Today is National Medal of Honor Day.

Authorized by Congress and presented by our Commander-in-Chief, the Medal of Honor is the highest decoration bestowed on America’s soldiers, sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Guardians.  

3,533 service members, including 24 Floridians, have earned the Medal of Honor.

Here in our community, we remember one of our own: Sergeant Ardie R. Copas of Fort Pierce, Florida. At 18 years old, Sergeant Copas joined the U.S. Army, and one year later, he served on the frontlines in Cambodia during the Vietnam War as a machine-gunner. When his convoy came under attack, Sergeant Copas didn’t hesitate to put himself directly in harm’s way, holding off the enemy so his wounded brothers could make it out alive. He fought hard and gave his life for his compatriots. Many decades later—in 2014—his heroism was posthumously recognized when his daughter accepted the Medal of Honor on his behalf.

Copas’s is one of many powerful stories that remind us of what today is about. They showed extraordinary courage and valor, and we carry the responsibility to never forget what they gave for us.