SoldierStrong and Airpower Foundation donate robotic exoskeleton to VA North Texas Health Care System

 

SoldierStrong, a non-profit foundation focused on helping veterans, announced today that the VA North Texas Health Care System is the next recipient of an Ekso Bionics™ suit (OTCQB:  EKSO).  The Ekso GT™ will help injured veterans walk again at the Dallas VA Medical Center, Spinal Cord Injury Center (SCI), which serves over 900 Veterans with spinal cord injury/disorder including 200 patients with multiple sclerosis in the southwest region. They will accept the suit in a donation ceremony in a prelude to Sky Ball festivities, on October 24, 2014 at 11:30 am in the Gallery room at the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport, 4545 W. John Carpenter Freeway, Irving TX 75063. A special appearance will be made from SoldierStrong’ first Ekso recipient, veteran Dan Rose, who will walk in an Ekso device with veteran Gary Linfoot, who also received an Ekso suit in part from Airpower last year.  Additional attendees of note include Jim Palmersheim of American Airlines, Roman Palomares of Airpower Foundation and on hand to accept the donation will be Mr. Jeff Milligan, Director, VA North Texas Health Care System.

“Every day, members of the military put their lives on the line to help protect our country,” says SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek. “When they return home, they are faced with the challenges of re-acclimating to civilian life. Additionally, some have been critically wounded or paralyzed in the line of duty. We are honored to be giving this suit to the Dallas VA which serves a large number of Veterans. The Southwest is a new region for us to break into and we plan to continue the progress made today to help our veterans take their next steps on American soil using Ekso Bionics technology.”

“The Airpower Foundation is excited about the partnership with SoldierStrong and the benefit that it will bring to our Veterans in the Southwest Region. This gift to the Dallas VA Hospital will help many deserving Veterans that do not have the financial means to include the use of an Ekso device as part of their care. We look forward to working with SoldierStrong as we expand this great partnership in the Southwest,” adds Roman Palomares of Airpower Foundation.

“VA North Texas is excited to accept this cutting-edge technology donation which will help disabled Veterans, especially those with Spinal Cord related injuries and disease.  We look forward to incorporating this new technology into our rehabilitative programs,” said Jeff Milligan, Director, VA North Texas HCS.

Adds Ekso Bionics co-founder and chief executive officer Nate Harding; “given the growing support we are able to provide the US military for able-bodied exoskeleton applications, including US SOCOM’s TALOS program, being able to work with SoldierStrong to help injured veterans rehabilitate is incredibly satisfying. The work that Chris Meek is doing on behalf of SoldierStrong is impressive and we are glad to be part of it.”

 

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.”