Former Miss American has been a veterans advocate for three decades.
Veterans advocate and philanthropist Heather French Henry was presented The American Legion’s James V. Day “Good Guy” Award for 2026 during the organization’s 107th national convention on Aug. 31 in Louisville, Ky.
French Henry, who was crowned Miss America in 2000, is the daughter of a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran. During her time as Miss America, she traveled more than 300,000 miles on a speaking tour titled, “Our Forgotten Heroes: Honoring Our Nation’s Homeless Veterans.” She is married to former Kentucky Lt. Gov. Stephen Henry and served as her state’s commissioner of Veterans Affairs. She founded the Heather French Foundation for Veterans, Inc.
After noting that she had worked with The American Legion on veterans issues for 27 years, French Henry explained the importance of magnifying the stories of those who served.
“It's vitally important for those of us who didn't raise our hand, to be able to take that responsibility to take care of those who have served our nation, because again, 99.5% of us did not serve, but that 0.5% protect all of us,” she said. “It's our responsibility to not only stand up for our servicemen and women, but to share their stories. That's our responsibility to make sure that future generations understand that the fabric of America isn't money, it's not capitalism, it's not even government. It's the men and women who choose to sign up to sacrifice their lives for that service and strength.”
The James V. Day Good Guy Award is named after a World War II veteran and prominent Legionnaire. Past recipients include Dolly Parton, NASCAR legend Richard Petty, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and longtime college football coach Lou Holtz. It is presented by The American Legion Past Department Commander’s Club, a group composed of past and current state and regional commanders of The American Legion.
- Convention