Monday, September 11, 2023
Jack Jacobs
Medal of Honor Recipient
Colonel, US Army (Retired)
Britt Slabinski
Medal of Honor Recipient
Command Master Chief, US Navy SEAL (Retired)
Charlotte Jones
Owner, Dallas Cowboys
Chair, Medal of Honor Museum
Video is available one week after the event date
MEDAL OF HONOR PANEL
Colonel (Retired) Jack Jacobs, United States Army
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Jacobs (then 1st Lt.), Infantry, distinguished himself while serving as assistant battalion adviser, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The 2d Battalion was advancing to contact when it came under intense heavy machine-gun and mortar fire from a Viet Cong battalion positioned in well-fortified bunkers. As the 2d Battalion deployed into attack formation, its advance was halted by devastating fire. Capt. Jacobs, with the command element of the lead company, called for and directed air strikes on the enemy positions to facilitate a renewed attack. Due to the intensity of the enemy fire and heavy casualties to the command group, including the company commander, the attack stopped and the friendly troops became disorganized. Although wounded by mortar fragments, Capt. Jacobs assumed command of the allied company, ordered a withdrawal from the exposed position, and established a defensive perimeter. Despite profuse bleeding from head wounds which impaired his vision, Capt. Jacobs, with complete disregard for his safety, returned under intense fire to evacuate a seriously wounded adviser to the safety of a wooded area where he administered lifesaving first aid. He then returned through heavy automatic-weapons fire to evacuate the wounded company commander. Capt. Jacobs made repeated trips across the fire-swept, open rice paddies, evacuating wounded and their weapons. On three separate occasions, Capt. Jacobs contacted and drove off Viet Cong squads who were searching for allied wounded and weapons, single-handedly killing three and wounding several others. His gallant actions and extraordinary heroism saved the lives of one U.S. adviser and 13 allied soldiers. Through his effort the allied company was restored to an effective fighting unit and prevented defeat of the friendly forces by a strong and determined enemy. Capt. Jacobs, by his gallantry and bravery in action in the highest traditions of the military service, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
Command Master Chief, SEAL (Retired) Britt Slabinski, United States Navy SEALS
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while assigned to a Joint Task Force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In the early morning of 4 March 2002, Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Slabinski led a reconnaissance team to its assigned area atop a 10,000-foot snow-covered mountain. Their insertion helicopter was suddenly riddled with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire from previously undetected enemy positions. The crippled helicopter lurched violently and ejected one teammate onto the mountain before the pilots were forced to crash land in the valley far below. Senior Chief Slabinski boldly rallied his five remaining team members and marshalled supporting assets for an assault to rescue their stranded teammate. During reinsertion the team came under fire from three directions, and one teammate started moving uphill toward an enemy strongpoint. Without regard for his own safety, Senior Chief Slabinski charged directly toward enemy fire to join his teammate. Together, they fearlessly assaulted and cleared the first bunker they encountered. The enemy then unleashed a hail of machine gun fire from a second hardened position only twenty meters away. Senior Chief Slabinski repeatedly exposed himself to deadly fire to personally engage the second enemy bunker and orient his team s fires in the furious, close-quarters firefight. Proximity made air support impossible, and after several teammates became casualties, the situation became untenable. Senior Chief Slabinski maneuvered his team to a more defensible position, directed air strikes in very close proximity to his team s position, and requested reinforcements. As daylight approached, accurate enemy mortar fire forced the team further down the sheer mountainside. Senior Chief Slabinski carried a seriously wounded teammate through deep snow and led a difficult trek across precipitous terrain while calling in fire on the enemy, which was engaging the team from the surrounding ridges. Throughout the next 14 hours, Senior Chief Slabinski stabilized the casualties and continued the fight against the enemy until the hill was secured and his team was extracted. By his undaunted courage, bold initiative, leadership, and devotion to duty, Senior Chief Slabinski reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.<.p>
Charlotte Jones
Charlotte Jones is the Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer of the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. She oversees all business operations, strategies and applications surrounding the team's brand as it is presented to fans worldwide.
Working in the executive office since 1989, Charlotte's experience has propelled her forward as one of the most innovative and versatile executives among women in professional sports and executives as a whole.
