Jamey Johnson
Country Singer | Montgomery, Alabama
“The rifles fire and your life flashes right before my eyes
But I don’t need no one to tell me you’re a hero
Hell, I’ve known that ever since you were young”
When Jamey Johnson released the song “21 Guns” on Memorial Day, 2024, the lyrics were deeply personal. He wrote them to honor fellow Marines who died in service, and the powerful song debuted nationally during PBS National Memorial Day Concert.
Honoring Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families is one way Johnson has expressed values instilled in him during his Marine Corps service. Those values also inspired Johnson to spearhead a host of nonprofit initiatives, including the Give It Away Foundation, which raises funds for charities close to his heart and awards grants to those in need.
Born in Enterprise, Alabama, and raised in Montgomery, Johnson served in the United States Marine Corps for four years. He was a mortarman in Company L, 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines and attained the rank of corporal. He would often play original songs for his fellow Marines, and it was during his time in the Marines that he began performing country music in bars and small venues across the Montgomery area.
Coby McNeal
University of Alabama football player | Dothan, Alabama
There are few states – if any – more obsessed with football than Alabama. The gold standard is the University of Alabama football team, a program with 13 national championships, including six since 2009. The 2024 Alabama football team was full of future NFL stars, as well as one Marine veteran, Coby McNeal, from Dothan, Alabama.
At the age of 27, after serving six years in the Marine Corps, McNeal walked on to the top-ranked Alabama football team and made the active roster. His football journey included time at Colorado State before returning home to suit up for the Crimson Tide.
In 2015, McNeal drew interest after high school from small colleges that wanted him to play football, but instead, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Trey, and joined the Marines.
“So I went into the military and got myself in order,” said McNeal. “I got good order and discipline in my life. I went there and did six years in the military. It was awesome. I loved it.”