Douglas A. Collins

The Honorable Douglas A. Collins serves as the 12th secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs. A native of Gainesville, Georgia, Mr. Collins saw public service modeled by his father, a Georgia State Trooper, and mother, who provided care to local senior citizens. He earned a degree in political science and criminal justice from the University of North Georgia. Secretary Collins earned his master’s degree in divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and his community roots deepened in the eleven years he pastored Chicopee Baptist Church. In 2006, the people of Georgia’s 27th State House District elected Mr. Collins to represent them. During his first term in the state legislature, Collins graduated from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and established his own legal practice. As a U.S. Air Force Reserve chaplain, Mr. Collins has ministered to our country’s military since 2002. He completed a 2008 to 2009 deployment to Iraq while stationed at Balad Air Base. He remains a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. Secretary Collins served as a U.S. Representative for Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District from 2013 to 2021.

General Michael A. Guetlein
Vice Chief of Space Operations

Gen. Michael A. Guetlein is the Vice Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force. As Vice Chief, he is responsible for assisting the Chief of Space Operations in organizing, training and equipping space forces in the United States and overseas, integrating space policy and guidance, and coordinating space-related activities for the U.S. Space Force and the Department of the Air Force. The U.S. Space Force organizes, trains, equips and maintains mission-ready space forces that provide missile warning, space domain awareness, positioning, navigation and timing, communications and space electronic warfare for North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Space Command and other combatant commands. Gen. Guetlein was commissioned through the ROTC program at Oklahoma State University in 1991. His acquisition experience spans air and space capabilities and systems across special operations, global power projection, missile warning and detection, and counterspace mission areas. The general has commanded and led at the flight, squadron, division, directorate, Program Executive Officer and Field Command levels. Notable assignments include serving as the Commander, Space Systems Command; Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office and Commander of the Air and Space Force Element; Program Executive for Programs and Integration at the Missile Defense Agency; Director of Remote Sensing Systems; Commander of the Rapid Reaction Squadron; the Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition; and a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow.

Chef Robert Irvine

Robert Irvine is a 16 year Navy veteran, world-class chef, fitness authority, and philanthropist. He seeks to inspire people to live better through all his endeavors. A tireless supporter of our veterans, he gives back to those who defend our freedoms. Robert pioneered a new genre of programming for Food Network with his extreme cooking challenge show, Dinner: Impossible, which ran for 7 seasons and over 100 episodes. He parlayed that success into the even more popular Restaurant: Impossible, which ran for 13 seasons and 160 episodes. Robert didn’t just renovate restaurants and retrain staff in record time, he counseled owners through personal problems that were destroying their businesses. At its peak, 1.2 million viewers tuned in on a weekly basis. Robert has also hosted or appeared on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America, Next Iron Chef, Restaurant Express, Chopped: Impossible, Guy’s Grocery Games: Impossible, A Hero’s Welcome, Food Network Star, ABC’s Body of Proof, ABC Family’s Melissa and Joey among others.

Brice Long

Brice has enjoyed a successful 25+ year music career. As a songwriter he has had over 175 of his songs cut with artists such as Garth Brooks, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Hank Williams Jr, Randy Houser, Josh Turner, Reba McEntire, Gary Allan, Cody Johnson, Chris Young, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson, Casey James, Randy Travis, John Michael Montgomery, Porter Wagoner and many more. Brice’s songwriting hits include the #1 singles “Heartache On The Dance Floor” by Jon Pardi and “Nothing On But The Radio” by Gary Allan. Randy Houser’s “Like a Cowboy”,a song that also garnered Brice a CMA nomination for Song of the Year. Other recent chart toppers are Randy Houser’s debut single, “Anything Goes”, “Today” from Gary Allan, Casey James’ “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night” and Jon Pardi’s, “What I Can’t Put Down”. Brice Long is signed to Sony Music Publishing. He is a native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. His music is available wherever digital music is streamed and sold.

