All-American Heroes

She later served as President and CEO of the American Red Cross, leading one of the nation’s most important humanitarian institutions through a period of modernization and expanded global impact, before being elected to the United States Senate, representing North Carolina with distinction.

In the years since, her legacy has only deepened through the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. What began as a personal mission has grown into a nationwide movement — raising hundreds of millions of dollars, driving landmark policy and legislative advances, and fundamentally reshaping how the nation recognizes and supports military and veteran caregivers. Millions of caregivers who were once invisible are now seen, supported, and woven into the national conversation.

Senator Dole exemplifies an All-American Hero because her life reflects the very best of what this country asks of its citizens: a deep sense of duty, an unwavering commitment to others, and the courage to lead when it matters most. An All-American Hero leaves the country stronger than they found it — and Senator Elizabeth Dole has done exactly that, with grace, integrity, and a lifetime of impact.

Born and raised with a deep sense of duty, Luis enlisted in 2000 and was commissioned in 2004. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Computer Science and a master’s in Business and Organizational Security Management from Webster University. As a Military Police Officer he served in a series of demanding leadership roles — Force Protection/Safety Officer, Company Executive Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, Assistant S3, and Company Commander — before leading his company from the 720th Military Police Battalion in Afghanistan.

The IED that struck his convoy in December 2011 took his left leg and caused two heart attacks, two strokes, and an anoxic and traumatic brain injury that left him almost completely paralyzed. He was pronounced dead three times. He arrived back in the United States in a coma and on life support, awoke unable to see or eat, and could not speak for more than three years. Through music, speech, physical, and occupational therapy — along with adaptive technology and his own extraordinary perseverance — he continues to regain his abilities every day.

Today Luis is one of the country’s most powerful voices for wounded warriors. He has performed more than 100 times in support of the military — at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed, the Supreme Court, the U.S. Capitol, and at galas and memorials across the country. He shared a nationally broadcast performance of “God Bless America” alongside Renée Fleming and the National Symphony Orchestra at the 2017 Memorial Day Capital Concert, and regularly performs with the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps bands.

An adaptive athlete of remarkable grit, Luis has completed five Army Ten-Milers on his recumbent bicycle and earned First Place Amputee Warrior Men. He was a member of Team Army at the 2024 DOD Warrior Games, taking home five gold medals and one bronze, and joined Team USA at the 2025 Invictus Games. His honors include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and The Order of the Marechaussee in Silver. He lives in Maryland with his family and continues his rehabilitation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Deborah retired in 2009 as a Lieutenant Colonel after 22 years of service in the U.S. Army Aviation Branch. A Magna cum laude graduate of James Madison University and a distinguished military graduate of JMU’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Military Studies.

Across her career she served in a wide range of leadership positions — Platoon and Company Commander, Operations Officer, Branch Chief, Liaison Officer, and Division Chief — with extensive experience managing programs at both the tactical and strategic levels. Her formal military training includes the Aviation Advanced and Basic Courses, Air Assault and Airborne Schools, UH-1 “Huey” and UH-60 Blackhawk Flight Training, the Test Pilot Course, the Combined Arms and Service Staff School, Marine Command and Staff College, and the Army Force Management School. She is a decorated combat veteran.

After her military retirement, Deborah served the Department of the Army for an additional ten years as a Civilian Analyst before turning her full attention to those who had served alongside her. In 2011 she founded Operation Renewed Hope Foundation specifically to help homeless veterans, and now leads a team of professionals equally dedicated to the mission. Under her leadership the foundation has helped more than 1,500 veterans and family members move out of homelessness and into stable lives — a remarkable record of impact built one veteran at a time.

Listed as “missing in action” until 1970, when the Hanoi government finally acknowledged him as a prisoner, Captain McDaniel endured six years in a communist prison. The torture he suffered stemmed directly from his active role in camp communications during an organized escape attempt by his fellow prisoners — leadership that came at extraordinary personal cost. His account of those years, Scars and Stripes, has become a defining record of American resilience under captivity.

When he returned home from Vietnam, Captain McDaniel was awarded the Navy’s highest decoration for bravery, the Navy Cross. Among his other military honors are two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit with Combat “V”, the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Bronze Stars with Combat “V”, and two Purple Hearts for wounds received at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors.

After his release, Captain McDaniel resumed active duty, serving as Commanding Officer of USS NIAGARA FALLS and Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS LEXINGTON. He later served as Director of Navy/Marine Corps Liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives before retiring from the Navy in 1982.

Following retirement, Captain McDaniel founded the American Defense Institute — a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of the need for a strong national defense. Captain McDaniel and his wife Dorothy reside in Alexandria, Virginia. They have three grown children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Master Sergeant Wilkins served in the United States Air Force before retiring to dedicate his life to advancing the physical and mental wellness of service members, veterans, and military families. His work bridges military readiness, human performance science, and veteran advocacy at the highest levels of national policy.

His appointment to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition under two consecutive administrations — President Trump and President Biden — reflects rare bipartisan recognition of his expertise and impact. The President’s Council shapes national fitness initiatives reaching tens of millions of Americans, and Wilkins has used his platform to ensure that military and veteran wellness remain at the center of the conversation.

As Senior Advisor for Veteran Fitness and Wellness at The Platform Magazine, Wilkins continues to drive programs, partnerships, and public awareness that support service members, veterans, and their families — embodying the spirit of an All-American Hero through a lifetime of service that did not end at retirement.

Learn more about Rob Wilkins’ work ↗