Burn Pits 360 sets 2026 Gala of Valor for Oct. 17 in San Antonio

Burn Pits 360 opened ticket and sponsorship sales for its 2026 Gala of Valor, a fundraiser tied to the nonprofit’s work on toxic exposure, veterans’ health and PACT Act advocacy. The event will feature Air Force veterans as co-emcees, 9/11 advocate John Feal as special guest and a slate of honorees recognized for service, research and journalism.

Why it matters: - Proceeds from the Gala of Valor support Burn Pits 360’s advocacy, research and direct-service work for veterans, service members, first responders and families harmed by toxic exposure. - The nonprofit says the event helps fund practical support tied to care access, claims work and community assistance for people affected by burn pits and other toxic hazards. - The gala also keeps attention on gaps in diagnosis, treatment and family health outcomes that advocates say still need work after passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022.

What happened: - Burn Pits 360 opened ticket and sponsorship sales for its 2026 Gala of Valor on Aug. 20, 2026. - The gala is set for Saturday, Oct. 17, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas. - The event theme is “Where Heritage Meets Heroism,” honoring items accepted earlier this year by the Smithsonian Museum of the American Latino. - Individual tickets and tables are on sale at galaofvalor.org.

The details: - The evening will open with a cocktail reception and Sip and Shop marketplace. - The program will continue with dinner, live and silent auctions and an awards presentation. - The dress code is Texas formal and Spanish chic. - Sponsorship packages are available in four tiers: Heritage Champion, Tradition of Honor, Legacy of Heroism and Heart of Valor. - Burn Pits 360 is also offering a limited number of featured experience sponsorships tied to specific parts of the evening. - Sponsor benefits include on-site and program recognition, event access and inclusion in Burn Pits 360 recognition materials. - John Feal, a 9/11 responder advocate whose campaign helped win permanent health benefits for World Trade Center responders, will appear as special guest. - Every guest will receive a copy of Feal’s memoir, “I Will Follow You Anywhere,” co-written with Charles Daly. - Burn Pits 360 says Feal’s coalition-building model helped shape the organization’s later fight for the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022. - Chaunté N. Hall, Ph.D., and Jimmy Anderson will co-emcee. - Hall is an Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veteran, author and educator who serves as chief of community engagement at Port San Antonio and co-founded Centurion Military Alliance. - Anderson is a Fulbright Scholar, an Afghanistan veteran and a 17-year Air Force member who continues to serve in the Air Force Reserve. - Anderson previously held federal appointments at the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs focused on veterans, families and the military community.

Between the lines: - The gala theme links Burn Pits 360’s advocacy work with Latino heritage, which may help broaden the event’s cultural resonance and donor appeal. - The honoree list spans politics, medicine, law, journalism and volunteer service, signaling that Burn Pits 360 is positioning toxic-exposure advocacy as a cross-sector issue, not just a veterans’ health cause. - The organization is also using the event to reinforce its role in the PACT Act movement and to spotlight unresolved care and accountability questions. - Burn Pits 360 says its independent toxic exposure registry, Spanish-language and English guides and case management at the Captain Le Roy Torres Warrior Support Center in Robstown are part of that ongoing effort.

What's next: - Additional honorees are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks. - U.S. Rep. Mark Takano and U.S. Rep. Morgan Luttrell have been invited to receive the SFC Heath Robinson Legacy Award. - Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough has been invited to receive the PACT Act Vanguard Award. - The Oscar Wyatt Legacy of Valor Award recipient will be announced separately. - Burn Pits 360 says more information is available at burnpits360.org.