Admiral Kevin E. Lunday
Acting Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard

Admiral Kevin Lunday serves as the Acting Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, leading 56,000 active duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary personnel in safeguarding America's maritime interests. A key member of the Department of Homeland Security and the Joint Force, he oversees efforts to secure U.S. maritime borders, critical infrastructure, and strategic sea lanes, while leading lifesaving missions, environmental protection, and maritime law enforcement operations worldwide. Admiral Lunday previously served as the 34th Vice Commandant and Commander of Coast Guard Atlantic Area, where he led operations across the eastern U.S., Atlantic Ocean, and Arctic. His leadership extended globally during his tenure as Commander of the Fourteenth District, overseeing operations throughout Oceania—including Hawai‘i, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands—with responsibilities in Japan and Singapore. With deep expertise in cybersecurity, Admiral Lunday commanded U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command and served as Director of Exercises and Training at U.S. Cyber Command, strengthening national cyber defense capabilities and training the Department of Defense’s Cyber Mission Force. A career national security attorney and judge advocate, Admiral Lunday earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a Juris Doctor with high honors from George Washington University Law School, and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College. Throughout his 38-year career, he has remained steadfast in the Coast Guard’s core mission: Semper Paratus—Always Ready.

General James J. Mingus
Vice Chief of Staff of the Army

General James Mingus enlisted in the Iowa National Guard in 1981 and earned his commission through ROTC at Winona State University. In 1987, he entered Active Duty as an Infantry Officer, beginning a distinguished career of service and leadership. He served in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and later commanded units in the 82nd Airborne Division, including B Company and the Division’s Long Range Surveillance Detachment. At Fort Bragg, he led the XVIII Airborne Corps’ Long Range Surveillance Company before teaching at the University of Tennessee as an assistant professor of military science. In 2000, he joined the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and held operational leadership roles with Joint Special Operations Command. He later commanded the 4th Ranger Training Battalion and Regimental Special Troops of the 75th Ranger Regiment. After attending the Army War College, he led the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and held senior positions at U.S. Central Command. He returned to Fort Carson as Deputy Commanding General and later directed the Mission Command Center of Excellence. In 2018, he took command of the 82nd Airborne Division and in 2020 transitioned to the Pentagon as Director for Operations (J3) and later Director of the Joint Staff. General Mingus is a devoted husband to Amy Hedgepeth and father to Nathan, Zoe, and Luke. His career reflects a lifelong dedication to service, leadership, and family. 

Robert Patrick, Actor

Robert Patrick has worked with the top actors and directors in his field for the last 20 years. His breakthrough role came as the legendary T-1000 in Terminator 2. He was the first actor in the history of motion capture and since then, he has worked on iconic films and television shows including Die Hard 2, Wayne's World, Last Action Hero, Fire in the Sky, Cop Land, The Faculty, Walk the Line, Bridge to Terabithia, Spy Kids, Flags of Our Fathers, The Sopranos, The Outer Limits, Elvis, The Unit, The X-Files, Sons of Anarchy and True Blood. He starred as Agent Cabe Gallow in Scorpion for CBS for four seasons and most recently was seen in The Laundromat and Perry Mason. He is currently co-starring in the new series Peacemaker. Patrick is a lifelong supporter of the military and the USO. The grandson of an Army veteran, who served during World Wars I and II and the Korean War, Patrick grew up with a profound respect for troops. He regularly goes on USO hospital visits and has participated in four USO tours to seven countries since 2008, visiting more than 8,100 service members and military families. As a longtime motorcycle enthusiast and Boozefighter, Patrick served for years as an Honorary Grand Marshall for the famed Love Ride which benefited veterans. He became the proud co-owner of Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita.

The U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps

"The Commandant's Own," the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps' mission is to provide music and drill ceremony to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Commanding Officer of Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. founded in 1934 as an augmentation to the United States Marine Band, "The Commandant's Own" is the only active duty drum and bugle corps currently serving in our Armed Forces.