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 Corporal Benjamin S. Kopp, U.S. Army

After 9/11, CPL Kopp vowed to serve his country with pride, following in the footsteps of his great grandfather, a World War II veteran.

CPL Kopp arrived at Fort Benning, Ga., 1 month after his high school graduation. Eight months later, he became an Army Ranger. CPL Kopp served in the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and completed two tours of duty in Iraq and a third in Afghanistan. There, on July 10, 2009, he saved the lives of six of his fellow Rangers when they came under attack by Taliban forces.

Tragically, CPL Kopp was shot in the leg and did not recover from the trauma. He died July 18, 2009, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

To this day, Ben lives on in the hearts and minds of his family—and the dozens of individuals to whom he donated his organs.

American Hero Award Recipient Sergeant Major Gary W. Buck, U.S. Marine Corps

In 1985, SgtMaj Buck enlisted in the Marine Corps and shipped off to Parris Island, S.C. Over seven combat tours, including Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Safe Return, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, SgtMaj Buck steadily climbed the ranks. He has also achieved an Associate’s from Columbia Southern University, a Bachelor’s in business administration from Waldorf University, and a Master’s in educational leadership from Marshall University. In 2010, he returned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island to serve as the Depot Sergeant Major, where he works with new recruits today.

SgtMaj Buck’s commendations include the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement and Commendation medals, Meritorious Service Medal (2 gold stars), Legion of Merit, and others.

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 Captain Richard Cliff, U.S. Air Force

Capt Cliff, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., was a Wando High School graduate who loved surfing, skiing, and mountain climbing. He captained the ROTC Ranger Challenge Team at Appalachian State University, and joined the Air Force in 2002.

On his third deployment in Afghanistan, Capt Cliff was killed in action along with two other members of his team in the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group. They were attacked on Sept. 29, 2008, while on patrol in Helmand Province. He is survived by wife, Stacy, and their son, Richard; as well as his mother, Julie, father, Richard, and brother, Eddie.

Capt Cliff’s commendations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, 5 U.S. Army commendation medals, National Defense Service medal, Basic Airborne insignia, Ranger tab, and Special Forces tab.

American Hero Award Recipient: James Gobble, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.)

James Gobble is a classic example of an American hero beyond the battlefield.

A former Marine, Gobble served domestically from 1991 to 1995. Since then, he’s worked extensively with suicide prevention programs focused on veterans and their surviving family members, inspired by the death of his own sister, SCPO Kim Hunter, U.S. Navy Reserve. His work in the community began in 2009 as a volunteer with the tragedy assistance program for survivors. There, he focused on mentoring the children of deceased service members as they processed their loss.

Today, in addition to his volunteer work, he is studying toward a master’s degree in clinical mental health and seeks to become a licensed professional counselor.

Each year, Trojan Labor 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: Captain Daniel Eggers, U.S. Army

Capt. Eggers was born in Pueblo, Colo., and spent his early years in Hollis, N.H. In 1987, he and his family moved to Cape Coral, Fla. He was a devout Catholic and an altar boy during middle school and high school. He attended Gulf Middle School and graduated from Cape Coral High School.

While at Cape High, Eggers was enrolled in the JROTC program and was the battalion commander in his senior year. He was a member of the National Honor Society, ran cross-country, and was in the Young Marines, the United Stated Marine Corps’ youth program. In 1992, he was selected as the National Young Marine of the Year.   He graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. with a degree in history in 1997.  He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry in May 1997.

In July 2001, he began training for Special Forces and earned his green beret two years later. He went through the Army Arabic Language School and was fluent in Arabic. Eggers was deployed to Afghanistan in April 2003. While in Afghanistan, as a Green Beret team leader in the 1^st Battalion, 3^rdForces Group (Airborne), he carried out secret missions.

Eggers came from a large family with a long tradition of military service. His great-great-grandfather was a member of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, two grandfathers served in World War II, his father served in Vietnam, and his younger brother served two tours in Iraq.

