2021 American Hero Award Recipients

Each year, HireQuest Inc. and the Higher Quest Foundation host the American Hero Awards. The ceremony recognizes two American service men or women who have gone above the call of duty in service to their country.

Ultimate Hero Award Recipient Major Edward J. Murphy, U.S. Army

MAJ Murphy always wanted to be a soldier.

At 17, he enlisted in the Army and served in the S.C. Army National Guard while studying at the University of South Carolina. In 1992, he was commissioned as an armor officer and completed Airborne and Ranger School. MAJ Murphy served at Camp Pelham, South Korea; Bad Kreuznach, Germany; Tuzla, Bosnia; and, finally, Bagram, Afghanistan. He was killed in southeast Afghanistan when an Army CH-47 Chinook crashed, killing everyone on-board.

He was the beloved husband of Barclay and father of three children, Eddie, Elly, and Luke.

American Hero Award Recipient Sergeant First Class Joshua White, U.S. Army

In 2005, SFC White enlisted in the Army, becoming an infantryman before earning his Green Beret in December 2006. He has deployed to Afghanistan, Ecuador, Colombia, and other locations. His commendations include 3 Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Basic Airborne Insignia, Special Forces Tab, and others.

A graduate of Ohio University, SFC White currently works with Venergy Group in Fort Pierce, Fla., where he lives with his wife, Meredith, and their three children, Jax, Mason, and Wyatt.