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SoldierStrong is honored to announce a partnership with the Tucson, Ariz., manufacturer Bottle Breacher to provide critical state-of-the-art technology to treat veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress.

Money raised through the effort will fund SoldierStrong’s efforts to donate BraveMind virtual reality software and hardware systems to Veterans Affairs medical centers. Chris Meek, who co-founded SoldierStrong after his experiences at Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, said it costs $15,000 to place the BraveMind program at a single VA hospital.

“Five VA hospitals have expressed an immediate need for the technology. We owe it to our nation’s heroes to ensure the VA can provide critical mental health treatment to those who have defended our freedom,” Meek said.

The Bravemind system, developed by the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies, delivers prolonged exposure therapy. This evidence-based treatment method allows therapists to recreate the scene of the veteran’s troubling memory in a virtual reality headset. It safely enables the veteran to relive and deconstruct that memory with the aid of a licensed therapist to better cope with the trauma it created.

Bottle Breacher owners Amber and Mike Wall said their 20 years working in the corporate world fueled their desire to own their own business and to help America’s veterans. “We understand what it takes to produce meaningful results, and why it’s important to support nonprofits that do the same thing. SoldierStrong produces results and changes lives with every donation,” Amber Wall said. “Those are just two reasons why we’re passionate about SoldierStrong’s BraveMind program, which helps veterans living with PTS.”

Mike Wall said their company, which specializes in .50 caliber shell bottle openers in a variety of finishes, colors and themes handcrafted by veterans, is partnering with SoldierStrong through the end of the year to donate up to 15 percent of all purchases through their website, bottlebreacher.com, that use the promo code “SoldierStrong.”

Meek praised the Walls’ commitment to employing veterans and their desire to give back to America’s servicemen and women. “SoldierStrong is enthusiastic about partnering with and supporting veteran-focused businesses,” he said. “The Walls and Bottle Breacher are having a positive impact not just on the veterans they employ and American manufacturing, but also on the community of military veterans all across the country. The same integrity and dedication that its people devote to their work will make a difference in the lives of veterans recovering from the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress. It’s a true honor to have the support of and partnership with Bottle Breacher to benefit the lives and mental health of our veterans.”

To date, SoldierStrong has donated 24 BraveMind systems and other state-of-the-art medical technologies valued at more than $5.2 million to medical facilities across the country. The nonprofit’s goal is to make the BraveMind technology available to veterans in all 50 states.

Today we have the opportunity to change a much deserving veteran’s life for the better!

This Giving Tuesday you are undoubtedly receiving a plethora of requests from many of the organizations that hold a special place in your heart. Just like so many other organizations that are spearheading initiatives heading into the holiday season that are worthy of your time and contributions, we too here at SoldierStrong are requesting the immediate support of red, white and blue-loving patriots to help us change a veteran’s quality of life forever.

Last year SoldierStrong launched a new program by partnering with the iconic Dean Kamen and his company, Mobius Mobility, to deliver the iBOT ® Personal Mobility Device to our nation’s heroes. Dean is an engineer, inventor and businessman, who is perhaps best known for his invention of the Segway. However, we here at SoldierStrong believe that one of his most important pieces of work is the iBOT ® PMD – if you haven’t seen it in action yet then we want to make sure that you know just how incredible it truly is!

The iBOT ® PMD removes many barriers so that those who are confined to a wheelchair can more easily enjoy everyday activities again – often these are activities that most of us take for granted. The iBOT ® PMD allows for improved mobility, social interaction and the ability for users to experience the world around them at standing level. Activities like dancing with your spouse, going up and down stairs, having conversations at eye level, traveling on a variety of terrains like beaches and sidewalks, and even being able to take a dog for a walk, are not only made possible but they are made enjoyable again.

Imagine not having the ability to partake in these activities and the added stress this inability could potentially cause on your everyday life, as well as the everyday experience of loved ones. With the iBOT ® PMD those limitations are removed! The technology is changing the lives of veterans from across the country for the better and in turn, reflects what SoldierStrong values and strives for. Our focus as an organization is to provide life-changing, revolutionary equipment and groundbreaking therapy to our nation’s heroes.

