Soldier Strong Organization Helps Disabled Veterans Learn to Walk Again

Many of us know veterans that have experienced life altering spinal cord injuries or paralysis, either during their time in service or upon their return home. So many are often told that they will never walk again and will spend the rest of their lives in wheelchairs. Veteran and farmer Matt Ross was told the same thing after he was crushed by a backhoe while fixing a broken water line on his property. Ross struggled with doing many of the things that he had been able to do before he broke his back. While seeking guidance at several VA Hospitals, he refused to accept that he couldn’t “change his future” and “move forward” by walking again and escorting his daughter down the aisle at her wedding.

Ross started his journey of moving forward when he began physical therapy at the Minneapolis VA and was introduced to an exoskeleton, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation device, equipment which veterans are prescribed rehab time in while receiving spinal, stroke or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) therapy.

The exoskeleton, donated to VA Hospitals across the country by national non-profit organization SoldierStrong, can help even those who are paraplegic learn how to sit, walk, turn and regain their balance again. In addition to walking, use of the exoskeleton has also enabled Ross to continue to farm, drive and work at his gun shop.

According to research completed by the VA, it is estimated that spinal cord injuries affect more than 250,000 individuals. Through donations made by SoldierStrong, 22 medical facilities and counting, 18 of which are VA Hospitals, have access to exoskeletons to help the rehabilitation of those with spinal cord injuries like Matt Ross.

Learn more about Matt Ross’s rehabilitation journey today.

United Rentals is the Presenting Sponsor of the 4th Annual Never Forget Tribute Classic on December 14th benefitting SoldierStrong

Never Forget Classic
SoldierStrong has partnered with the 4th Annual Never Forget Tribute Classic on December 14th, with ticket proceeds going to support the men and women of the armed forces that sprung into action, protecting our freedom in the wake of 9/11. This neutral site, college basketball double-header brings some of the best teams to the Prudential Center each year. This year’s tournament features the Delaware Blue Hens vs Villanova Wildcats and the Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Kansas State Wildcats.

SoldierStrong Announces 2019 SoldierScholar Recipients

Delivering on its commitment to assist soldiers in taking an academic step into their future by filling in voids left by the Post-9/11 GI bill, the national nonprofit organization SoldierStrong announced the 2019 recipients of its scholarship initiative, SoldierScholar, today.

“SoldierStrong realized early on that education offers some of the best opportunities to members of the military once they return home from abroad,” said SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek. “SoldierStrong understands that there are, and always will be, more steps forward that need to be taken in making education more accessible for soldiers. It is an honor to support soldiers in such endeavors.”

The annual scholarships are available to veterans who fought in the recent War on Terror.

SoldierStrong, which also provides revolutionary medical technologies to help injured veterans lead full lives, launched SoldierScholar in 2012 and has awarded more than $500,000 since then. This year’s recipients include:

Philip DeTurck, Global Policy and Security, Georgetown University
Philip DeTurck graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy as a naval officer with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a minor in Chinese. DeTurck was selected as the first-ever student to work as an intelligence analyst for the Defense Attaché Office at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. DeTurck hopes to continue in a specialized study of global politics and security at Georgetown University.

Jessica Evans, Civil Engineering Technology, Old Dominion University
Jessica Evans served in the Army National Guard from 2009 to 2015 and served in Iraq in 2011 as a part of Operation New Dawn. Evans is working on a dual degree and is expected to graduate from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering technology in 2020.

Daniel Cordial, Public Administration, Syracuse University
Daniel Cordial served in the U.S. Army from 2006-2011, earning the rank of sergeant. Cordial mobilized twice in Operation Iraqi Freedom and again in Operation New Dawn. He is currently enrolled in the Executive Master of Public Administration program at Syracuse University with a focus on international and national security policy and is expected to graduate in May 2020.

Edrena Roberts, Applied Intelligence, Georgetown University
Edrena Roberts has served in the U.S. Army for 16 years. Roberts has a bachelor’s degree in international relations and was accepted into Georgetown University’s Master of Professional Studies in Applied Intelligence. With her degree from Georgetown, Roberts hopes to someday work for the FBI as an analyst.

“Receiving a SoldierScholar scholarship gives me incredible peace of mind,” Roberts said. “This scholarship will help me accomplish my short-term goal of obtaining my graduate degree, help me continue to serve my country with the FBI and will offer me financial stability in the years to come. Education is critical to success and this scholarship helps me make my success a reality.”