Miss America 2000, Heather French Henry, who is also the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs at present, will be honored this March with the AMVETS Silver Helmet Award. As a leading advocate for military veterans nationwide, Heather has laid the foundations of the Heather French Foundation for Veterans, Inc. which allocates certain programs to help increase patriotism in younger generations.

Heather has worked closely with many members of Congress and Senate to establish groundbreaking legislation to create new opportunities for community outreach in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The AMVETS Silver Helmet was first awarded in 1954 and is known as the “Veterans Oscar”, the Miss America Organization is elated to hear the news and is extremely excited to witness such an honor for its queen. The award will be presented to the Commissioner, Heather French Henry on Friday, March 4’, 2016 during the AMVETS Spring National Executive Committee Meeting in Arlington, VA.

Heather Renee French Henry is a not just a Miss America title holder but is also a leading personality, renowned as an ace fashion designer and veterans advocate. On July 1, 2014, the Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear appointed Heather French Henry as the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs. Heather competed in pageants throughout her teens, including the Miss Ohio pageant. She later competed in the Miss Kentucky Pageant four times before winning the title on her fifth attempt in 1999. She won the 2000 Miss America pageant in September 1999, and is the first Kentuckian to do so. Her platform for her reign was raising awareness of homeless veterans, since her father was a wounded veteran of the Vietnam War. She has received numerous awards for her work with veterans.

We wish Heather a warm and hearty congratulations for this honor. You are truly an inspiration to the mankind.