Gary Tanner was recognized for his efforts with the Department of Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior Program that he founded in 2010.
U.S. Army veteran and Michigan Legionnaire Gary Tanner was awarded the 2025 National Guard Volunteer Award for his support of Army and Air National Guard members, veterans and their families through the American Legion Department of Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior Program. The award, presented Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Michigan Military and Veterans Gala in Detroit, was one of eight national awards given and Tanner was the first Michigan recipient since the award’s inception in 2011.
“We were really excited when they said that we had received the award,” said Tanner, founder and chairman of the Department of Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior Program. “It’s a moment of pride for me to have something like this happen. It felt like a lifetime achievement award after doing this for 15 years and working side-by-side with the (Michigan) National Guard to get this award. And when we found out that no one here in Michigan has ever received that award, that was the breathtaking part of it.”
Tanner founded Wounded and Returning Warrior Program in 2010 after hearing about the families of Michigan National Guard and reserve servicemembers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in financial need. And then, upon the servicemember returning home from deployment, other needs arose like possible home modifications, reconnection with loved ones, employment, VA claims assistance and post-traumatic stress therapy.
Over the last three years, the Wounded and Returning Warrior Program has provided over $500,000 in grants to Michigan military families and veterans. And since the program’s founding, more than 1,300 non-repayable grants of up to $3,000 have been given to Michigan National Guard and reserve members, veterans and their families.
“It's just kind of become a mainstay program that the National Guard goes to first and foremost,” Tanner said. “It’s constantly, ‘You are the fastest turnaround for us. You are always there for us. You are able to do things that other programs aren't able to do for us.’ So when everybody else may say no, we’re the yes in the storm that gives our servicemembers and veterans that hope. It’s pretty amazing.”
Word spread of the Wounded and Returning Warrior Program by Tanner and other Legionnaires attending National Guard Yellow Ribbon events “to let them know that we were there to help them and assist their families while they were gone because we all worry about our families first,” Tanner said. “Whenever we deploy, that's the biggest concern on our minds, not what's in front of us but what's behind us. We wanted to help them have a little peace of mind knowing that if something happened, we were there to help their families so they could focus on what's in front of them. And then when they came home, we would help them reintegrate back into their civilian life.”
That reintegration has been all-expense paid retreats to Mackinac Island with support from Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, and to Wilwin Lodge, which is sponsored by the Department of Michigan.
“We were able to send a lot of families up there (to Mackinac Island) to kind of reconnect and rekindle those relationships that may have been strained by deployment in a non-stressful environment,” Tanner said.
The 100% donation and tax-deductible program has been funded through the generosity of community supporters such as former Aco Hardware, Michigan Building Construction Trades Council, 3 Balls Racing, bowling associations and American Legion posts.
“We have no kind of renewable government grant or anything like that. It's just people writing a check saying, ‘We love what you're doing, we want to support it,’” Tanner said. “These different organizations and businesses that have become community supporters through the years believe in the program so much that they just keep coming back year after year.
“And it’s the donations that the Legion Family provides through fundraisers at the post or donation checks that they send in that is the glue that keeps this program together.”
Tanner emphasized that it comes down to interpersonal relationships that have been the success of funding the program, along with businesses offering additional services like providing heating and cooling assistance at no cost to the military and veteran families, or assistance with building a ramp or bathroom remodel for a veteran.
“It all comes down to interpersonal relationships with all those different organizations and to basically show them where their money's going, what it's doing, and to instill that passion,” he said. “It’s amazing what can happen if you are passionate and you believe in what you're doing and go out and just share the mission and share the passion. A lot of people are so willing and wanting to help, but they don't know how until you show them how they can help.”
Tanner mentioned that financial assistance is the biggest need for military and veteran families. On average, he receives 10 to 15 calls a day for assistance and at least six Wounded and Returning Warrior Program applications coming in by email. And when he hears the relief in the voices of servicemembers and veteran families that receive help through the program, or he receives an email of thanks, “it keeps you getting up in the morning, and it makes all your hard work worthwhile if you can help one family from getting into a worse financial situation.”
While reflecting on his receipt of the National Guard Volunteer Award, Tanner said it’s been an honor and a privilege what he does for the Department of Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior Program.
“It’s my opportunity to still serve my country and take care of them (servicemembers) while they are downrange, take care of their families, and then help them when they come back. I can't be there shoulder-to-shoulder with them on the front lines anymore, but I can help them this way and sometimes this way can be even more important.”
- Honor & Remembrance