This post was originally published on this site
On November 22, 2025, at his home in Henderson, Nevada, Peter Palivos received the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Army’s highest civilian honor, presented by General Andrew Poppas, a four-star general and commander of U.S. Army Forces Command. In 2025 Palivos was one of three American to receive the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Public Service Medal.
The ceremony marked the first time in history that a Nevada civilian has received the award and drew a cross-section of military, political, business, and civic leaders, including Major General Ondra Berry, General Troy Armstrong, General Brandon Anderson, Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony, Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, US Representative Susie Lee, and many veteran leaders.
An attorney by training, Palivos has spent more than three decades working with veterans and military families through the Las Vegas–based nonprofit Voice of the Veteran, where he serves as Chairman. What began as local welcome-home effort for returning troops, expanded into broader legal advocacy and large public initiatives, including last year’s “Day of Gratitude” at Allegiant Stadium, which drew 15,000 veteran and service members, while raising and gifting over $4 Million to veteran and military families.
> Previously: Archbishop Elpidophoros offers benediction at the “Day of Gratitude” honoring veterans
Well known in the Greek American community, Palivos serves the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America as a member of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Foundation and has been elevated to the Archonship of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a distinction recognizing lay leaders who support the mission of the Mother Church of Constantinople. Peter Palivos answered a few questions for the Orthodox Observer.
Peter, public service often grows out of personal turning points. What experiences shaped your decision to invest so deeply, and for so long, in veterans’ advocacy?
I come from a family with deep military and veteran service. So, service to country is in my DNA. My mother’s side of the family (Gountanis) came to this great nation of America in 1895. Thereafter, we have five generations of family members that served in the USA military. On my father’s side of the family, almost all family members are still in Greece, and those family members fought for Greece in the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.
So, as a young man, I learned to appreciate, respect and admire all of their sacrifices and service, and the service of all Veterans.
How do you define the mission of Voice of the Veteran today, and which achievements best reflect what the organization set out to accomplish?
Our organization has over 25,000 veteran members in Nevada and we communicate with many additional veterans through the 782,000 emails that we use.
We provide important pro bono legal services; have handled hundreds of disability claims where we obtained over $25 Million in benefits for veterans without charging any fees; and are in the process of building 5000 affordable ownership homes for veterans.
Our organization has 603 volunteers, and we have zero overhead. We all work as volunteers because we all love our veterans and country.
Voice of the Veteran has expanded over time to include housing, legal aid, and mental health initiatives. What principles guide your decisions about which efforts to pursue, and how do you evaluate whether they are succeeding?
We respond to the specific needs of the veterans, because they have special needs based on their specific individual situations.
For example, many veterans have PTSD, which most citizens do not have or understand. So, we work with several mental health experts to address this medical issue.
In your remarks, you spoke about the depth of division in the country. From your vantage point, what would it take to restore a shared sense of purpose and begin rebuilding trust in American public life?
Ninety percent of Americans want the same thing: A strong military, safe neighborhoods, good schools for their children and grandchildren, good jobs so they can raise their children with dignity, and an opportunity to succeed in this “the land of opportunity.” So, since 90% of us want the same thing, we have to learn to work with each other based on issues- and not based on party labels. We also have to tone down the toxic rhetoric in the media and learn to respect each other’s opinions and political views. Importantly, we must all remember that we are not red Americans. We are not blue Americans. We are red, white and blue Americans.
You are also deeply involved in the Greek Orthodox Church, including your elevation as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. What does that role represent to you personally—not as a title, but as a responsibility?
My late parents were two devote Greek Orthodox Christians who raised me in the church. They taught me the importance of serving, loving and supporting our church. Being an Archon of the church gives me the opportunity to continue implementing what my parents taught me because it gives me the opportunity to support our church at a higher national and international level.
I take this responsibility seriously because Christianity, our church, and beloved Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew are under constant duress and face daily challenges.
Why does the Ecumenical Patriarchate matter to you today—not only as a Greek American, but as an American citizen—and how do you see that significance reflected through the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America?
Yes, it matters a great deal. Our beloved Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the leader of over 300 million Orthodox Christians, and we can never allow any individual, institution or nation to minimize his stature or leadership. We are also blessed to have His Eminence Elpidophoros as the Archbishop of America because he too is a great spiritual leader, who have solved almost all of our church’s challenges. His accomplishments during the few years that he has been the Archbishop of America are substantial, extraordinary and unprecedented. Importantly, Archbishop Elpidophoros has ushered in a new era centered on transparency and growth.
Therefore, it is not a coincidence that the Greek Orthodox Church of America is growing again in membership, especially among the younger generation, which represents the future of our church.
The post Peter Palivos on veterans, civic responsibility and faith appeared first on Orthodox Observer.
