On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, the first meeting of Honor for ALL – Wounds Coalition (HAWC) was held at the headquarters of the National Guard Association of the United States.

Our first task is to identify and contact federally sanctioned members of the National Military and Veterans Alliance (NMVA) and to determine their degree of endorsement or opposition to our premise: The Purple Heart is an entitlement earned by all who have been wounded and can be a useful instrument of healing.

Consider, if you will, the following scenario involving three service members riding in a humvee which comes in contact with an IED:

The driver is killed instantly as he is decapitated by a piece of shrapnel; the second service member in the front seat is knocked unconscious, blown from the vehicle and suffers several broken bones and abrasions; he does not regain consciousness until the next day in a hospital far from the field. The third service member, riding in the back seat, is also blown from the vehicle, but is not visibly injured;

While the second service member is carried to the rear, the third service member is busy searching for and retrieving the severed body parts of his friend and comrade;

The first service member’s family receives a package in the mail from the DoD containing a Purple Heart. The second service member receives the Purple Heart while recovering from his wounds in wounded warrior regiment stateside; he has no memory of the incident that put him there. The third service member, returns to duty the next day in another humvee, but cannot close his eyes without seeing the image of his headless comrade.

This is where we need to ask: are any of these service members more worthy of the Purple Heart; and which of these service members is most obviously in need of the acknowledgement and positive reinforcement that the award of the Purple Heart can provide?

Attendees:

1. Pete Duffy, US Army Col. (Ret), National Guard Association
2. Dixie Ross, National Guard Association
3. JB Moore, National Alliance on Mental Illness
4. Amy Colberg, Brain Injury Association of America
5. Kristina Kaufmann, Executive Director, Code of Support Foundation
6. Chelsea Hilton, Intern, Code of Support Foundation
7. Alan Salisbury, US Army Maj. Gen. (RET), Code of Support Foundation
8. Maryam Navaie, Advance Health Solutions
9. Frank Ochberg, MD, former Associate Director NIMH
10. Bill Nash, US Navy Capt. (Ret), Psychiatrist
11. Cameron Ritchie, MD, US Army COL (Ret)
12. Brandon Teachout, former congressional Legislative Assistant
13. James Hooker, US Navy Capt. (Ret), Stratford, Wayne and Assoc
14. Tom Phillips, Honor for ALL
15. Tom Mahany, Honor for ALL
16. Pam Derrow, Comfort for America’s Uniformed Service (call in)
17. Rick Briggs, USAF Lt. Col (Ret), Brain Injury Association of Michigan (call in)

Committees Formed:

Medical & Regulatory Committee

1. Bill Nash *Chairman
2. Frank Ochberg
3. Rick Briggs
4. Peter Duffy

Public Affairs & Congressional Committee

1. Maryam Navaie *Chairman
2. Brandon Teachout
3. Cameron Ritchie
4. Alan Salisbury
5. Tom Phillips
6. Peter Duffy

*Peter Duffy designated as Liaison between committee

Since the American Psychiatric Association has failed to see the expediency in changing the diagnostic term to Post-traumatic Stress Injury it is now up to us. We all know is an injury – and that’s what WE shall call it.

The techs can keep their word, but we, the people, know better, and it is important that WE no longer use it. Further,  we must continue to discourage all we come in contact with from using it.

Now more than ever, we must intensify our push for parity. We do not need the permission or even the support of the APA to call post-traumatic stress an injury. – The Canadians certainly didn’t need it, nor do we.

Our immediate, goal is the endowment of the Purple Heart. This single measure goes straight to the marrow.

Let us now raise the level of noise to where it can no longer be ignored. The mere existence of an open debate at prominent levels, by itself, will go far to carve away at the image of a disorder and add to that of an injury obtained in combat. Accomplishment of our task will turn the tables.

Permission or not, it is time to do the right thing.

Tom

Supporting Organizations

National Alliance on Mental Illness                              National Guard Association of the United States

One Mind for Research                                                   Code of Support Foundation

Brain Injury Association of America                              National Center for Victims of Crime

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors                  Comfort for America’s Uniformed Service           

Yellow Ribbon Fund                                                         United Children of Veterans

Operation Never Forgotten                                            Army Wife Network      

Individuals

The Honorable Thomas E. White, BG (Ret), US Army, USMA 1967, former Secretary of the US Army 

LTC (Ret) Ronald Eric Ray, US Army, Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam Veteran

SSgt Jeremiah Workman, US Marine Corps, Recipient of the Navy Cross, OIF Veteran

General (Ret) Peter Chiarelli, US Army, Chief Executive Officer, One Mind for Research

LTG (Ret) Harry E. Soyster, US Army, Purple Heart Recipient

RADM (Ret) William W. Cobb Jr., US Navy, USNA 1968, VP General Dynamics,

RADM (Ret) Edward Masso, US Navy, Chairman of the Board, Not Alone

MG (Ret) Leo M Childs, US Army, former Chief of Signal

MG (Ret) Alan Salisbury, US Army, USMA 1958, Founder and Chairman, Code of Support Foundation

MG (Ret) O.B. Sewall, USA (Ret)

BG (Ret) Edward F. Rodriguez Jr., US Air Force

BG (Ret) James R. Ralph, Jr., US Army

BG (Ret) Clarke M Brintall, US Army, Wounded Warrior Mentor Program 

Gregg Keesling, contributor to Presidential policy on Letters of Condolence for victims of suicide within a war zone, father of suicide victim Spc. Chancellor Keesling, US Army

Kim Ruocco, MSW, Manager for Suicide Outreach and Education Programs, Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS), wife of suicide victim Major John Ruocco, USMC

