Month: February 2015

February 27, 2015

Jonas Jones was thinking about service and justice even as a little kid. “I dreamed of being a hero and catching bad guys,” he says.

Jonas was born and raised in Hazelwood, Missouri just north of St. Louis. He was taught at a young age “to take care of the people who take care of you,” as he puts it. At 29 years old, this particular life lesson brought him to the office of a U.S. Army recruiter.

“I joined the military because I wanted to create a better life for me and my family. I wanted the best in life. The Army gave me the opportunity to fight with the best, and be the best man I could be – someone who reflected respect and good character.”

Jonas served nearly four years as an Army infantryman. In 2010, his unit deployed to Afghanistan. Jonas served on the front lines as a gunner in his unit’s weapons squad. He led soldiers in combat, and in operations to capture prisoners of war.

His childhood dream of “catching the bad guys” became a reality.

During the same deployment, while returning from a mission, Jonas’s truck was struck by an IED. The truck commander and an Afghanistan local who had accompanied Jonas’s troop on their mission were thrown from the vehicle, and Jonas, along with three other soldiers, were stuck inside.

“That blast was so intense, I blacked out,” he says. “When I came to I felt extreme pain running throughout my whole body and a sergeant screaming asking if we were all okay inside the truck.”

Jonas sustained a traumatic brain injury and deep lacerations from the explosion, earning him a Purple Heart. A few weeks later, his deployment ended and Jonas returned home. Initially, he began training for his next deployment but later decided it was time to hang up his uniform.

Jonas needed to decide what to do next. He had a passion for law enforcement and serving his community, so he decided to pursue an education in criminology and psychology. Meanwhile, his wife introduced to The Mission Continues Fellowship Program.

In September 2014, Jonas was awarded a six-month Mission Continues Fellowship at the St. Louis County Police Department. As a Fellow, he serves alongside Sgt. Jeremy Romo, who leads the department’s Crisis Intervention Team Program. The program connects individuals who are struggling with mental health disorders to the right resources, which helped steer them away from the correctional system.

“Most of our work is done with the community. We work with the elderly who are battling Alzheimer’s, the homeless, veterans who struggle with post-traumatic stress or substance abuse issues, and youth who are fighting mental health issues,” says Sgt. Romo.  “We connect these individuals to resources that keep them out of jail or the justice system, because they don’t belong there.”

Jonas is about one month away from completing his fellowship. During the last several months, he devoted 20 hours a week to enhancing the Crisis Intervention Team Program. From attending community meetings, to engaging in productive conversations with city officials, and educating more than 55 Police Officers on veterans’ mental health issues, Jonas has served as a tremendous asset for the St. Louis County Police Department.

“Jonas has incredible work ethic. He’s punctual, respectful and one of those guys you can tell is truly enjoying himself every day – he is just so service oriented” says Sgt. Romo.

Recognizing that Jonas repeatedly went above and beyond the call of duty, Sgt. Romo nominated him for the department’s Citizen Service Citation award, which recognizes a citizen who plays a crucial role in empowering the police department to give back to the community.

“Similarly to military soldiers, police officers are often told to separate their emotions from work and ‘toughen up.’ Well, Jonas was here while the events in Ferguson took place, which put a tremendous strain on police officers and the St. Louis community as a whole,” says Sgt. Romo. “He would share stories of his military experience, which really helped build morale and provide support for the officers. He also grew up in North County, near Ferguson, and was able to offer a unique perspective on the community.”

Sgt. Romo and the St. Louis County Board of Police Commissions presented Jonas with the Citizen Service Citation on February 11.

“I was truly pleased, honored, and humbled to receive the Citizen Service Citation award from Sgt. Jermey Romo,” says Jonas. “He has also been a great mentor to me. The St. Louis County Police Department treated me like family and instilled in me the passion to continue to always fight the good fight, especially for those who cannot do it for themselves.”

Jonas recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and psychology, and is currently enrolled in graduate school. He plans to pursue a career in law enforcement, and get back to “catching bad guys” combatting crime in the cyber security sector.

“None of this would’ve been possible if it wasn’t for The Mission Continues and Moses Maddox who is another great mentor of mine and works with The Mission Continues,” says Jonas. “My fellowship gave me the encouragement and the blueprint to be successful in any endeavor.”

