- Thursday, June 10
- 6-8PM
- Legacy Acres (100 Legacy Acres Drive) Conway, AR
-
Attire: Black Tie Optional
Red, White & Blue Theme
ORWB is committed to helping active military, veterans, and their families. It is an honor to help the men and women who have served our country to protect the freedoms we hold so dearly.
As a sponsor at this year’s ORWB Gala, you will assist the Foundation in honoring veterans and helping address the needs of those who served and their families through physical assistance and financial support.
Featured Guest
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Durant, U.S. Army (Retired)
Operation Red, White & Brave is honored to welcome Michael J. Durant as the featured speaker for the 2027 ORWB Gala.
A retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 and decorated master aviator, Durant served his country for more than two decades. He joined the Army in 1979 and later became a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, instructor pilot and member of the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
Throughout his distinguished military career, Durant participated in numerous combat operations, including Operation Prime Chance, Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Restore Hope.
On October 3, 1993, while piloting an MH-60 Black Hawk during a mission in Mogadishu, Somalia, Durant’s helicopter was shot down. He survived the crash and was held captive by hostile forces for 11 days before his release. His remarkable story of courage, perseverance and survival was depicted in the events that inspired Black Hawk Down.
Durant’s military honors include the Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with Valor device, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, three Air Medals, the POW Medal and numerous other awards. In 2008, he was inducted into the Army Aviation Association of America Hall of Fame.
Following his military career, Durant founded Pinnacle Solutions, an engineering and services company based in Huntsville, Alabama, where he served as Board Chair until his retirement. He was also recognized as the National Veteran-Owned Business Association’s 2013 Vetrepreneur of the Year.
Durant holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics and a Master of Business Administration in Aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller In the Company of Heroes and co-author of The Night Stalkers.
He and his wife, Lisa, who is also an Army aviator, have six children and six grandchildren.
Join us at the 2027 ORWB Gala for an unforgettable evening as Michael Durant shares his powerful story of service, sacrifice, resilience and leadership.