As the nation heads toward Memorial Day and the country’s 250th anniversary of its founding this summer, a recent ceremony honored exceptional individuals and organizations for their service, sacrifice and commitment to the U.S. Armed Forces.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the Higher Quest Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the staffing company HireQuest, hosted the 2026 HireQuest American Hero Awards aboard the historic USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, SC.
“For 21 years now, we’ve been hosting these awards on the deck of the USS Yorktown, a symbol of American resilience and service,” said Rick Hermanns, CEO of HireQuest, in an interview with Military.com. “And for all of those years, General Livingston has been our emcee and host, helping us honor our Medal of Honor recipients.”
Ret. USMC Major General James E. Livingston is a Medal of Honor recipient who earned the nation’s highest military decoration for extraordinary heroism on May 2, 1968, during the Battle of Dai Do in the Vietnam War. As a Captain commanding Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, he led intense assaults against enemy positions, refusing to evacuate himself despite being wounded.
“Every year is special. There’s always something memorable, whether it’s the parent of one of the recipients, or an actual retired soldier being honored, it’s always inspiring,” said Hermanns. “Having General Livingston for 21 years be the master of ceremonies has really added an extra dynamic to the event.”
Celebrate a Yorktown Holiday with ‘USS Christmas’
Varied List of Award Recipients
This year’s recipients included:
● Ultimate Hero Award: Sgt. Jayton Daniel Patterson, USMC, of Sedley, Virginia. Awarded posthumously for making the ultimate sacrifice in meritorious combat.
● American Hero Award: MSgt Sean Kaspar, USMC (Ret.), Purple Heart recipient, of Bluffton, South Carolina. Honored for exemplifying the highest values of the U.S. Armed Forces through continued leadership and service.
● Benefactor Award: USS Yorktown Foundation. Recognized for its exceptional support of service members, veterans, first responders and their families, accompanied by a charitable donation.
“Each year, this event is a powerful reminder of the courage and selflessness demonstrated by members of our military and the communities that support them,” said Hermanns. “It is our privilege to recognize these heroes and ensure their stories are shared and remembered.”
HireQuest’s commitment to honoring service members is part of the company’s history. As a leader in the staffing industry, the company’s legacy includes brands like Snelling Staffing Services, which was founded in the 1940s to help post-war veterans find meaningful employment, and was acquired by HireQuest in 2021.
Today, HireQuest hosts the American Hero Awards through its Higher Quest Foundation. Every year since 2006, the foundation has sought to recognize the heroes of war while helping veterans transition into the workforce.
“We’re one of the largest staffing recruiting firms in the world, and a lot of our clients like hiring former military,” said Hermanns. “And having our recognition ceremony on the USS Yorktown is a great setting. You have all of these iconic airplanes on the deck. I don’t know how you can pick a better place.”
“We take pride in being able to honor the family of someone who was killed in combat and someone whose service was beyond the call of duty,” said Hermanns. “I’m old enough to remember when soldiers were coming back from Vietnam. They were not getting the welcome back they deserved.”
Through touching speeches, the audience at the awards ceremony was given short descriptions of the lives, military service and careers of the honorees. Organizers say there’s no shortage of service men and women to recognize.
“We know of certain people, and we have helped find some people. It really varies. But mostly we get referrals of retired military people,” said Hermanns. “And the ceremony is always a moving experience. One year, there was a flyover literally as the ceremony concluded. It was amazing and very fitting to end that way.”
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