Operation HEArt: Honoring and Empowering through Art

 

Operation HEArt—Honoring and Empowering through Art

Hope For The Warriors® is honored to work with William McKinley IS 259, a middle school in Brooklyn, and their project, Operation HEArt.  Veterans and military families talk to the students, sharing their experiences and helping our future adults understand everything that our military members give for their freedoms.  After they meet these heroes, the students contribute to a mural at the school.  On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, that mural will be unveiled to the public.

Hope For The Warriors® has invited veterans and family members that we have worked with in the New York City area.  As we approach the unveiling, Cindy Paauw, Masters of Social Work intern with Hope For The Warriors® will share the stories of some of our guest speakers and their interaction with the students. 

 

Staff Sergeant Kevin Snow, USA

“On February 14, 2013, our featured speaker was veteran Kevin Snow.  Kevin served in the Army for 10 years, from 1999-2009 and deployed twice. On October 2007, a mortar landed five meters from Kevin while he stood in the chow line.  He was severely wounded and next to him, a fellow service member was killed. Kevin now has a traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and a torn left eardrum. He has five children, and a devoted wife, Adrienne, who joined Kevin on the day of his visit.”

“Kevin’s visit to the school was heart riveting and emotion evoking for the students and faculty. He confided to me that he was nervous but when he started speaking to the students, the nerves must have disappeared. He spoke with great confidence and told his story eloquently, with great sensitivity. As he recounted that fateful day, he became emotional, admitting that he felt a sense of survivor’s guilt. This is not uncommon among military personnel. Kevin still thinks about the female soldier standing next to him in line who did not make it home back to her husband and two young children. She was five hours short of boarding her plane that day to return home after serving a 14-month tour.”

“Sometimes I think it should have been me,” Kevin said.

“As Kevin revealed his raw emotions, there was a pause in his speech, and tears ran down his face. As I looked around the room, there was a flood of empathy, as tears had filled many of the students’ eyes.”

“Adrienne also shared her story when she received news of Kevin’s injury. She stated that she knew, when the army chaplain knocked on her door while they were stationed in Ft. Riley, Kansas. That morning in late October 2007, she knew that things would never be the same again.”

One student asked, “What is it like to be a wife of an injured veteran?”

“Adrienne shared that she feels proud, and she would not ask for any other life, in spite of the many challenges she faces: full time caregiver to her husband, and raising five children, four of whom have special needs. Both Adrienne and Kevin expressed a great sense of hope for their future.”

“The reintegration process is a long one, it is still something that myself, and my children, particularly my oldest one, continues to deal with,” Adrienne said. “We know that Kevin will not be the father/husband that he was once before, we have to accept this, and embrace the person he is now.”

“Knowing that you had all of these injuries as a result of the war, is joining the Army something that you regret?”  One student asked. 

“I never will regret my decision, if I could I would still be serving, and willingly perform all the duties I had done in the past,” Kevin said. “The army has become part of my identity, part of who I am, something that I am proud of, and now knowing all the wonderful things you all are doing here—in creating these murals, I know that I served for a purpose—I want to thank you all for this.”

“At the end of his presentation, Kevin surprised everyone when he donated his silver memorial bracelet. The name of his best friend who was killed in action is engraved on the bracelet. For years, Kevin has worn this bracelet every day, never taking it off.  But on this day, he handed the bracelet over to the school and to the students so that it could be integrated into the mural.”

“After the presentation, Kevin was guided by the artists to the mural, and was given a paintbrush to use. Kevin and his wife became an integral part of the mural that day.  In the years to come, the students might forget his name or the name of those he served with.  But they will never forget the story of his sacrifices or the sense of hope that was shared.”

 

Last year, William McKinley IS 259 painted murals to remember 9/11 and honor those lost.  View photos of the mural and the unveiling here.

Dealing with PTSD and Deployments

As we come to the end of March and Women's History Month, we have one last posting that recognizes the service and sacrifices of our military spouses.  Today's guest blog posting is from Meghan, the spouse of a deployed service member who has been diagnosed with PTSD.  She also has her own blog:  http://sedlakwilliamson.blogspot.com/.

 

First Homecoming, Camp Lejeune

"My husband, Staff Sgt Randy Williamson, recently left for his 5th deployment.  Every time he leaves, it is hard.  His diagnosis of PTSD has made each departure a little more difficult, because we just don't know."

"We don't know what could potentially trigger his PTSD.  We don't know when it could happen, or where he will be."  

"On April 30, 2004, my husband was injured in a suicide car bomb explosion in Fallujah, Iraq.  As a result, he lives every day with shrapnel in his shin, as well as a visible scar on his forehead.  Every day since then has been a struggle- not with the visible injuries- but the invisible injuries."

