ORLANDO, Fla.—DAV (Disabled American Veterans) named retired Army Brig. Gen. Patt Maney of Shalimar, Florida, Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year for 2019. Maney, a fierce veterans advocate who overcame a severe traumatic brain injury, will be presented with the award at DAV’s 98th National Convention August 3, in Orlando, Florida.

Maney joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1971 as a civil affairs officer completing 37 years of service. He was seriously injured in August 2005 when his convoy was attacked with an improvised explosive device near Kabul, Afghanistan. The attack left Maney with life-changing injuries including a broken nose, 27 cracked teeth and a severe traumatic brain injury.

Following a challenging 20-month recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Maney returned to his civilian career as judge for Okaloosa County, Florida, in 2008. Since then, Maney has been instrumental launching the first Veterans Treatment Court in the state, organizing a homeless veterans stand down and helping to establish a Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center. His work has touched the lives of countless veterans and their families.

“This would be an impressive body of work for any individual,” said DAV National Commander Dennis Nixon. “But what makes Judge Maney so exceptional is that this was all done after 20 intense months of healing at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He used his own experiences and challenges to fuel his advocacy work for other veterans, and that’s what sets him apart.”

Maney also acquired the bell from a World War II-era Navy ship, the USS Okaloosa and a Huey helicopter to honor Vietnam veterans. Both pieces of local history are on display at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.

 

About DAV

DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; providing employment resources to veterans and their spouses; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a nonprofit organization with more than 1 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U. S. Congress in 1932.