Categories: Archived Blogs

Military Connection: Mega Concert Aids Give an Hour: By Debbie Gregory

Veterans and patriotic Americans throughout the nation are eagerly anticipating the airing of The Concert for Valor on Veterans Day.

The Concert for Valor is an extravaganza sponsored in part by Starbucks, HBO and Chase. The event will feature musical performances by The Black Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood, Dave Grohl, Eminem, Jessie J, Metallica, Rihanna, and the Zac Brown Band. It will also feature special appearances by Bob Woodruff, Bryan Cranston, George Lopez, Jack Black, Jamie Foxx, and John Oliver. Also participating will be Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Will Smith.

The Concert for Valor will be broadcasted live from the National Mall in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 7:00 pm EST (4:00 pm PST). The concert will air on HBO, available to subscribers and nonsubscribers alike.

In addition to honoring the men and women who have served their country in uniform, the show will also raise funds to support charities that benefit Veterans and their families. Sixteen charities were selected to as beneficiaries, based on their outstanding service and support to the Veteran community.

We are proud to announce that our friends at Give an Hour (GAH) were one of the sixteen organizations chosen by the Concert for Valor. Give an Hour has proven to be one of the most effective resources for Veterans battling mental health concerns.

Since 2001, over 2.5 million service members have deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has been estimated that around 20% of those who deployed suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and approximately 18% suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in connection with their service. Give an Hour exists to help these men and women get the treatment and support they need, at no cost to them.

Give an Hour functions as a support network of visitors (Veteran patients), mental healthcare providers, and community organizations. All participants register with Give an Hour, and when a visitor is in need of treatment, GAH browses their directory for a registered provider near the visitor. An appointment is scheduled, and treatment begins. When treatment has been completed, the visitor returns to the Give an Hour website and fills out a questionnaire about their care. Visitors are then encouraged to browse community organizations near them, and volunteer their time to pay it forward.

Give an Hour is in every state, with a national network of over 7,000 mental healthcare professionals. The organization has provided more than 100,000 hours of treatment to Veterans and their family members, without the use of insurance or any money exchanging hands.

All Americans are invited to celebrate Veterans Day 2014 by thanking our nation’s Veterans, and tuning in to watch The Concert for Valor. Watching the event and participating in the fundraiser is a great way to show your appreciation for America’s Veterans, and to support the organizations that are helping them the most.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.