Charlotte's vision and direction leads the Cowboys in brand marketing, fan engagement, stadium design, entertainment, licensed apparel, cause marketing and community relations.
Jones played an instrumental role in the design and development of The Star in Frisco, the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, team training facility and event center located in Frisco, Texas. Opened in 2016, the 91-acre mixed-use development serves as the team's headquarters and a destination for shopping, dining, nightlife, athletics, fitness, events, hotel, luxury residential living and commercial real estate.
She played a prominent role in shaping the design, d cor, sponsor integration and overall presentation of AT&T Stadium, the renowned state-of-the-art venue that opened in Arlington, Texas in 2009. Under Jones's guidance, the venue has played host to some of the highest profile sports and entertainment events in the world among those are Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men's Final Four, the annual Cotton Bowl Classic and the first-ever College Football Championship game in 2015. She was instrumental in bringing the Academy of Country Music Awards to AT&T Stadium to celebrate the 50th anniversary, breaking ratings and attendance records, as well as WrestleMania 32 which broke WWE's all-time attendance record.
The stadium's signature element is one of the most prominent public art collections, the Dallas Cowboys Art Collection at AT&T Stadium and The Star in Frisco. Consisting of 92 works of contemporary art from an international array of 62 curated artists, the collection is displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the stadium and the world headquarters at The Star. In 2013 Charlotte and her mother, Gene Jones, were the recipients of the Texas Medal of Arts Arts Patrons Award, presented by the Texas Cultural Trust.
Recognized as one of the most powerful women in sports, Charlotte Jones was named Chairman of the NFL Foundation in 2012 where she is responsible for spearheading the NFL efforts in youth football participation, health and safety, and community outreach. She is the first woman to serve in this position and is the first female executive in history to lead a major professional sports league charitable foundation. In 2014 she was appointed to the first NFL Conduct Committee, which endorses and enhances the new personal conduct policy for all NFL players and employees. She also serves on the Health and Safety Committee. Jones was recently appointed to the NFL's Legalized Sports Betting Committee. Concurrently, Charlotte is the President of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and is responsible for overseeing what is considered to be the most prominent organization of its kind in the world.
In the philanthropy space, Jones became the first female to serve as Chairman of The Salvation Army's National Advisory Board from 2010-2014. In 1997 she introduced a groundbreaking approach to fundraising on the worldwide stage by harnessing a Thanksgiving Day national television audience during the Cowboys halftime as the kickoff to The Salvation Army's National Red Kettle Campaign. Charlotte set the wheels in motion, helping the Army raise nearly three billion dollars and touch lives across the globe by combining the Dallas Cowboys and popular musical entertainers featured on network television during one of the most watched NFL games. Since that initial halftime presentation which featured the musical talents of Reba McEntire, other major entertainers performing at the Thanksgiving halftime show included Randy Travis, Clint Black, Toby Keith, Destiny's Child, Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, the Jonas Brothers, Keith Urban, Enrique Iglesias, Kenny Chesney, Selena Gomez, Pitbull with Ne-Yo, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, Meghan Trainor, Ellie Goulding, Kane Brown and Luke Combs.
In 2017, Jones was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame for Football Administration. Charlotte's spirit of involvement in the local community extends far beyond the realm of professional football. Since 1989 she has been actively involved with leadership roles in a wide range of organizations that include: The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Southwestern Medical Foundation, the President's Advisory Council for The Dallas Center for Performing Arts Foundation, TACA Board of Governors, The Salvation Army, The Rise School, Shelton School, Make-A-Wish North Texas Presidents Council, Dallas Symphony and the Super Bowl XLV Host Committee. She chaired the 2014 North Texas Final Four Host Committee, responsible for hosting and organizing the record setting men's basketball championship at AT&T Stadium. Additionally, Jones is a member of the Board of Directors of Hilltop Holdings Corporation, serves as President of the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation. In 2020 Charlotte was appointed Chairman of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. She also serves on the SoftBank Advisory Council. She is a member of the James Madison Council, a philanthropic advisory group of the Library of Congress.
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Charlotte Jones travels across the country speaking on philanthropic initiatives, brand innovation and cultivating the most valuable sports franchises in the world. She is a graduate of Stanford University, a current resident of Dallas, and a mother of three children: daughter Haley and sons Shy and Paxton.
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