The United States Navy Memorial will present Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL), Edward C. Byers, Jr., USN (Ret.), and former Chairman and CEO of Hospital Corporation of America and U.S. Navy Veteran, Jack O. Bovender, Jr. with the 2024 Lone Sailor Award.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The United States Navy Memorial will present Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL), Edward C. Byers, Jr., USN (Ret.), and former Chairman and CEO of Hospital Corporation of America and U.S. Navy Veteran, Jack O. Bovender, Jr. with the 2024 Lone Sailor Award.
“At my first Lone Sailor Awards dinner as the Navy Memorial President and CEO, I could not think of two better candidates,” said retired Vice Admiral John Nowell, who started his new role in June 2024. “The Lone Sailor is an iconic symbol for every man and woman in the Sea Services, and it is an honor to award Master Chief Byers and Lieutenant Bovender for their commitment to Service and Sailors.”
Byers and Bovender will join an impressive list of men and women who have distinguished themselves by drawing upon their military experience to become successful in their subsequent careers and lives while exemplifying the core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
The U.S. Navy Memorial will present the Lone Sailor Award during a celebratory gala dinner in Washington, D.C., in September 2024.
About Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward Byers, USN (Ret.)
“Master Chief Ed Byers boasts an impressive career as a former Navy SEAL and a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.” said Retired Vice Admiral John Nowell, United States Navy Memorial President and CEO. “Having served with distinction for 21 years under some of the most challenging environments, his unwavering commitment to our sea service members reflects the highest ideals of the U.S. Navy. Master Chief Byers has continued to embody the spirit of service inspiring future generations of Sailors. His leadership and selflessness remain a beacon of what it means to be a Lone Sailor.”
Master Chief Byers served 21 years in the Navy as a Navy Corpsman and a Navy SEAL. He served with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, SEAL Team 4, SEAL Team 6 as a Team Leader, and the Pentagon Joint Staff J-39. He retired as a Master Chief in 2020.
While serving at the Pentagon in the J39, Master Chief Byers was part of the In-Q-Tel Interface Center – DOD (QIC-D) where he was responsible for investing a multi-million-dollar budget focused on AI/ML Predictive Analytics, LEO SAR SAT, and Autonomous Maritime Unmanned Systems (AUMS).
Master Chief Byers is the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor – Our Nation’s Highest award for Valor. He is the 1st person from SEAL Team 6 and the 6th Navy SEAL in history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. He is also the recipient of Bronze Star with Valor (5 awards), Purple Heart (2 awards), and many other awards.
His charitable work involves serving on the boards of the C4 Foundation and Secure Our Freedom Foundation, and as an honorary advisory board member of the Navy SEAL Foundation.
About Jack O. Bovender, Jr., U.S. Navy Veteran
“We were so inspired by Jack Bovender career as a hospital corpsman who rose through the ranks and was inspired to serve in the healthcare field when he left the Navy.” saidRetired Vice Admiral John Nowell, United States Navy Memorial President and CEO. “Former chairman and CEO of the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), he has made a significant contribution to the healthcare industry, leading one of the largest healthcare organizations in the world for 4 decades. As a result of his continued service and dedication to our community, we are proud to award him the Lone Sailor Award.”
Jack Bovender is retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services with 186 hospitals and approximately 2,400 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom.
Bovender is a 40-year veteran of the healthcare industry and worked at HCA for 32 years. He began his hospital administrative career in 1969 as a lieutenant in the United States Navy, Medical Service Corps, stationed at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va. He later served as Chief Executive Officer of Medical Center Hospital in Largo, Fla., and West Florida Regional Medical Center in Pensacola, both owned by HCA.
He served on the Board of Governors of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and in 2007 was awarded ACHE’s Gold Medal Award, recognizing his significant career-long contributions to the healthcare profession. Bovender was lauded by Institutional Investor magazine as “Best CEO in America” for healthcare facilities in 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2015 he was inducted into the Modern Healthcare Hall of Fame.
To learn more about the Lone Sailor Award and see past recipients, visit www.NavyMemorial.org. If you’re interested in attending or becoming a sponsor of the 2024 dinner, contact Lisa Barker at [email protected].
About US Navy Memorial
The US Navy Memorial is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to Honor, Recognize and Celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services, past, present and future; and to Inform the public about their service. The US Navy Memorial is located at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.
Media Contact
Julia Linthicum, United States Navy Memorial, 1 202-380-0731, [email protected], https://www.navymemorial.org/
SOURCE United States Navy Memorial
