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Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks joins SoldierStrong advisory board

 

Not-for-profit SoldierStrong announced today that Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks, Senior Vice President, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, and Director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies has joined its Advisory Board.

The SoldierStrong Advisory Board provides counsel on ways to better serve and assist members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In addition to Dr. Hicks, the Advisory Board is comprised of Former United States Senator Joseph Lieberman, Philanthropist John Linnartz, Former CEO Linda McMahon, Colonel Bill Smullen, Special Advisor to former Joint Chief of Staffs and Secretary of State General Colin Powell, and Retired Vice Admiral Bob Murrett.

“I am honored to be a part of such an important organization that is working hard to provide support and aid to our nation’s heroes abroad and at home,” said Dr. Hicks. “I applaud SoldierStrong for recognizing the needs of our service men and women and helping them take their next steps forward.”

“We are delighted to have Dr. Hicks lend her guidance and expertise to our organization,” said SoldierStrong Founder, Chris Meek. “Her outstanding achievements and recognition will make her an invaluable part of our Advisory Board and help SoldierStrong achieve our mission and further our success in assisting members of our Armed Forces.”

During her prestigious career, Dr. Hicks served as a senior official in the Department of Defense. She has received numerous recognitions for her service in the Department of Defense (DOD), including distinguished awards from Secretaries of Defense Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta, and Robert Gates and from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey and the 2011 DOD Senior Professional Women’s Association Excellence in Leadership Award. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an M.A. from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Affairs, and an A.B. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Mount Holyoke College. She previously served as an ex officio member of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Institute of Peace and currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the Truman National Security Project. Dr. Hicks is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an adjunct with the RAND Corporation

 

The Honor Bowl, Oceanside, CA. – September 6, 2014

Joining forces with The Honor Group Inc. – a non-profit whose sole purpose is to raise awareness and educate students, coaches and communities about the needs of our military veterans – SoldierStrong is proud to have helped bring about this year’s Honor Bowl. The Honor Bowl is the nation’s best high school showcase and, this year, drew twenty high schools from four different states to the tournament. The goal of the Honor Bowl is to educate our athletes and communities about the needs of our military veterans and to meet those needs with awareness and fundraising plans.

For more information about the Honor Bowl and The Honor Group, please see: thehonorgroup.org/the-honor-bowl-returns-in-2014/

 

Run to Home Base: Fenway Park, Boston – July 19, 2014

On July 19, 2014, the Home Base Program and the Boston Red Sox Foundation held its fifth annual “Run to Home Base” event at historic Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. SoldierStrong is honored to have been in attendance as one of the event’s invited spotlight charities.  “Run to Home Base” is a 9k charity run (and 3k walk, “Walk to Home Base”) that starts outside of Fenway Park, goes around the Fenway/Kenmore area, leads back into Fenway Park itself and is punctuated by the unique experience of tagging Fenway’s storied home plate.

Together, donors and volunteers contributed, collected and assembled over 1,100 care packages representing over 3,800 pounds of supporting materials and gear for our troops overseas.  Far away from their families and homes for extended periods of time, not only do these care packages serve functional purpose, but the packages also let every recipient know that we at home are thinking of them and want to make sure they have what they need.

Thank you to the 2,600-plus participants who came out for the event, thank you to the Home Base Program for inviting us to attend, and thank you to the Boston Red Sox Foundation and organization for hosting and having us at “The Cathedral of Boston.”  Thank you to each and every donor and benefactor for your selfless support and generosity.  Thank you to all the volunteers who were given the Herculean task of making it all happen and executed to perfection.  Our mission together continues as long as one of our service personnel or veterans needs our assistance or support.  We hope and look forward to seeing each of you again at our next event, at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System on August 26th, or at next year’s “Run to Home Base.”