5,000 California Schools Receive Book About Sacrifice, Courage

SAN DIEGO, May. 20 /PRNewswire/ --

SAN DIEGO, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- In the presence of over 100 local school children and military dignitaries, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation will present the best-selling book "Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty," to Mr. Bob Watkins, President, San Diego County School Board as one of 5,300 copies they donated to California schools.

"After leafing through this beautiful book, I personally delivered it to our librarian," explained principal Tim Piatt from Los Angeles Baptist Jr./Sr. High School. "One of the students asked what it was, so I briefly introduced him to the book. Then he and two or three others huddled around the end of a table and began looking at the stories together, so it didn't take long for our copy of this remarkable history to get into the hands of its intended readers."

TriWest and the Foundation recently delivered over 5,000 copies to middle, junior and senior high schools throughout the state -- a gift valued at more than $100,000. The book chronicles the poignant stories of 139 living and deceased veterans, including nearly 20 from California, who each hold our nation's highest award for military valor -- the Medal of Honor.

"At a time when true heroes are few and far between, we hope to get our nation's young people thinking about the qualities that distinguish ordinary men from extraordinary. The ideals of courage, selflessness and patriotism represented by the medal and those who received it, can be applied in all walks of life on any particular day -- not just in combat situations," said David J. McIntyre, Jr., TriWest President and CEO and board member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. "These true stories come from ordinary men who responded with extraordinary courage when their nation called. It is important for our youth to be inspired by and learn from those who have gone before."

When: Friday, May 23, 11: 00 - 11:30 a.m. Where: USS Midway, Flight Deck (Bayside Bow), 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego Interview Opportunities: o John Finn (USN), WWII Medal of Honor recipient o Colonel Robert Modrzejewski (USMC-Ret), Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient o David J. McIntyre, Jr., TriWest president and CEO o RADM Mac McLaughlin (USN-Ret), USS Midway Museum o Bob Watkins, President of the San Diego County School board o General Nicholas Kehoe (USA-Ret), Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation

About TriWest Healthcare Alliance

TriWest Healthcare Alliance partners with the Department of Defense to do "Whatever It Takes" to support the health care needs of 2.9 million members of America's military family. A Phoenix-based corporation with offices in South Dakota, TriWest provides access to cost-effective, high-quality health care in the 21-state TRICARE West Region, 2007 TRICARE Region of the Year. TriWest is a proud Corporate Team Member of America Supports You. Visit http://www.triwest.com for more information.

About Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation

The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation serves to promote American values and the qualities that the Medal represents: courage, sacrifice, and patriotism. It does this by supporting education and awareness about the Medal, its recipients, and their public service activities.