Honoring the Sacrifice Foundation announced Monday that the organization will host its 5th annual “American Heroes Dinner” Friday, July 13, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. This patriotic evening acts as a key fundraiser for the organization which provides direct assistance to severely wounded members of the armed services. 

This year’s event will feature Robert J. O'Neill, U.S. Navy (Retired) as its keynote speaker.

About Robert J. O'Neill:

Mr. O’Neill is one of the most highly-decorated combat veterans of our time. He was a team leader with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He has deployed more than a dozen times, and he held combat leadership roles in more than 400 combat missions in four different theaters of war. 

A highly-trained Navy SEAL, he led the military’s most elite and was involved in our nation’s most important campaigns. With most of his career shrouded in a classified cloak, Mr. O’Neill was the man on the ground we have never heard of but know exists. He was one of the quiet professionals performing the most difficult tasks in the most difficult circumstances, serving his remarkable career in the shadows and keeping America safe in the process. 

Mr. O'Neill’s New York Times Best-selling book, The Operator, was released on April 25.  The Operator takes readers on a journey into these missions, providing intimate accounts of the rescues of Captain Phillips from Somali pirates and of “Lone Survivor” SEAL Marcus Luttrell from behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. It offers powerful stories about—and new insights into—our war against terror, and captures the fierce and unique brotherhood among SEALS—many of whom spend up to 300 days away from their families and rely on team members for their survival. Most notably, the book recounts the painstaking preparation for and execution of the clandestine U.S. attack on Osama bin Laden’s secret compound in Pakistan in May 2011. 

"We're very excited to have Mr. O’Neill deliver the keynote," said Honoring the Sacrifice President Todd Smith when announcing the speaker.  "We think this year’s American  Heroes Dinner will be extraordinarily powerful." 

The annual dinner is scheduled for July 13. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. Dinner will follow at 7 p.m., with a program and keynote presentation at 8 p.m. 

Limited sponsorships, which include admission to a private reception with Mr. O'Neill and premium event seating, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is available at www.honoringthesacrifice.org.