in the boardroom, and is a role model for business entrepreneurs across America. She is also the spouse of former FBI agent and retired Navy captain, Bill Higgins, who also pursued a career in real estate after his military service.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: George Clooney, A Man on a Mission George Clooney has two Oscars, has starred in dozens of acclaimed films, and has been called the sexiest man alive and America’s most eligible bachelor. No longer a bachelor, Clooney just welcomed twins with his wife, Amal. He has also had a great lifelong relationship with his father, Nick Clooney, a U.S. Army veteran, who is now inspiring him to be a great dad himself.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Reese Witherspoon, Inspiring Young Girls With a supportive Dad who was an Army surgeon in Cold War Europe and a lineage that traces back to one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon brings a unique "down home" flavor and a sense of "giving back," unique qualities in Hollywood.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Gary Sinise Plays Winning Role in Veteran's Advocacy Gary Sinise's most famous military role may have been Lieutenant Dan Taylor in "Forest Gump," but these days he's playing a leading role in veterans' advocacy off screen.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Peter Sarsgaard, Actor Actor Peter Sarsgaard was born on a U.S. Air Force base, grew up living the military brat lifestyle, and is successfully channeling his wide range of experiences into A-list movies such as Jarhead, The Magnificent Seven and 2017 Oscar hopeful Jackie in his lead supporting role of Bobby Kennedy.
Military & Veterans Life An Interview with Kenneth Fisher, Chairman of the Fisher House Foundation We had the pleasure of interviewing Kenneth Fisher, Chairman of the Fisher House Foundation, to learn more about his background and what inspired him to give back to the military and veteran community.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Kenneth Fisher, Chairman of Fisher House Foundation Editor's Note: Veterans Advantage honored Kenneth Fisher, the head of the Fisher House Foundation, with its VetFamily Award in 2010. The U.K.’s Prince Harry asked Kenneth to chair the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida earlier this year. In an exclusive interview, Fisher speaks out about the power of the games for wounded soldier athletes, inspirations from his own veteran family, and continued passion for serving our military families.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Ciara, Entertainer, Model, and Military Brat Ciara Princess Wilson, better known as Ciara, is a singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and fashion model. She's also the product of a military family. Both parents served in the U.S. military.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Simone Biles, Olympic Gold Medalist & Daughter of AF Veteran All of America knows the name of dominant gymnast and four-time gold medalist Simone Biles. Many fans do not know, however, that she comes from a military family. Biles was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1997 to an absent father and mother struggling with alcoholism and addiction. Biles and her sister cycled through foster homes, until 2003, when their maternal grandfather Ron and his second-wife Nellie adopted the girls.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Dierks Bentley, Country Music Star To the country music world, Dierks Bentley is as real as Nashville gets. Fresh off his co-hosting of the 2016 ACM awards this month, he is a Top Ten singer and entertainer who embodies country music's steadfast support of our nation's military. He is also the son of a World War II Army Veteran.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Ron Rivera, NFL Head Coach After a near-perfect season (18-1) and a recent win over the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship, the Carolina Panthers punched their ticket to Super Bowl 50, where they will face the Denver
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Michael Strahan, Former NFL Star Now Plays Big On TV When Michael Strahan, former defensive end of the New York Giants, took the stage at his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014, he had a long list of people to thank for getting him there. First on that long list was his father, Gene Strahan, a former commander in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Joe Girardi, Player and World Series-Winning Manager, Son of an Air Force Veteran There's more to New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi than his signature military-style crewcut. Girardi holds military service dear to his heart, honoring his late father's service in the U.S. Air Force.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Donna de Varona, Two-time Olympic Gold Winner At 13 years old, Donna was the youngest participant in the 1960 Olympic Games. Four years later, she broke an unprecedented 18 world swimming records and won two Gold Medals at the 1964 Games in Tokyo. In the mid-60's, Donna went on to break the gender barrier in sports broadcasting and change the landscape of women's sports forever through her tireless efforts to pass Title IX of the Equal Education Ame
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Donna de Varona: Touch of Gold To Recognize Women's History Month, Veterans Advantage honors Board Member Donna de Varona. A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and pioneer for equality for women in sports and broadcasting, Donna is the daughter of a combat medic who served with the Red Cross in WWII, and spouse of Army Veteran John Pinto.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Carolyn Blashek, Military Mom & Founder of Operation Gratitude For Operation Gratitude founder Carolyn Blashek, life changed soon after 9/11/2001 from the unlikeliest of places -- an airport lounge at Los Angeles International Airport. While tending to the care of a distraught Active Duty service member about to deploy, her deeply personal desire to say "Thank You" has spread like wildfire across California, the country and now halfway around the world.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Nia Sanchez, Miss USA Shows Patriotism Thanks to Military Family Miss USA might be coined the most beautiful woman in the nation, but Nia Sanchez is also extremely patriotic, thanks to her military family.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Gabrielle Union, Daughter of an Army Veteran Actress Gabrielle Union is hot right now: she is in the Chris Rock film “Top Five” premiering this weekend at the Toronto Film Festival, starring in “Being Mary Jane” on BET, and has just married Miami Heat basketball star Dwayne Wade. But at the root of her success is her parents. Her father Sylvester E. Union was an Army military sergeant and walked her down the aisle on August 30.
Veterans Advantage Awards Derek Jeter, Son of Two Army Veterans Derek Jeter’s superstar achievements confirm the New York Yankee traditions that have preceded him. But, unlike many of history’s prior pinstripe legends, the true measure of Jeter’s success is due to his play on and off the field – and it comes thanks in large part to his parents who both served in our nation’s military.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Paula Creamer, Daughter of Navy Veteran, LPGA Tour Winner Pro golfer Paula Creamer has made pink her signature color like Tiger Woods has done with the color red in the men's game. But the comparisons end there. The daughter of a Navy flying vet, she is also engaged to an Air Force Vet, and has put an infectiously joyous demeanor on the fiercely competitive game of golf.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Patton Oswalt, Comedian and Son of a Marine Most of America knows Patton Oswalt, the television and standup comedian, from The King of Queens and Two and a Half Men. But few know that he was named after legendary US General George S. Patton, thanks to his Marine Corps Officer father. Oswalt, with his signature wit, once tweeted his Dad “USMC Col. Larry J. Oswalt (Ret.) -- a jet fighter man and continuing awesome dad. Thank you for fighting for my right to whine.”
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Robert Griffin III, Heisman Trophy Winner and Army Brat After a breakthrough rookie season for the Washington Redskins, Robert Griffin III is overcoming an injury that would have threatened the careers of those a generation before him. Thankfully, he is bolstered by an inner strength that comes from his loving parents, both of whom served in the US Army.
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Lea Carpenter, Best-Selling Author With her debut novel Eleven Days, Lea Carpenter explores military family life in the Post-9/11 world. A former editor of the literary magazine Zoetrope, her novel has been widely praised by reviewers and veterans alike, including Toni Morrison ("elegant prose") and former senator and Navy Seal Bob Kerrey ("shows us how 9/11 has changed our lives forever.")
Veterans Advantage Awards VetFamily: Dwyane Wade, NBA "Father of the Year" Even though Lebron James gets most of the headlines for the NBA’s Miami Heat, his teammate Dwyane Wade places a higher priority on getting the attention of his sons. It’s a habit he picked up from his father, an Army veteran, who believes that role modeling starts in the home.
