Founder & Executive Director

Major Cristov “Cris” Dosev is the Founder and Executive Director of Honor American Heroes, a retired United States Marine Corps officer, combat veteran, Naval Flight Officer, veterans advocate, and longtime champion of America’s military heritage.

His life of service has taken him from Marine Corps aviation and combat operations in the Persian Gulf to veterans advocacy and major historical preservation efforts. Honor American Heroes continues that commitment by seeking national recognition for six American aviators whose courage and leadership helped change the course of World War II at the Battle of Midway.

An Officer of Marines

Dosev was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1984 after graduating with honors from the University of Florida College of Engineering. He completed naval flight training and earned his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1986 before training as a bombardier-navigator in the A-6 Intruder, the Marine Corps’ all-weather attack aircraft.

Assigned to Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 224, the Fighting Bengals, Dosev accumulated approximately 1,300 hours in tactical aircraft and participated in deployments and military exercises throughout the Western Pacific.

In August 1990, he deployed to Bahrain in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During the war, Dosev flew 30 combat missions supporting operations in Iraq and Kuwait and the liberation of Kuwait. His military decorations include three Air Medals and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, including one with the Combat “V.”

Following his combat service, Dosev helped prepare the next generation of American military officers. His assignments included service as a Marine officer instructor, battalion adviser, and assistant professor of naval science. He completed ten years of active-duty service before continuing his service in the Marine Corps Reserve, where he attained the rank of major.

Continuing to Serve

For Dosev, leaving active military service did not mean leaving behind the responsibility to those who served.

In 2005, he joined fellow veterans and community leaders in co-founding the Wounded Heroes Foundation. The organization was established to help seriously wounded service members and their families with needs that were not always met through traditional programs, including housing assistance, accessible transportation, home modifications, financial support, and other forms of direct assistance.

That work reflected a principle that would continue to shape Dosev’s civic efforts: Americans who accept extraordinary risks in service to the nation deserve more than gratitude. Their sacrifices must be remembered, respected, and supported through action.

Preserving the Legacy of General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr.

Dosev later became a leading advocate for preserving the legacy of General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., the Pensacola native and pioneering military aviator who became the first African American four-star general in the United States Armed Forces.

Dosev advanced the effort to name the new Pensacola Bay Bridge in General James’s honor and helped build support among veterans, residents, community organizations, and public officials. The effort succeeded when Florida officially designated the bridge as the General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Bridge in 2020.

He subsequently founded and chaired the General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Memorial Foundation, continuing the effort to create a permanent memorial where future generations can learn about James’s service, leadership, and place in American history.

The experience demonstrated what can happen when historical research, veterans, community leadership, public education, and determined advocacy come together behind an American hero whose story deserves to be remembered.

Founding Honor American Heroes

That same commitment to preserving the legacy of American servicemen led Dosev to help establish Honor American Heroes.

The organization’s central mission is the recognition of six naval aviators whose leadership, courage, and sacrifice were instrumental to the American victory at the Battle of Midway: Wade McClusky, Max Leslie, Eugene Lindsey, Lance Massey, John Waldron, and Richard Best.

Together, they are known as the Midway Six.

Their actions took place during one of the most consequential mornings in American military history. Their decisions helped locate, attack, and cripple the Japanese carrier force at extraordinary personal risk, contributing directly to a victory that altered the course of the Pacific War.

Yet none of the six received the Medal of Honor for his actions at Midway.

As Founder and Executive Director of Honor American Heroes, Dosev works alongside fellow founders Major Thomas M. Rychlik, USMC (Ret.), and Captain Kevin Miller, USN (Ret.), to bring their stories before the American public, preserve the historical record, build awareness of their actions, and advocate for the recognition their service deserves.

A Mission of Remembrance

Honor American Heroes is built on a simple idea: a nation has a responsibility to remember the men and women whose courage helped preserve it.

For Dosev, the effort to honor the Midway Six is part of a much larger commitment that has continued throughout his military and civilian life. Whether supporting wounded veterans, preserving the legacy of General Chappie James, or helping tell the story of the six aviators whose actions proved decisive at Midway, the purpose remains the same.

Remember the service. Preserve the history. Honor the sacrifice.

Learn more about Cris Dosev and his life of military and community service.