On May 29, 2004, Eggers was killed in action in the Zabul Province in southeastern Afghanistan when his Humvee struck a land mine as he was pursuing the enemy. It was his second tour of duty there, and he was serving as detachment commander. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

Eggers is survived by his wife, Rebecca, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army who is stationed at Ft. Campbell, Ky.; as well as two sons, John and William; his parents William and Margaret; and his siblings, two brothers and four sisters.

On March 21, 2005, the U. S. Army renamed the combined forces compound in Kabul, Afghanistan “Camp Eggers,” after Captain Daniel William Eggers. During the dedication ceremony, a plaque was unveiled honoring this American hero.

Eggers was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during his first tour in Afghanistan. During his second tour, he was awarded a second Bronze Star Medal, a Bronze Star Medal with a “V” device (valor), and the Purple Heart.

Family, friends, priests, and peers used these words to describe Danny: “dedicated, intelligent, born leader, motivated, and possessing both a great sense of humor and humility.” They called him “the patron saint of the underdog.”

American Hero Award Recipient: Sergeant Andrew Smith, U.S. Marine Corps

Andrew Smith grew up in Easley, S.C., and attended the College of Charleston. During his junior year, he felt his life needed a drastic change.

“There were all these things going on in the world,: he said, “and I was missing out.”

In 2008, he joined the Marines, and was soon deployed to MEU.

In 2010, Smith was sent on his 2nd deployment to Haiti to provide emergency aid. Upon his return, he successfully became a Marine sniper. On May 15, 2011, while deployed to Afghanistan, Smith was severely injured from mortar shrapnel while under enemy attack. Moving quickly, medics placed Smith aboard a helicopter for transport to a hospital at Camp Leatherneck.

He was discharged from the hospital on May 27, 2011, after several surgeries. The following January, he was honorably discharged from the Marines as a sergeant. He earned the Purple Heart, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

Smith has gone on to graduate from the Charleston School of Law, summa cum laudem and is now an attorney in Charleston, S.C. He is a true American hero.

SFC Santos-Silva: Sergeant First Class Carlos M. Santos-Silva was born November 4 1977, in Wiesbaden Germany. On April 11 1998 he married Kristen J Anderson, in Fort Campbell, Ky. On March 6 1999 he celebrated the birth of his only son Cameron Santos-Silva. He served in the United States Army from August 1996 until March 22 2010. He was a veteran of the Kosovo campaign, Operation Iraqi freedom where he completed 2 tours as a member of the 2nd Battalion 14th Infantry Regiment based out of Fort Drum, NY.  He was killed in action on March 22,2010 while serving as a Platoon Sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Division while assigned to the 2-508 Parachute Infantry Regiment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  During the span of his 14 year career Sergeant First Class Santos-Silva awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal (4), the National Defense Service Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Basic Parachutist Badge. Carlos was a loving husband, father, son and friend and is truly missed by all.

SFC Musil:  Sergeant First Class Robert Musil is the recipient of two bronze star medals, the first of which he was on a QRF element in Ghazni Province Afghanistan serving as a M240B machine gun team leader. In a fight that lasted about 10 hours, through extremely heavy gun fire, after being shot at his chest plate, he remained in control of the element and selflessly called in an Apache Strike almost on top of his position in order to suppress the enemy and continued to return fire. The second Bronze Star was for meritorious service where he led his Platoon in Afghanistan in the main effort on the final Push into the Home of the Taliban. Sergeant First Class Robert Musil awards and decorations also include 2 Meritorious Service Medals, 3 Army Commendation Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, Combat Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Irish Jump Wings, and the Air Assault Badge. SFC Musil’s continued service to our nation is a testimony to sacrifices made by service men. Let us join his wife, Christina and two daughters, Zoe Elizabeth and Genevieve Nichole, in recognizing him as a true American Hero.