Wreaths Across America Offering ‘Veteran Healing’ Discussion
MARTIN (March 21) — Wreaths Across America (WAA) is not just National Wreaths Across America Day. Throughout the year, WAA hosts many opportunities which adhere to the organization’s mission to Honor, Remember and Teach. Such events or activities are often announced via local media, as well as through radio and Facebook.
Perhaps Wreaths Across America Radio, is a 24/7 Internet stream, is the most active source. WAA Radio will air the first in a series of five roundtable discussions for 2022. These discussions are focused on Veteran Healing through shared stories of resilience, purpose, and success. This first discussion will air on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 7 PM EST and can be heard exclusively on Wreaths Across America Radio.
The March RoundTable will focus on Military Caregivers with a special emphasis on Vietnam-era Veterans as we approach National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29. Guest panelists – listed below – will be interviewed by Wreaths Across America's Executive Director Karen Worcester and Director of Military & Veteran Outreach, former United States Army Captain Joe Regan.
"As we approach Vietnam War Veterans Day it is important for us to understand that nearly half of our Veterans are over the age of 65. These men and women are more likely to be managing two or more chronic conditions when compared to their non-veteran peers and they account for over half of Veteran suicide deaths," said Reagan. "Their care often is the responsibility of their loved ones – spouses and children. All of us share a responsibility to fulfill President Lincoln's promise to "care for those who borne the battle" and because of that Wreaths Across America is proud to bring together a team of people enabling those caregivers to help create a better understanding of the Veteran's, and caregiver's experience."
Guest panelists include:
Melissa Comeau, Director of the American Red Cross Military and Veteran Caregiver Network - Melissa is a Marine Corps spouse, director of the American Red Cross' Military and Veteran Caregiver Network, and a writer. She is known for her book "Sleeping with the War," published in 2015 by the War Writers' Campaign. The book offers a family and caregiver perspective on life after combat.
Molly Brooks, CEO and Founder of Hero's Bridge - Molly is a registered nurse with over 23 years' experience with specialty certifications in gerontology and hospice and palliative care. Throughout her professional and personal life, she has dedicated herself to caring for others, especially aging veterans.
The goal of the roundtable series is to help reduce barriers for veterans by:
Supporting generational bonds between service veterans through stories of service and success;
Destigmatizing issues faced by veterans and asking for help;
Combating inaccurate perceptions of veterans by discussing the diverse experiences, challenges, and success of service members, veterans, and their families; and
Connecting veterans with valuable resources.
You can listen live at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/radioand via the iHeart Radio app, or download it at the App Store or on Google.
Wreaths Across America also host podcasts throughout the year. These podcasts may be found on the WAA website or via WAA’s Facebook page. For the past two years, WAA has aired podcasts to honor National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29. This date was signed into law by President Donald Trump in early 2017. The law is identified as the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, which establishes March 29 of each year as the National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The holiday is also known as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day." The date is significant because the last U.S. troops left South Vietnam on March 29th, 1973.
Another podcast is “Ghosts of Arlington.” This podcast started on June 7, 2021. The series is a history podcast about Arlington National Cemetery and the stories of those buried there, with new episodes available first thing every Monday morning. A web search for the title will provide a site to access.
About Wreaths Across America Radio
Wreaths Across America Radio is a 24/7 Internet stream. Its unique format provides informational and inspiring content about members of the U.S. armed forces, their families, military veterans, and volunteers throughout the country and overseas who support the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach. Along with the inspiring content, Wreaths Across America Radio plays a variety of music with roots firmly planted in patriotism and a country music thread running through the core of the stream. Wreaths Across America Radio has a live morning show every weekday morning from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. eastern, along with a variety of special programs that support the mission.
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization's mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.
For more information or to sponsor a wreath in Weakley or Obion counties, contact Linda Smith or visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/TNECMT.
