Jack Miller Awarded The American Legion鈥檚 Highest Honor
Jack Miller, the philanthropist, entrepreneur, and founder and chairman emeritus of the eponymous Jack Miller Center (JMC), is the 2024 recipient of The American Legion’s Distinguished Service Medal. In a from JMC, Miller stated, “I am humbled to accept this award on behalf of both myself and The Jack Miller Center, from one of the finest civic organizations representing our nation’s veterans.”
First awarded in 1921 to , the supreme commander of the Allied armies in World War I, the Distinguished Service Medal is The American Legion’s highest award. It is given annually to an individual or a group that has supported the nation and its veterans, which are the twin aims of The American Legion.
Recent of the Distinguished Service Medal include President George W. Bush, Sen. John McCain, and the U.S. Army 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. Overall, have received the award, key generals in American history, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and baseball legend Babe Ruth.
Miller will be recognized in person at The American Legion’s annual convention held in New Orleans on August 27, 2024.
In its announcement, The Jack Miller Center called attention to Miller’s many accomplishments, especially noting his “outstanding philanthropic contributions and unwavering commitment to advancing American citizenship and education.”
A from the National Executive Committee of The American Legion, which lays out the reasons why Miller was selected, states that he “remains tireless in his work to connect, encourage and enlist fellow citizens in the cause of teaching America’s founding principles and history.” The resolution cites Miller’s “energy, enthusiasm, and personal commitment being an inspiration to more than 1,000 scholars who have joined the Miller network, and in which way they should inspire a growing movement of fellow citizens who share his commitment to the foundations of the American Dream.”
JMC President Hans Zeiger commented on Miller receiving the Distinguished Service Award: “This award is such a fitting recognition of Jack Miller’s visionary leadership for civics and history education, bestowed by one of the nation’s most important patriotic organizations. We at the Jack Miller Center are inspired every day by Jack’s philanthropic leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to the foundational principles of American self-government.”
Michael Weiser, chairman of the Jack Miller Center, noted, “Alongside The American Legion, Jack’s vision and energy has JMC at the fulcrum of a movement to reinvigorate civic education, now on all levels. I admire Jack for many reasons, but especially because he saw the developing deficit in teaching the greatness of America and, then, he did something about it!”
In response to receiving the award, Miller called it “by far, the most meaningful” public honor he’s been accorded in his career. “It’s an important recognition, a seal of approval so to speak, of the work the Jack Miller Center is doing in the educational system to preserve the freedoms and opportunities our founders have given us,” he noted.
The American Legion was by Congress in 1919 and was originally headed by a group of World War I veterans. It now stands at two million members who occupy 13,000 posts across the world.
