FORT BENNING, Ga., (Sept. 10, 2014) -- Five longtime supporters of the Infantry and Armor branches of the Army were honored for their contributions Sept. 9 during the annual Maneuver Dinner at the National Infantry Museum.

Retired Gen. Carl Stiner and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Steven England received the Doughboy Award for contributions to the Infantry. Retired Lt. Col. Phillip Linn and retired Col. Robert Westholm received the Order of St. George Gold Medallion for contributions to Armor.

Joanne Patton, widow of retired Maj. Gen. George S. Patton IV, received the Noble Patron of Armor Gold Medallion in July. The award is given to civilians and other non-Armor service members.

The awards represent the highest honors given to supporters of the two branches.

England, whose leadership positions over 34 years of service included command sergeant major of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg and the 82nd Airborne Division, called it a "special honor" to be named a Doughboy recipient in the same year as the commanding general with whom he served.

"Gen. Stiner and I have known each other for years, and he's an icon here at Bragg," England said. "A lot of the previous winners are mentors and heroes of mine, and it's a pretty amazing group of people to be with."

England has worked at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as an Army civilian since his retirement from active duty in 2005.

He serves as deputy director of Fort Bragg's Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.

Stiner served on active duty for more than 35 years, including a stint as the second commander-in-chief of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He is a veteran of Vietnam and Operation Just Cause in Panama.

"It is with deep humility that I accept this award on behalf of all of the Infantrymen and other service members with whom I was privileged to serve," Stiner said. "I would like to say to all young leaders that you have chosen the most honored profession any person can choose, and it is only through people like you who are willing to lay it on the line that the freedoms and liberties we enjoy can be preserved."

Westholm's Army career began in 1973, when he was the Distinguished Military Graduate at Texas A&M University. He served for 26 years, including deployments in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

In his retirement, he has worked as a defense contractor.

"It's very humbling," he said of receiving the Order of St. George Gold Medallion.

He added that he owed his success to officers and NCOs from not only Armor, but across Army branches.

"There were a lot of Infantrymen who served as my mentors, too," Westholm said. "We are in the combined arms business."

Linn, who resides in the Chattahoochee Valley, spent 22 years on active duty as an Armor officer before retiring in 1992.

During his service, he held command and staff positions in several locations in Germany, as well as in Korea and across the U.S, and he taught European History at West Point.

After retiring, he spent 14 years as a social studies teacher at Shaw High School and currently serves as a parttime history instructor for Columbus State University.

"It's a tremendous honor," Linn said. "I was surprised and humbled at being selected."