Free Veterans Day themed virtual event unites decorated veterans and world-class athletes for two live panels and member prize giveaways.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WeSalute (founded in 1999 as Veterans Advantage, PBC), the nation's leading military and veteran recognition and benefits platform, today announced that it will host its 14th Annual "Heroes Meet Heroes" live member community event this Thursday, November 5, 2026, with two live sessions at 12:00 PM ET and 6:30 PM ET.
The free virtual event kicks off National Veterans and Military Families Month and is a special Veterans Day tribute in recognition of all who have served the country. Sponsored by longtime WeSalute partner Avis Budget Group, it brings together our nation's military and athletic heroes to explore what their commitment to military service and sport means when representing their country: grit, resilience, overcoming adversity, and life after the uniform or the podium.
Conceived by WeSalute Founder and CEO Lin Higgins and moderated by Co-Founder and Executive Chairman H. Scott Higgins, a U.S. Army combat veteran and named All-American wrestler, Heroes Meet Heroes has become a respected member tradition for Veterans Week. After seven years of gathering in the New York Athletic Club's historic Trophy Room in New York City, the event moved online, welcoming its more than 3 million members worldwide.
"For more than 25 years, WeSalute has been dedicated to delivering greater respect, recognition, and rewards to those who have answered the call to serve," said H. Scott Higgins. "Wearing the uniform of our nation, whether on the battlefield defending our freedoms or on the international stage representing Team USA, requires deep character, singular devotion, and a commitment to something far greater than oneself. 'Heroes Meet Heroes' is our tribute to that shared ethos, providing a forum where our heroes can exchange lessons on perseverance, healing invisible wounds, and leading with purpose in their civilian lives."
Two Live Sessions, Twelve Heroes
Each 60-minute session opens with the event's distinquished panelists reflecting on what service means to them as Veterans Day approaches, followed by live Q&A and WeSalute member giveaways and prizes.
November 5th, 12:00 PM ET: Session-Moderator H. Scott Higgins, WeSalute Co-Founder and U.S. Army Combat Veteran, All-American Wrestler
- Joe Maloy — U.S. Olympic Triathlete, USA Triathlon National Champion and World Champion Gold Medalist
- Josh Peyton — U.S. Army Combat Veteran, Captain and Airborne Ranger, Founder & President/CEO of the Veterans Golfers Association
- Priscilla Loomis — 2016 Track & Field Olympian, three-time Hall of Fame inductee, 2-time Female Athlete of the Year, National Record Holder, National Champion, and World-Class Medalist. Broadcaster, and Keynote Motivational Speaker
- Gerry Byrne — U.S. Marine Corps Combat Veteran, Vietnam and Recipient of the U.S. Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award
- Katelyn Good — National Champion Figure Skater, mental performance coach
- Brigadier General Loree Sutton, M.D. — U.S. Army Combat Veteran, Operation Desert Storm, former highest ranking psychiatrist in the Army, former Commissioner of NYC Department of Veterans' Services, founder & CEO at World HORIZON Project
November 5th, 6:30 PM ET: Session-Moderator H. Scott Higgins, WeSalute Co-Founder and U.S. Army Combat Veteran, All-American Wrestler
- Sally Roberts — World Champion wrestler and U.S. Army Combat Veteran, Special Operations in the War in Afghanistan, Member U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), Recipient 2016 Women in Sport Award on behalf of United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee, Founder of Wrestle Like A Girl,
- Lieutenant General Martin R. Steele (USMC, Ret.) — U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Former Chief Operating Officer of the Marine Corps, former CEO of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, and co-founder of Reason for Hope
- Ben Kanute — U.S. Olympian, World Champion Triathlete, IRONMAN Silver Medalist
- Michael Quiello — U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, former military & commercial pilot, former Board Chair of the National Aviation Hall of Fame
- Kim Vandenberg — U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist, Pan American Games Gold Medalist, Butterfly and Freestyle Swimming
- Tommy Jones — U.S. Army Veteran, Retired First Sergeant, Corporate Military Thriving® Leader
Member Community Giveaways and Prizes
Attendees can win prizes from WeSalute and its benefit partners at each of the two live sessions:
- 50 Memberships for One-Year of WeSalute+ Benefits ($120 value each)
- Two One-Week Car Rentals courtesy of Presenting Sponsor Avis Budget Group.
- 125 Pairs of Movie Tickets from longtime WeSalute partner IMAX.
- Two Free Privacy & Identity Protection family plans provided by Aura ($960 value each)
- Two G PRO X Superlight 2 gaming mice from Logitech® ($160 value each)
- Two Wyndham Rewards Certificates worth 45,000 points each, redeemable for vacation stays at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
- Two $100 Flight Vouchers from Delta Air Lines
- Two 20,000 AAdvantage® Mileage Awards from American Airlines
"WeSalute extends its deepest gratitude to Avis Budget Group, whose unwavering, multi-year support as our Presenting Sponsor has made this annual celebration possible," added Higgins. "We also thank our dedicated coalition of WeSalute partners, including IMAX, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Aura, Logitech, and 1-800-Flowers, for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our mission to recognize those who serve and thanking our WeSalute member community year after year."
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
- Times: Live sessions at 12:00 PM ET and 6:30 PM ET
- Format: Virtual sessions on Zoom
- Admission: Free and open to all WeSalute members with online registration
About WeSalute
WeSalute (founded in 1999 as Veterans Advantage, PBC) is a Registered Public Benefit Corporation and the premier military marketing, media, and technology platform dedicated to delivering A Real Thank You® to the men and women who serve our country and their family members. Co-founded by U.S. Army Combat Veteran H. Scott Higgins and Lin Higgins, CEO of WeSalute, the company has pioneered privacy-protected military service verification, the secure WeSalute ID Card, and closed-user-group (CUG) benefits exclusively for current and former military members, and more recently, first responders, nurses and medical professionals, public servants, and teachers,
Partnering with Fortune 500 travel carriers, retail leaders, and service providers, WeSalute provides exclusive benefits, digital service identification, and lifestyle-enhancing rewards through its free WeSalute Basic membership and premium WeSalute+ tier. For more information, visit www.wesalute.com.
Media Contact
Roy Asfar, Chief Commercial Officer, WeSalute
press@wesalute.com
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SOURCE WeSalute
