It’s ok not to be ok

I’ve served at every level of the US Army, from a fresh-faced lieutenant in Bosnia all the way up to Acting Secretary of the Army under President Obama. At every level I have served, I’ve noticed one thing—our men and women in uniform need support maintaining their health.

Armed service is taxing to both physical and mental health. While the services do a great job addressing the physical end, sometimes the mental end can take a back seat. Active-duty troops often don’t want to seek out treatment within the military systems for fear they would be seen as “weak” in the eyes of their brother and sister servicemembers. For Veterans who suffer from the invisible wounds of war, navigating the Veterans Health System in the midst of their suffering often proves too great a task. These brave warriors need support, and they need support that can be easily available to them on their terms.

That is where Headstrong comes in. Veteran-founded in 2012, Headstrong is one of the nation’s leading mental health care providers for active-duty military, reservists, Veterans, and their families. They have developed a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive treatment program for veterans addressing conditions like PTSD, anxiety, depression, anger management and more. Treatment is individually tailored and available regardless of service era, discharge status, or combat exposure, helping to fill the gaps in the treatment offered by each of the service branches and the VA.

I’m proud to support this vital organization in any way that I can, and I’m particularly proud to be serving as Headstrong’s emcee at their gala this November. But what this organization really needs is you. Your contributions help to keep providing world class mental healthcare to our brothers and sister veterans that need it most. It’s your dollar that will keep this organization’s doors open and keep resources in veterans’ hands.

Please attend Headstrong’s gala this fall, and if you can’t, please consider donating what you can afford. Every dollar helps this organization fulfill its mission to veterans.