Building momentum for the coming announcement of the National Center for Veterans Studies

What a day on Friday March 5th in Salt Lake City! (I know, I should have posted this on Saturday but we had fresh powder so I had to go skiing first) The National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah will be formally announced soon (date TBD) and in the coming weeks we have been building bridges with all the key players necessary to ensure that the Center meets the education and research needs of both the Department of Defense, and the State Department. I should back up...I'm on the Board, and Chairman of the National Advisory Board, and it has been my privilege to coordinate all our new Advisory Board members with such incredible backgrounds. And on Friday, we invited 3 DoD dignitaries to spend the day with us and see first-hand why the University of Utah is the perfect spot to create something completely unprecedented, and in fact, we intend to become THE most veteran-friendly campus in America.

Each of these 3 guests became our dear friends in one full day. MG Robert Kasulke, the Commanding General of the Army Reserve Medical Command; BG Loree Sutton, Director of the DoD Centers for Excellence for PTSD and TBI; COL David Sutherland, special assistant to the Joint Chiefs, Warrior and Family Support--all of them are uniquely talented and completely dedicated to Warrior care. First we met with the Governor of Utah, Gary Herbert, then met with the President of the U of Utah, Michael Young. We also toured the University's Orthopaedic Hospital which blew everyone away with the groundbreaking developments in improving prosthetics for amputees. We visited the VA hospital just a block away, driving right past Fort Douglas (bit of trivia, that's where the Olympic Village was staged for the 2002 Winter Olympics), and then spent a couple of hours with the Global Justice Think Tank at the College of Law--25 law students who have joined the Center's team to launch the National Service Academy that is part of the Center's mission. The ensuing dinner with our VIP guests was 100% an honor for me and the Board--what great people. We're so lucky to have them on our side!