Captain Florent Groberg Medal of Honor Recipient Lends His Voice to Veterans 360 and Their Mission to Eliminate the Stigma that Surrounds PTS(D)
SAN DIEGO, CA – On April 15th, 2016 Captain Florent Groberg IN US Army Medal of Honor will be the keynote speaker at Veterans 360’s Breaking Silence Warrior Gala at Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club.
Veterans 360 and their Carry the Challenge initiative, the first PTS centric initiative of its kind, is designed to engage our most at risk, underserved and vulnerable veterans as they struggle with transition and PTS challenges. After 5 years on the front lines of PTS and transition support, Veterans 360 hopes to solicit the support needed to grow the program from a regional focus to a national one. Captain Groberg is supporting in that effort.
Additional speakers are Robin Guzzo-Andersen (a 30 year veteran) whose SEAL son took his own life on November 12th 2012 (Veterans Day weekend) states: “I prefer to believe my son did not take his own life, but that he was killed by a sniper’s bullet from 7000 miles away. He never came home from Ramadi, Iraq, nor did his battle ever end. The battlefield simply changed.”
Chief Matt Shobert – Firefighter – who nearly lost his life and purpose to PTS in a freak accident went from leader, world class tri-athlete, to someone whose wife now reminds “it is Tuesday and you need to vacuum.” Capt. Ben Brown Army Ranger/Sapper and decorated combat veteran has struggled with PTS since he left military service. With a highly visible family in the Rancho Santa Fe community he is looking forward to sharing his story with those who have known him – but not really known what he struggles to cope with.
Rick Collins, Founder and Executive Director of Veterans 360 and Carry the Challenge is very direct in their position. “When it is easier for a young veteran to take their own life than to ask for support, Government has clearly failed to prepare them for challenges around PTS either before or after combat.”
Captain Groberg summed it up best when he said: “Common sense tells us that it will always be easier to guide someone when they are still in a position of strength and control rather than waiting until despondency and isolation kicks in. I struggle to cope with my own PTS and know first-hand that one to one support is not only effective – but essential – if we are to address the challenges our young veterans face.”
The Carry the Challenge initiative does not need 20 years or billions of dollar to be effective. It can be implemented in 2016 and come to full effect in 2017. Please do not hesitate to ask for our planning document and case for support to better understand how we are going to address this devastating issue and save lives.
If you want to interview Capt Groberg or other members of the Vets 360 team around this event please let us know at 858.256.4006 or [email protected]. Please click the link below to learn more about the Breaking Silence series of events and our Carry the Challenge initiative at www.CarrytheChallenge.org
For Further Information:
Veterans 360
Rick Collins
Phone: 858.256.4006
www.CarrytheChallenge.org
Veterans 360 Inc. is a San Diego based veteran centric 501(C)(3) # 45-3713823.
