DAV : Disabled American Veterans Charity - FIND, DONATE ...
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. (Acknowledge any VIPs/special guests)
First and foremost, I want to begin today by recognizing all those among us who have been a part of the great brotherhood and sisterhood we call the U.S. military—our veterans, active-duty service members, guardsmen and reservists. It is your service and sacrifice that has kept our country safe and free. If you’re able, please stand to be recognized.
No matter which branch you served in, whatever your job path or how many years you served, raising your hand and committing yourself to service in the military was a brave and selfless act. One that resulted in few guarantees—of where you would be assigned; whether and where you might deploy; and, in some cases, if you would return home in one piece—or at all.
Thanks to those who have served and those who continue to serve today, America can sleep peacefully at night. Military men and women know the risks, but they accept them in many cases so that others won’t have to.
Patt Maney comes from a proud family tradition of military service stretching back to the French and Indian War, so his path to join the Army Reserve in 1971 was well laid before him.
What he couldn't foresee, though, was the massive blast from an improvised explosive device that would rip through his armored vehicle in Afghanistan three decades later. Even less clear was the endpoint of his long, arduous path to recover from his injuries, which included a broken nose, 27 cracked teeth, cartilage tears in both of his shoulders, sprained knees, nerve damage and a severe traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
In 2005, about 50 miles outside of Kabul, Patt's life changed in a literal flash. As an Army civil affair officer working as a political adviser to an Afghanistan reconstruction group, he was on a mission to find drinkable water when the explosion happened.
Though everyone in the vehicle survived the attack, Patt's hard road to recovery was about to begin.
His most serious injury, the TBI, took away much of his cognitive abilities. A fellow soldier had to walk him onto the plane out of Afghanistan. His wife and full-time caregiver had to walk him around by the hand during his recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, likening him to a 6-year-old in a 56-year-old’s body.
But despite the severity of his injuries—and even though a medical evaluation board determined he was no longer fit for duty—the Army concluded he had no long-term disabilities. DAV—Disabled American Veterans—helped him fight for the VA care and benefits he earned, and when he officially retired in 2007 as a brigadier general, Patt was ready to be begin a fresh chapter of service.
Patt returned home with a new sense of compassion for what veterans sometimes go through. In 2011, he started the very first Mental Health and Veterans Treatment Court in the state of Florida.
The program has been working exceptionally well, as it only has a 13% re-offense rate, less than half of his home county’s 30% rate. To date, more than 30 other Florida counties have adopted a Veterans Treatment Court.
Patt also pushed for the establishment of a Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center in Florida’s Okaloosa County in 2011. The center has provided counseling and rehabilitative services to hundreds of veterans each year. He also spearheaded the Homeless Veteran Stand Down, an annual community-driven event that began in 2007 and has helped 1,200 homeless veterans to date.
After 20 intense months of healing at Walter Reed, Patt used his own experiences and challenges to fuel his advocacy work for other veterans. And this past August, for all that he has done for his country and the veteran community, Patt was named DAV’s Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.
Patt is an inspiration to disabled veterans everywhere—myself included. He embodies never giving up in the face of adversity, instead overcoming obstacles and embracing a new normal.
[Another example of an inspiring veteran can be found here locally. ]
At DAV, we are in the business of not giving up the fight for veterans. We want everyone who served to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. That is a mission we live day in and day out.
We will not leave a brother or sister behind.
Over time, every military enlistment or commission comes to an end, but as Patt Maney shows us, a veteran’s service has no expiration date.
DAV offers numerous ways veterans—and veteran supporters—can join him in giving back to the men and women who served.
You can help veterans get to their medical appointments by serving as a volunteer driver for the DAV Transportation Network. You can also volunteer to work directly with veteran patients by participating in recreational programs, assisting the VA’s professional staff, acting as an escort, serving coffee or simply providing companionship.
If you do not live near a VA facility, there are still many ways to give back. By visiting , you can find volunteer opportunities such as going grocery shopping or running errands for veterans in your community, doing yard work or painting a veteran’s home. There’s a need you can help fulfill.
By joining organizations like DAV and getting involved, we have the ability to connect with fellow veterans in a way that is unique to those of us who wore the uniform. I encourage you to seek out your brothers- and sisters-in-arms, get to know them and ensure they know you’ve got their six.
And so does DAV. We help veterans achieve a more fulfilling life by helping them attain their earned benefits and health care, find employment or volunteer opportunities.
Please feel free to visit our website at to find out more about what we do for veterans and ways you can help. Or give your local DAV chapter or department a call.
Thank you for taking the time to remember our heroes. They never gave up on us, and we can’t give up on them.
While Patt Maney and thousands of other brave men and women have returned from war throughout our nation’s history, there are still service members in harm’s way around the world. I would ask you to please pause for a moment to think of those currently standing watch across the globe.
God bless you all, bless our veterans and bless the United States of America.
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VETERANS DAY SPEECH 2019
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