Darryl Worley’s words, music and convictions personify what Diageo’s Spirit of the Americas program is all about. From the men and women in uniform, to the disenfranchised; in the confusing times that politics or acts of God may transform lives forevermore, we humbly aim to let people know we have their backs during periods where and when they need it most.

I also attended the event at Walter Reed Hospital. And, yes, the star attraction was country singer Darryl Worley, however the real stars were the troops themselves. Many of them were young and even though injured, in some cases quite badly, I was struck by the optimism that they had for their future and the sense of belonging to their units. Although I think that we did the right thing by bringing them some entertainment while they are going through recovery I could not help feeling concerned that once they leave the security of their ‘unit’ and return home they will be away from their support mechanism and that this is when they will be vulnerable. Let’s hope that the same mistakes of 30 years ago are not repeated.