"Soon after he was injured, he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  While it freaked me out a bit, I didn't really notice anything different about Randy when he returned home in September 2004."

"It wasn't until we had successfully made it through three back to back deployments to Iraq, and had accepted non-deployable orders that we had a chance to catch our breath and process what he had been through.... what we both had been through.  We adopted our awesome furbabies- 2 cats and a very spoiled dog, and settled into a normal life.  (At least as normal as the Marine Corps allows!)"

Randy and Mocha--Obedience School Graduation, 2009

"I don't think I realized just how broken my husband was as a result of his struggles with PTSD.  On February 27, 2010, Randy took what we call a "leave of absence."  He walkedout- on our furbabies, on our marriage, on our lives together.  He decided that he just couldn't handle his life as it was anymore.  A lot of things had happened in a very short period of time.  It would have been a lot for anyone to deal with, let alone someone who had been through everything that Randy had been."

"It took three months for Randy to realize that he needed help for what he was dealing with, and that he couldn't blame me for the way he was feeling.  He realized that it was ok for him to ask for help, and it was OK for him to talk about his experiences.  He realized that I wasn't going to judge him, or think less of him because of what he was telling me.  I was- and am- incredibly proud of Randy for admitting that there was something there he needed to deal with, and for taking control and coming face to face with the nightmares and flashbacks he was experiencing."

"In September of 2010, Randy received orders to a unit that would be deploying to Afghanistan in March of the following year.  Panic immediately set in- mostly for me.  On top of the usual nervousness and fear that comes along with a combat deployment, this one would be the first since his "leave of absence."  He deployed on February 25, 2011."

Deployment Day #4, Camp Lejeune, NC

 

"That deployment day was by far the hardest- mostly because I was back to not knowing.  Would he be ok? What would happen if his PTSD did surface again? How would he deal with that? As a squad leader, would he even be willing to ask for help?? Would he be able to call me if he needed to? It was incredibly difficult to let go of his hand that day as he got on the bus- I was terrified, and I think a part of him was too, but we both did our best to put on a brave face and smile and wave as the buses drove off."

"I knew that I just needed to trust him- that he would know what he needed to do.  Two weeks later, I got my first phone call.  Randy sounded great- he had gone out on his first combat patrol the day before, and he said he felt really good about it.  He felt confident, and didn't have any problems at all.  I was so relieved, I immediately broke down crying.  It was such a relief to hear him sounding like himself, and to know that he was in control." 

"Randy returned safely from that deployment in September of 2011.  We have not dealt with any flashbacks, nightmares, or sleepless nights in quite some time.  I am constantly reminding him that I am always there for him, and will always listen to whatever he wants to talk to me about.  We have become much better at communicating, and I am constantly checking in with him to see if there is anything he wants to talk about.  We have learned that it is much easier for him to talk to me when the lights are out, so we can't actually see each other's faces. " 

"We have not allowed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to break us.  We have only grown stronger because of it, and I continue to be incredibly proud of Randy as he advocates for himself and his fellow Marines.  He speaks out against the stigma associated with PTSD, and makes sure that his Marines know it is OK to ask for help.  He wants them to know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of incredible strength."

Marine Corps Marathon--Official Statement

All photos courtesy of Paul Oberle

The Marine Corps Marathon sold out today in record time, 2 hours and 27 minutes, but the speed was not celebrated.  Problems with the registration system prevented thousands from signing up before the race was actually sold out.  Soon after registration closed, this official statement was shared on Facebook:

 

"Marine Corps Marathon registration opened today at noon following a month of comprehensive planning and testing with registration partner ACTIVE Network. Recognizing the challenges another large marathon dealt with during their registration, the MCM supervised a substantial effort by ACTIVE Network to best ensure runner satisfaction. While the event sold out in record time, many runners experienced the frustration of error messages, slow-loading webpages and connection drops. The MCM celebrates the enthusiasm of the running community for "The People's Marathon" but cannot enjoy the success of this quick registration sell out. This online experience is inconsistent with the organizational excellence that has become the hallmark of the Marine Corps Marathon. Everything regarding the MCM registration process will be reexamined for future years."

 

 

Hope For The Warriors® invites those that did not get a coveted bib to join Team Hope For The Warriors®.  With a fundraising goal of only $575, join the race that honors service members by raising money for wounded service members and military families. 

 

We can't guarantee that you will set a new PR or BQ.  We can't guarantee the weather.  But we can guarantee that you will be inspired.

 

Join the Team today!