Last year through the generous support of Americans from across the country, SoldierStrong was able to donate an iBOT ® PMD to a veteran just in time for Christmas. In fact, when U.S. Army Veteran Peter Townsend received a donated iBOT ® PMD, he had this to say: “It’s amazing the type of terrain this thing can travel on. I’ve been outside almost non-stop with it. This machine has truly been life changing. It makes me feel like a new person. I’m doing things I haven’t been able to do for years and I am so thankful.”

On this Giving Tuesday, we know of another deserving veteran that is in immediate need of the iBOT ® PMD. Our greatest hope is that we will be able to donate a device to him this Christmas. And you have the ability to help us make this a reality today!

The price tag on the iBOT ® PMD is $35,000, which can make it extremely difficult for many veterans to purchase on their own. But when broken down, it is more than doable for SoldierStrong to make these donations with the help of our loyal supporters. We only need 1,000 patriots to contribute $35 today in order to surprise another veteran in need with their very own iBOT ® PMD this Christmas. We believe with your help this wish will become a reality!

Today, SoldierStrong humbly asks that you make a huge impact in the life of this veteran by giving your very best gift. Whatever amount you give, we value your support. The life-changing donations we make are only possible because of the generosity of people like you that want to give back to those that served our great nation.

We kindly implore you to give your best gift to this initiative! Whether your gift is $15, $35, $100 or even $1,000, all donations are critical to our efforts. Perhaps you might even be blessed with the ability to fund the cost of an entire iBOT ® PMD.

Whatever your giving capacity is, we are forever grateful for your support to help us gift a true American hero with their very own iBOT ® PMD. Let’s work together this Giving Tuesday and give back to our nation’s heroes. Together we can make it happen!

The Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation and SoldierStrong today announced donations to the Orlando VA Healthcare System to help injured veterans take their next steps forward in life. The donation included a robotic exoskeleton, which aids in the rehabilitation of veterans who have spinal or brain injuries and can help a paralyzed person walk while using the robotic suit, and an innovative virtual reality system that assists in the treatment of veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress.

“The heroic service of our country’s veterans often includes life-long sacrifices related to their physical and mental health,” said Dick and Betsy DeVos. “SoldierStrong’s revolutionary SoldierSuit technology provides fulfillment and restores joy to veterans by allowing them to reap the physical and emotional benefits of completing everyday activities we take for granted, like getting a cup of coffee, unloading the dishwasher, or walking home with kids from school. We are humbled to be able to provide a SoldierSuit and BraveMind system to the Orlando VA and are deeply grateful for everything veterans have done to protect and uphold America’s freedom.”

Mr. Brady Atomos, one of the many Veterans that will reap the benefits of this immense donation says, “I would like to extend my gratitude to the gracious contribution the donors have given. This machine will change the lives of the veterans that will have the opportunity to train in it. Physical disability is a dramatic shift in life, and the experience to get back even a tiny fraction of what was lost is an enormous stride forward. You have granted hope to many people who have been put in what seems like the face of impossible odds of recovery. Thank you very much.”

SoldierStrong’s BraveMind virtual reality system allows veterans to recreate scenes of war to help them open up about their experiences and work through their emotions with a therapist. The VR equipment gives therapists the ability to customize the world in the virtual reality headset to carefully match an incident’s setting, including sights, sounds and smells.

SoldierStrong, a Stamford, Conn.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to help injured veterans lead full lives, has donated virtual reality (VR) hardware and software systems to 22 VA medical centers across the country as part of its focus on reducing post-traumatic stress.

“Virtual reality treatment shows promise in two key areas,” said SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek. “It is both clinically effective, and it reduces the stigma that many service members feel about seeking treatment for their post-traumatic stress. With the rise in popularity of virtual reality in non-medical settings, such as video games, entertainment, and even the workplace, there’s convincing evidence that younger veterans will be more inclined to seek treatment using VR techniques than other methods.”