Jerry Yellin, WW II fighter pilot, USAAC, Founder and Co-Chair, Operation Warrior Wellness,

Dr. Frank Ochberg, former Associate Director of the National Institute of Mental Health

Dr. William P. Nash, former Navy psychiatrist, combat stress researcher and author

Kristina Kaufmann, Executive Director, Code of Support Foundation

Kenny Allred, Veterans and Military Council Chair, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Bonnie Carroll, Founder and President, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)

Susan H. Connors, President/CEO, Brain Injury Association of America

Amy C. Colberg, Director of Government Affairs, Brain Injury Association of America

Maj (Ret) Rick Briggs, USAF, Veterans Program Manager, Brain Injury Association of Michigan

Mike Jones, former Captain, US Army, OIF Veteran, Executive Director, Not Alone

Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and Executive Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Mark Robbins, Executive Director, Yellow Ribbon Fund 

Pam Derrow, Executive Director, Comfort for America’s Uniformed Service (CAUSE)

Tara E. Crooks, Co-Founder, Army Wife Network, Author, 1001 Things to Love About Military Life

Dr. Christal Presley, Author and Founder of United Children of Veterans

Linda Kelly, President, John Kinzinger, VP, John Lockwood, WW Consultant, Operation Never Forgotten

James Gandolfini, Jon Alpert, Tom Richardson, and Matthew O’Neil, HBO’s Wartorn

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Musicians

Gwen Weiner, Director, EOS Foundation

Allan Horlick, Executive Producer, the Power Block, WUSA-TV

Mike Walter, Documentary Filmmaker, creator of Breaking News, Breaking Down

Deborah Louise Ortiz -Wife of NYS State Trooper suffering PTSD/ Producer Code 9.

Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg, Michael Humphries, RN, and Eugene Pyatenko, Prizm Pain Management

Senior Vice-Commander Gilbert Grylls, VFW Post 2216, Staunton, VA

Anthony Asher, CEO, Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton, P.C

Mary and Patrick E. Lynch, Former President National Funeral Directors Association

Mai Fernandez, Executive Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime

Michael J. Asher, Attorney, Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton, P.C

Vito A Pampalona, Yellow Ribbon Fund – National Chairman Ambassador Program

Janet and Dr. Ellsworth Levine, Former Captain, US Air Force

Judith Broder MD, Founder/Director, the Soldiers Project, 2011 Presidential Citizens Award Medal

R. Drew Fezzey, Music Producer and Filmmaker

Tucker Williamson, President, Right Brian Entertainment

Carrie Fox, President, C. Fox Communications

Catherine Wallace, Small Business Owner

Judy Weiner, Small Business Owner

Paul Loes, Small Business Owner

Steve Robinson, Retired Army Ranger

John F. Linehan, Jr., 101^st Airborne, US Army, Vietnam Veteran

Thomas Phillips, US Navy, Desert Storm Veteran, Purple Heart recipient

Lennie A. Fine, USMC, Vietnam Veteran

Matthew Leaf, OEF/OIF Veteran

LTC (Ret) Ron Capps, Founder and Director, Veterans Writing Project

LTC (Ret) Edward R. Lynch, AROTC, 1983

LTC (Ret) Kathleen L. Lynch, AROTC, 1983

LTC (Ret) Thomas J. Lynch, USMA, 1982

1LT (Ret) John Harry Jorgenson, USMA 1967, former Counsel to Inspector General, Federal Reserve

Terry Atkinson, Former Captain US Army, USMA 1967, Vietnam Veteran

Thomas Beierschmitt, Former Captain US Army, USMA 1968, Vietnam Veteran

LTC (Ret) John M. Greathouse, USMA 1969, Vietnam Veteran, Director, Monticello Capital

LTC (Ret) James T. Fouché Jr, USMA 1969, Vietnam Veteran

Michael D. Healy, Former Captain US Army, USMA 1969

Pete Dencker, Former Major US Army, USMA 1969, Vietnam Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient

Robert W. Haines, former Major US Army, USMA 1969

LTC (Ret) F. Chris Sautter, USMA 1969, Vietnam Veteran

LTC (Ret) John R. Hamilton III, USMA 1969, Vietnam Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient

Honor for ALL is a not-for-profit national veterans’ service organization formed to promote and establish visible recognition, honor, acceptance, comfort, and healing for all past and present service members afflicted with Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Visible Honor for Invisible Wounds

-          Our goal is national awareness of the true nature of PTSD, and all invisible wounds

-          Our goal is to conquer stigma, shelter dignity and sustain life

-          Our goal is to leave no one behind, on the field of battle or among the gathering of honored veterans

Three R’s

-          Research – new research into brain function, illness and injury

-          Reason – embrace and educate the public sector

-          Reward – recognize the award of the Purple Heart as an immediate antidote to stigma and a valuable healing aid

Objectives

-          Parity – award of the Purple Heart for ALL combat induced wounds, visible and invisible

-          Accountability – by all leaders in efficiency reports

-          Collaboration – with all who will for the good of warriors, veterans and their families with mental health needs

Denial of the Purple Heart denies the reality of invisible wounds and grievously discounts the disabilities caused by these wounds, which left untreated can and do lead to self-destruction.

“A nation that forgets its defenders soon will be forgotten”                                                                                                                         …. Calvin Coolidge

“The energy, the faith, the devotion, which we bring to this endeavor will light this country and all who serve it, and the glow from that fire can truly light the world”                                                                                                      .… John F. Kennedy

“PTS (Posttraumatic Stress) is a combat injury, Veterans suffering from PTS deserve the same dignity and respect as our fellow Wounded Warriors”                                                                                                                            …. Gen Raymond T, Odierno, Chief of Staff, US Army