3-ID, OKANG, and NVANG

I'm currently working on the 3rd Infantry Division's: 26 Brigade Support Battalion. The pictures I have received for their Historical Records, truly show how hard those men and women work while on deployment.

I've also been able to meet with the Oklahoma Army National Guard. While we won't begin our projects with them until early next year, I am excited to be working with our service members from OK.

This Friday I'll be kicking off our projects with the Nevada National Guard, and once again I can't wait to get started. It will be amazing for me to share in the experiences of all the states and units that I'm scheduled to help in making their memories into a legacy that they can share for years!

-Matt, Project Coordinator

Spending a weekend with heroes!

For the last 5 weeks, I think I have been home 2 days. Washington DC twice, Idaho twice, almost two weeks exploring England and Scotland with the family, and an incredible 4 days in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana with veterans from the Army Wounded Warrior program (AW2). We navigated the rapids of the Salmon River, rode horses, ate a five star mess three times a day, and even eliminated a little over 200 pesky gophers and 3 badgers on the Shining Mountain Ranch (with a bunch of AR-15s and 8mm Magnums on hand, those critters didn’t stand a chance—the ranch owner was deeply grateful to these retired special ops and snipers). Before this group even arrived for the weekend, I emailed them and asked them to prioritize what they care about. It’s not healthcare—that was actually last. First on the list was JOBS, and second, EDUCATION/TRAINING.

So here’s my take-away from hanging out with 11 Soldiers and 7 of their wives--all heroes: We need to do more. We—the community—needs to do more to support them in the areas that matter most to them: Jobs. Careers. I’m not talking about more websites and more fundraisers, although those can be very helpful. I’m taking about bottom line, veteran-specific, veteran-priority channel to jobs. I really believe that if America’s private sector had an easy, clearly structured way to reach our veterans, they would. I just had a conference call with the President of Macy’s department stores and they eagerly committed to work with the National Center for Veterans Studies to have a place for student veterans to land into jobs. Macy’s isn’t the usual defense contractor, obviously—they’re "just" an American retail icon. And they see the huge asset that Veterans are—they were looking for a place to plug into, and get started. As of right now, it’s up to online searches, and employers have to wait for veterans to navigate through “the circle of death” (as one veteran at this Montana weekend called it) to find them. So whose job is it to link up veterans and employers? The Department of Defense can certainly cooperate, and in the Army Reserve there has been the biggest push with the Employer Partnership Initiative. What about VA? Well, their mission isn’t to help with jobs. What about Veterans Service Organizations? It’s no small task for any one group to accomplish, but it’s not a hard concept that can certainly be done within a cooperative effort of these organizations. And while this doesn’t necessarily relate to my “day job” with Remember My Service, it’s one that I’m completely engaged in as the National Center for Veterans Studies begins to coordinate, organize, structure, and execute for the sole purpose of better positioning our veterans for employment. We’ve taken it on.

Sharlene

In Arlington, surrounded by heroes

I finally got the pictures...so I wanted to share at least one. What a HUGE honor to go see the changing of the guard at Arlington's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with LTC Karcher, his family, and my friend COL David Sutherland...and new friends with UBS (big supporters of our country's heroes). David arranged for us to actually go in the chambers where the Honor Guard prepares to come out for duty...how many people get to do that??? Those guys really know how to pay tribute to our heroes. That night, we went to the Freedom Award dinner where LTC Karcher was recognized...my favorite quote was when he said that he could make the decision that the loss of both legs was either "life-ending or life-changing"...and he chose life-changing.

And some of us complain about losing...a job, a boyfriend, an iPhone...makes you think again, huh? No wonder soldiers can't relate when they come home from theater and someone's complaining about a referee's bad call...

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!

American Airlines lives up to its name!

I was so glad that AA called me and let me know when the "Snowball Express" was stopping in Salt Lake City today to pick up some of the families of fallen heroes in my home town. All day, all over the country, some 8 planes have been picking up these families (I heard there are about 3,000 people in all!), giving them the royal Santa treatment they deserve, and taking them to Dallas for a fun-filled, VIP event, over the next few days. Thank you AA for doing this for these families. Take a look at these amazing three brothers (the twins are 7 and their brother in the middle is 5) all wearing their "My Dad's a Hero!" shirt their Mom made for them. Our country owes these families everything. What a privilege to meet so many of them today, especially my friends from Salt Lake City: Riikka, Collette, Jackie and Sharon. Such courageous women, and they're all great moms, doing a fantastic job raising their children on their own. They're all heroes.

Just got back from one week in Afghanistan and Kuwait

Since I'm on serious jet lag after getting back on American soil this afternoon, I'll keep this quick and try to write more later. I've always loved our fighting men and women, but never have I been more overwhelmed with pride and gratitude than in the last few days spending time with them, specifically in the Regional Command East of Afghanistan, and at the Ali Al-Salem Base (the Rock) in Kuwait.

Six of us Miss Americas, plus my good friend Jill Stevens who was Miss Utah and a finalist at Miss America, but more importantly, a combat medic in AFG 2004-2005 made the trek. This photo above on the right was taken on the C17 as we loaded up with 150 soldiers to head into Bagram. The corkscrew, combat zone landing added quite a bit of excitement, I tell you what. And an almost 5 hour flight (from Kuwait to Bagram) with all these guys jammed in there with NO leg room. And that's just the start of the hardships they endure.

The photo on the left reminds me of a significant moment for all of us. We had the opportunity to visit FOB Bostik, the northernmost forward operating base in AFG. These guys were among the remaining 45 or so survivors from the ambush on their Command Outpost just 20 KM away, 2 weeks ago...they lost 8 Soldiers. SGT Breeding (right behind me in the photo) told us what happened. Very sobering. What a privilege to spend some time with them and give them hugs. There were many others at the FOB that afternoon who we were honored to meet and let them know how deeply we care.

At every turn, and with every individual in uniform that I met, I felt blessed and in debt for their service, and I recognize the contribution that each one is responsible for, no matter their duty.

Highlights of my first trip to AUSA

When I was invited by LTG (ret) Don Jones, the AUSA 4th Region President, to join the Ft. Hood chapter at AUSA, I figured there is no better way to go than with the award-winning (Best Chapter 2009!) chapter from deep in the heart of Texas! They have recruited me from as far away as Salt Lake City. It was a great pleasure to meet General Casey, General Chiarelli, Sec. McHugh, and one of my role models, General Ann Dunwoody over the Materiel Command. It was also a very pleasant surprise to see MG Tony Cucolo who is deploying to Iraq in the next couple of weeks with the 3ID, since RMS is beginning a major project to help them document the Command and their 3ID proud history and I didn't think I'd be able to check in with him in person before they left...I have a VTC with them tomorrow in fact, to make sure they're good to go on their historical documentation that they will be collecting. They are up to their helmets with everything that has to get done, for sure.

Yesterday, General Casey spoke at the luncheon, detailing the priorities of the Army. Most civilians might be surprised to find out that "training and equipment" is actually the number 2 priority, not no. 1. The number one priority of the Army is to "sustain our Soldiers, their families and the Army Family Covenant" ...."to raise the mental fitness of our soldiers to the level of physical fitness" . I also spent some time with Army MWR folks who are assisting with the funding of the 3ID/ RMS flagship program for the Army, as well as MG Bergner, Chief of Army Public Affairs, and LTG Stulz, Chief of USAR. Very helpful to have everyone in one place!

It was a quick 2 days for me out in DC, but I met a whole lot of new friends, and I even committed to running the Army 10 miler next year....what was I thinking??