Our communities work better when we work together. It’s a core belief of what we do at The Mission Continues, and it expands beyond the impact of our programs. We also partner with other great veterans organizations that share our passion for service, community and camaraderie.

That’s why we’re working alongside Team Rubicon and Team Red, White & Blue for the 4th Annual Run as One on Saturday, March 28, in over 100 cities nationwide (hit the link or the photo above to register now). The 5K runs began as a tribute to Clay Hunt, a Marine Corps veteran, Mission Continues Fellow and original member of Team Rubicon. Clay took his life as he struggled with reintegration, and his spirit is a reminder of how vital community support can be for folks who leave the strong bonds of the military.

Continue reading “Run as One: Building Communities One Stride at a Time”

February 20, 2015

“Among the Americans Serving on Iwo Jima Island, Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue.”
– Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

Following months of air and naval bombardment, U.S. Marines stormed the black-sand beaches of Iwo Jima in February of 1945, an island just eight-square miles big and more than 700 miles from mainland Japan. Over the next 36 days, 70,000 Marines battled an entrenched Japanese force of 20,000 soldiers. The island was finally secured on March 16, 1945 at a heavy cost – 7,000 Marines and nearly the entire Japanese force were killed in action.

For Regan Turner, regional director at The Mission Continues and a Marine Corps veteran who led infantry platoons on combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, the anniversary is more than just a day of remembrance.

“Since that battle, every generation of Marines who has followed in their footsteps has been charged to live up to the legacy of those Marines and Navy Corpsman who raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi.”

Today, fewer than seven percent of World War II veterans are alive. As a generation of veterans passes, so too will firsthand accounts and memories of the war. Yet, 70 years later, Iwo Jima still looms as large in the canon of American military history as any other battle. The iconic photo of the American flag being raised atop Mount Suribachi is perhaps the most reproduced image in the history of photography. Memorials have been built, stamps produced, and movies filmed.

U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines seize a key junction of roads just outside of Marjah on February 9, 2010.

So, for many it is the first image that comes to mind when discussing “The Greatest Generation.” The legacy of Iwo Jima and of World War II-era veterans is secure. It is well chronicled and well deserved.

The legacy of the Marines who fought on Iwo Jima, according to Regan Turner, was “to be prepared to display uncommon valor in the face of the enemy if called upon to do so.”

But the legacy of this generation of veterans is still being written. What will Americans think in November 2074, the 70th anniversary of the Second Battle of Fallujah, or in February of 2079, the 70th anniversary of the Operation Moshtarak in Marjah, Afghanistan?

Today, we remember the veterans of World War II not only for their sacrifices and successes on the battlefield, but for what they accomplished when they came home.

In 70 years, the details of some of the biggest battles during Iraq and Afghanistan will likely be hard to recall, but the things veterans of the current generation accomplish before then? That is how the current generation will be remembered.

February 19, 2015
Naomi McSwain

I am always happy when a group of volunteers come to help out at our youth center. All the hard and unsung work you’ve done trying to make a difference in your community is somehow substantiated when people think enough to take time out of their schedules to help you out. It’s always a special time for me, but it’s never been as emotional as it was when the veterans from The Mission Continues came to our door. I felt an immediate connection.

My cousin Al Wooten, Jr. was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1989. His mother, Myrtle Faye Rumph, founded our youth center a year later in his honor. His murder and the potential impact of gang violence on our youth is a major driving factor in our lives. When I greeted the veterans who came to volunteer, I thought about the violence some of them had endured and how, despite their turmoil, they were here at our doorstep wanting to serve once again. It reminded me of my aunt pushing past her trauma to help others.

Continue reading “It Wasn’t Just a Project. It Was a Mission.”

February 13, 2015

President’s Day is celebrated each year on the third Monday of February. Originally established to mark the birthday of George Washington (February 22nd), the holiday has since been expanded to recognize all presidents. Coincidentally, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday also falls close (February 12th). While each man may share equal candidacy for the title of our nation’s greatest president, they are also united by a common message: to care for the men and women who serve our country.

George Washington

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”

Abraham Lincoln

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” – Second Inaugural Address

So, as you enjoy a day off work (for those lucky enough), or simply register the passing of another President’s Day, do not forget their charge to strive on and finish the work we are in. Our nation’s future depends on it.

