DETROIT – GM Defense and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society hosted the "Valor & Velocity" Gala on Friday, October 2, 2026, celebrating and supporting the 65 living Medal of Honor Recipients. Held in the historic Design Dome at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, the gala served as a cornerstone event in a highly impactful, year-long partnership dedicated to honoring American heroism, patriotism, and exceptional service.

 

A Year of Meaningful Impact

 

The "Valor & Velocity" Gala represents a major milestone in a continuous, multi-phased partnership that officially commenced in the fall of 2025 at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition. At AUSA, GM Defense and the Medal of Honor Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish their collaborative relationship, aiming to expand national awareness of the Medal of Honor’s legacy and values: courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, citizenship, and patriotism

 

Since signing the MOU, the partnership has achieved extraordinary milestones:

 

 

 

 

 

The $1 Million Barrett-Jackson Auction (April 2026): In Palm Beach, Florida, GM Defense and the Medal of Honor Foundation conducted the first-ever public sale of an Infantry Squad Vehicle-Utility (ISV-U).

 

 

 

The "Valor & Velocity" Gala (October 2026): Returning to GM’s birthplace of innovation, the gala brought together GM senior leadership, corporate allies, and distinguished guests to raise further funds and salute the Recipients.

 

"GM Defense is incredibly proud to stand alongside the Congressional Medal of Honor Society to champion the extraordinary individuals who wear our nation's highest military decoration," said Steve duMont, President and CEO, GM Defense. "From signing our MOU last year, to watching our ISV-U cross the Barrett-Jackson auction block to raise $1 million, to hosting this gala at our historic Design Dome, this year has been a testament to what we can achieve when we unite the spirit of American engineering with a deep-seated devotion to our veterans."

 

“GM Defense has demonstrated what meaningful partnership looks like,” said Chad Graham, Executive Director of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “They have brought far more than financial support to this mission... They have opened doors, leveraged their relationships and resources, and created extraordinary opportunities to bring the Recipients and what they represent before new audiences. From the historic Barrett-Jackson auction to Valor & Velocity, this partnership has expanded the reach of the Medal of Honor and strengthened our ability to serve the Recipients, preserve their legacy, and inspire Americans with the values they embody. We are profoundly grateful for GM Defense’s belief in this mission and their commitment to advancing it alongside us.”

 

About GM Defense

 

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, and autonomy and connectivity solutions to global defense, security, and government markets. The company’s flexible and agile approach to growth is aimed at accelerating private-sector innovation and commercial technologies to achieve global safety and security

 

Learn more at gmdefensellc.com

 

About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society

 

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is the only congressionally chartered organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor and supporting the Recipients who have received it. Established in 1958 and comprised exclusively of living Medal of Honor Recipients, the Society serves as the enduring steward of the legacy of the nation’s highest military award for valor in combat.

 

Led by Medal of Honor Recipients themselves, the Society carries out its Congressional mandate by caring for Recipients and their families, preserving the history and heritage of the Medal, and bringing its stories of valor and sacrifice to the American public. Through this work, the Society protects not only the Medal’s legacy, but its enduring meaning to the nation.

 

Since the Medal’s creation during the Civil War, fewer than 4,000 of the more than 40 million Americans who have served in the Armed Forces have received the Medal of Honor.

 

Learn more at CMOHS.org.