Over the last few weeks Ive received a tremendous amount of love and support, and Im really thankful for it. However, this story isnt one person can make a difference. Its a story of friends and family supporting someone through their toughest times. Its a story of brotherhood and sisterhood formed not only in the military, but in communities of veterans like Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Student Veterans of America. I need to thank my mother, Linda Miller and my father, Chip for not kicking me out of the house when I came home from the Army and did little more than go to the bar every night. And thanks to my brother and sister, Rob and Nicole for dealing with me when I was a jerk. Thanks to my battle buddy and Iraq roomie Jeremy Lucas for always being there for me. Thank you to my best buddy from basic training, Steven Acheson, for literally making that 911 call that saved my life. Thanks to guys like my soldiers, Christian Girardot and Keith Todd, who stuck by me even when I was ostracized from my former unit. And to Captain Ed McMichael (who refuses to use facebook), James Engelmann, Vadim Panasyuk S and Armando P. Duran for flying to DC to testify at my Discharge Review Hearing. Thanks to all the good people at the Northport VA Medical Center who helped me get on the road to recovery, and the good people of Iraq Veterans Against the War, like Ray Curry, Marlisa Grogan and Steve Mortillo, who were my first real support network. Thanks to Bill Perry, for making sure that I was being taken care of when I was getting my PTSD evaluated. Thanks to Nicholas Tetro and Daniel MacDonald for joining me in DC in January - these are the guys that helped me come up with the idea for what became Senator Jon Tester, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator John Walsh and Senator Richard Blumenthals bill, S.2217, the Military Mental Health Review Board Improvement Act. Thanks to Chuck Cutolo from Nassau Community College, and Kate OGorman and Alexander Nicholson from IAVA, who helped me prepare my argument for action on Capitol Hill. And thanks to everyone who worked behind the scenes to put together IAVAs #StormTheHill team this year, like Anthony Pike, Paul Rieckhoff, Tom Tarantino and Phoebe Gavin Iava. Picking up the fight of #CombatingSuicide was an honor, and Im glad to be part of it. Special thanks to #TeamAlpha -- Nicholas Cook, Colleen M. Ryan and Dan Whisnant, just for being awesome. And if youre reading this, thank you -- because if youve made it this far into a post this long, then its obvious that you care. With all that said, this is just the beginning. We still need your help. Google IAVAs Suicide for American Veterans Act, S.2182, and call your Senator and tell them why they should support it. Also, google S.2217, the Military Mental Health Review Board Improvement Act, and ask your Senator to support that as well. If you want to be a real hero for veterans, call the member of congress that represents you in the House, and tell them why they should sponsor identical legislation on their side of the Capitol!
Posted on: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 18:56:48 +0000
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