 

Learn more about President’s Day from History.com.

February 13, 2015

“As far as I can recall, I knew nothing about this once in a life time experience prior to the night of The Mission Continues Gala, but it worked out unbelievably well.”

For months, Sally Johnston was planning a family trip out to California to visit her grandson, Andrew who is a student at Chapman University’s Dodge School of Film. They knew they were going to make it out there before he graduated, but never made it through planning the logistics.

The Mission Continues Veterans Day Gala is a night the Johnston Family looks forward to every year. As long time supporters of The Mission Continues, it’s a special night to celebrate the impact and successes of an organization that is near and dear to them.

As Sally and her granddaughter Amy were strolling through the silent auction room, they came across an experience they couldn’t pass up. A night for two on the red carpet attending the 20^th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. An experience made possible by the generous support of A&E and History Channel.

“All I kept thinking was ‘what a perfect Christmas gift for my grandson, that’s exactly what he’s studying.’ I was determined to win this item. I remember having my 15 year old twin granddaughters stalk the table almost all night. And after a small bidding battle, I finally won.”

The Johnston Family planned their trip to California based on this experience. A&E and History Channel organized two limousines to pick Sally’s grandchildren, Andrew and Emily, up from the hotel, drop them off at the event and escort them to the after party.

“As you know, traffic in Los Angeles can be crippling so they were a little late to the red carpet event, but they did manage to catch an interview with Jennifer Anniston.”

Andrew and Emily sat at a table with employees from A&E and History Channel, very close to the action and surrounded by some of the biggest names in film.

As the event came to a close, the limousine came back to take them to the after party at the Hollywood Athletic Club, which was started back in 1924. Each room had separate themes and different music. Emily and Andrew wandered around and even chatted with Anthony Quinonez, who played Zero in the Academy Award nominated film, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

A huge thanks to A&E and History Channel for donating this experience as an item for The Mission Continues Veterans Day Gala silent auction, and for making one hell of a Christmas gift for Sally’s grandchildren.

February 12, 2014

Larson, center, at the Alpha Class 2014 Orientation service project.

The Mission Continues welcomed 80 veterans to The Mission Continues Fellowship Program in February of 2014, including Army veteran Pam Larson. For many, the opportunity to spend a weekend alongside a room-full of other veterans opens doors to stories and conversations not normally shared. Larson shared one such example with the Orlando Sentinel:

At least one third had service-related injuries, but the camaraderie makes it easier to talk about says Pam Larson, a 27-year-old Army veteran and single mom from Columbia, S.C. Larson laughed with a group of other vets about getting shot in the leg in Iraq. Civilians think it’s “crazy,” Larson said, but the story is easily shared among fellow vets.

“We all have our own battle stories,” she said. “It was our daily life. It wasn’t, like, a shocker…I was just doing my job.”

Continue reading ““We all have our own battle stories””

February 11, 2015
Anat Tamir

Imagine sitting in your car on your daily commute.  You turn on the radio and hear a song you immediately connect with.  It’s happened to you before, but this song is different.  The lyrics you just heard were written by a fallen American hero.

You carry that song with you all day, humming the tune, replaying the words.  What you’re doing, really, is keeping that hero’s memory alive. Continue reading “Keeping Our Heroes’ Legacies Alive”

Toby Magavero walked into the building without knowing a thing about condors. He left with a mission to conserve their part in a fragile ecosystem.

As part of his six-month Fellowship with The Mission Continues in 2013, Toby served in Boise, Idaho at the Peregrine Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to saving birds of prey from extinction. It was a long way from Kosovo and Iraq, where Toby served a tour as a cavalry scout in each country.

Continue reading “How to Take Flight at your Fellowship”

February 6, 2015

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and the Joint Chiefs issued a new call to serve this week in a letter to be distributed to all transitioning service members.

“You have made your mark in uniform and represent the strength of our Nation,” the letter read. “We know you will do the same as veterans, setting the example for the next generation of veterans to follow … It has been our greatest privilege to serve with you, and we look forward with pride to what your future holds. We know it will be extraordinary.”

Continue reading “A Call to Continued Service”