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Helps Others Achieve Their Best Year Yet

March is Women’s History Month and today we recognize the great work of Nessa Kiely, the founder of The Keily Company, and a Performance Consultant and Professional Coach. 

In 2008, Nessa began volunteering with Hope For The Warriors® within the Above & Beyond Professional Development Seminars. 

Through the seminar, Nessa has helped many of our wounded service members and spouses as they prepare to transition out of the military and into a new civilian career.  She has traveled to different states and participated in almost every Above & Beyond Seminar since the program’s inception.  Through her expertise, service members identify their strengths and develop a plan for moving forward.  After the seminar is complete, she continues to work with the service members when additional career advice is needed.

Thank you to Nessa for her continued dedication to our military families.

Breaking Barriers

March is Women's History Month and today we highlight a woman who will be honored at this year's Got Heart, Give Hope® Gala.

COL Heather K. Meeds has served in the South Carolina National Guard since graduating from college in 1985.  She began serving part time while working full time as a teacher.  However, after 11 years, she decided to pursue her military career further. Although it was not her goal, Heather has succeeded in achieving several "firsts" within the military. 

Heather deployed to Iraq for her first deployment in April 2003 as the 151 Signal Battalion Commander.  This put her as only the second female battalion commander in the South Carolina Army National Guard and the first to deploy into a war zone. Almost 700 were under her command for the year long deployment.

Heather deployed again in late 2010, this time as the first female Chief, National Guard Affairs for United States Forces Iraq.

She returned in August 2011 and quickly took a new position as the first female G6 of the Army National Guard at the headquarters in Arlington, VA. 

On April 17, Hope For The Warriors® will honor Heather for her leadership in the National Guard at the Got Heart, Give Hope® Gala.  But more importantly to our organization, she will be honored for her leadership in talking openly about the struggles of PTSD and the importance of seeking help. By her willingness to talk to other service members, she has helped many face their own challenges and get the help they need.

Learn more

A Volunteer Makes a Lasting Impression

March is Women’s History Month and throughout the month, we have honored many incredible women.  Today, we honor a longtime volunteer that has made a lasting impact on our organization.

 

Joyce de Moose began volunteering with our organization in 2008 and quickly became instrumental in the development of the organization.  Under Joyce’s direction, the Above & Beyond Professional Development Program was created.  At that time, Joyce planned and executed a comprehensive two-weekend course that brought together professionals in the areas of business, government and education.  Wounded veterans from around the country attended the seminars and found success through employment or by starting their own business. 
Joyce’s impact on Hope For The Warriors® can still be seen today.  While the seminar has evolved, the blueprint created by Joyce remains.  Many of the volunteers and professionals recruited by her also continue to support Hope For The Warriors® and even fly around the country for seminars that have been held in California and Hawaii. 

Learn more about the Above & Beyond Program.

When it is Time to Move On

March is Women's History Month and today we honor a spouse and caregiver. The military has always depended on a strong family to ensure its strength.  Spouses have served quietly during times of war and peace.  And during times of rehabilitation and recovery, they continue to serve, although many learn that they can no longer be quiet in that service.  When a service member is wounded, their family is often becomes their greatest advocate.

Today, we highlight Cheryl, dedicated spouse of a wounded service member. 

Cheryl is from Nashville and that is where she met her husband, Bryan.  They dated only six months before he deployed the first time to Iraq.  His time away did not end their love for each other.  He came home a year later and they were soon engaged and married.  Four months after they wed, Bryan returned to Iraq.  He was wounded only six weeks before he was due to come home.



This was in July 2006 when Bryan was hit by an IED.  He spent 20 months in rehabilitation until he was medically retired from the Army.

Bryan spent 20 months in rehabilitation, but Cheryl shares that their true recovery took much longer.

"For a long time being a wounded warrior family was our identity. It was one of the first things that came up in our conversations with new people and we were very much in recovery and survival mode for three years."

To pull out of this, Cheryl began by blogging (which she still does) and sharing her challenges with others.  In the beginning, there were more frustrations than triumphs. There were battles with the Army, the VA and with each other. 

"Once my husband hit his proverbial rock bottom we were able to start healing and moving away from that identity."

 

Cheryl's true healing began when she started to give back to others and to help mentor other wounded warriors and their families. 

"I believe that the only way you can heal is to help others. When you give back, the focus isn’t pointed back at you but at others. Being injured can be all-consuming and selfish at times. In the beginning it is necessary but when things settle down and you accept your 'new normal' it is time to help those that are just starting the recovery process."

Thank you to Cheryl and to all of the caregivers who truly love and cherish their service member in good times and bad, sickness and in health.  Our military is stronger because of their dedication.