Knoxville, Tenn. (March 22, 2012) — Yesterday, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society selected Knoxville to host the 2014 Medal of Honor Convention. Today, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett released the following statement:

“I am very excited about this opportunity and I think the selection committee made an excellent choice to hold the 2014 Medal of Honor Convention in Knoxville. This will mean a great deal to our city and all of Knox County, and I am proud of my staff and others who worked so hard to get to this point. The Medal of Honor is a unique and very prestigious award that is only given to those who have truly earned it by putting their country before themselves.

“Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.’ I look forward to the opportunity to stand with the citizens of Knox County as we honor those who stood up for this country.

“My father, a Marine, fought in the Pacific, and saw some of the fiercest combat of World War II on the islands of Okinawa and Peleliu. The stories he told me of his fellow Marines’ quiet courage still give me strength, even now, several years after his death.

“I want to especially recognize the hard work of Joe Thompson of Morgan Keegan and the rest of the local steering committee members who helped organize a successful effort to bring the Medal of Honor Convention to Knox County.”