The City of Detroit has been named a Host City for the Congressional Medal of Honor Celebration in the fall of 2026 and local veterans will have a key role.

“We’re all very excited about it,” said Ed Kaminski, director of special events for Selfridge Military Air Museum, which will be involved in the planning stages.

“We’ve been working on this for four or five months already,” added Kaminski. “The actual convention will be in Detroit but there will be events held throughout Macomb County that will include Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan Veterans Home and other venues during the course of the convention week.”

The annual convention Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, 2026 will bring the largest gathering of America’s 60 living Medal of Honor recipients together for a series of public and private events that will be topped off by a black-tie and highly anticipated Patriots Award Gala being held at Huntington Place in Detroit.

At the heart of it all will be the recipients and their families who will share in the revelry that promotes the values of the Medal of Honor: courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, patriotism, and citizenship.

Michiganders of all ages including local students, veterans and active military members will have the opportunity to hear their heroic stories.

“Our Recipients are deeply honored to bring the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Convention to Detroit in 2026, and we look forward to connecting directly with the community in meaningful ways,” Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor Recipient and President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said, in a news release. “During our time there, we’re eager to engage with students, spend time with veterans and civil servants, and reach out across Detroit to instill the values of the Medal—commitment, integrity, courage, sacrifice, citizenship, and patriotism. We hope that through sharing our stories and time, we can inspire and uplift the people of this great city, leaving a lasting impact that reflects the ideals we share as Americans.”

Taking the lead and partnering with a variety of philanthropic, military and city leaders will be the Detroit Public Safety Foundation (DPSF), a nonprofit that works with the Detroit Police and Fire Departments and supports mentoring and outreach initiatives across Metro Detroit. Supporting the DPSF will be a host committee that will lead fundraising efforts and plan the events and activities surrounding the 2026 Medal of Honor Celebration.

Supporting these efforts will be Selfridge Military Air Museum at SANG base in Harrison Township.

Chad Graham, executive director of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, said they are thrilled to bring the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Convention to Detroit, a city once known as the Arsenal of Democracy, with deep roots in the nation’s history and commitment to service.

“We look forward to collaborating with the Detroit Public Safety Foundation and other community leaders to create a lasting impact that resonates with the spirit of service and dedication to our great nation,” Graham said.

Detroit Public Safety Executive Director Patti Kukula said hosting the country’s top military heroes and sharing their stories with the community is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“In addition to promoting their values, we are proud to show the recipients some of the history and unique opportunities that Detroit has to offer,” Kukula said. “This partnership will have a long-lasting impact on our community, and we are thankful to be a part of it.”

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan concurred.

“We are honored to have these distinguished guests in our city for the convention in 2026,” Duggan said. “Whenever America has called, we have dedicated significant resources to building the tools necessary to protect our country. By selecting Detroit as the 2026 Host City, we can once again serve, and we are thankful for the opportunity.”

Detroit became known as the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II, when the Motor City’s automobile industry answered the country’s need for support and rapidly transitioned to produce weapons and vehicles for war, a legacy that continues to underscore the community’s emphasis on military service and patriotism.

Many of the heroes from WWII are still around but a majority of the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients who are able to travel to Detroit for the convention will be veterans of the Vietnam War.

The Medal of Honor is awarded by the President of the United States.

“It’s the most prestigious award that a servicemember can receive,” said Kaminski, who had the honor of attending an award ceremony in Colorado. “There’s only been about 3,000 medals awarded since the Civil War.”

President Abraham Lincoln awarded the first medals in 1861.

Since then 3,519 service members have received the Medal of Honor and 60 of them have been invited to the convention in Detroit including Michigan recipient U.S. Army Private First-Class James C. McCloughan of Grand Rapids.

“It’s going to be an amazing week,” Kaminski said. “We are in the beginning of the planning process with many wrinkles to be ironed out.”

For more information about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s programs at cmohs.org.