Stop by Rula Bula in Tempe beginning March 8 at 4 p.m. to purchase a 2013 Pints for Pat souvenir glass, the fifth glass in the series.  This year, 1,442 limited-edition Guinness pint glasses will be sold exclusively at Rula Bula.  Each glass is etched with the number 42 and a word that celebrates Pat’s legacy. The word for 2013 will be revealed at this event. Each glass costs $10 and 100% of the proceeds will support the Tillman Military Scholars program.  Please note, glasses are only available at Rula Bula on a first-come, first-served basis.

Rula Bula is located at 401 S. Mill Avenue in Tempe.

Bright and early, the Tillman Class of 2012 scurried over to Longfellow Elementary Schooll in Mesa for the awaited Basketball Beyond Barriers Event. BBB was a success! Approximately 90 students attended the camp and they were more excited than ever. The Tillman Scholars arrived promptly at 7:30 am to begin the set up. Basketball camp was to be held from 9 am to 4 pm with a huge lunch break at noon. The camp was divided into two sessions, K-3rd grade in the morning and 4th –6th grade in the afternoon. One by one, a mix of rowdy and excited students presented themselves. Although, basketball was the main focus, the Scholars tried to incorporate a life lesson throughout the day. Respect and bullying in schools was the core and the main theme of the event. For the primary levels, the children’s book, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon was read to the youngsters as this book explored the uniqueness of a child. In the afternoon, the older students were involved in large group discussions and made, “Who I am” posters. At the end of the day, parents and students appreciated the effort of the team.  A very special thank you to Longfellow’s Principal Mr. Christensen, as he was a valuable asset to the event. We could not have done it without him!

2012 Tillman Scholars-ASU: (front row) Dorian Sanchez, Scott Bohmke, Monica Burba, Betsy Donahue; (back row) Chip Sarafin, Mark Sackley, Allie Oaks, Jenna Smith, Alex Zabaski, Connor Udasco and Gopi Karunamoorthy.

Tostitos Homecoming Party Bowl Video

On Friday, October 26, 2012, 15 Tillman Military Scholars (TMS) converged in my hometown of Flint, Michigan to build group unity, network and perform community service. Flint is not the ideal community you think of when people discuss regional gatherings of any kind. It has received a gauntlet of negative media because of its violent crime, depressed economy, high unemployment rate and an even higher rate of poverty. However, Flint is slowly on the rebound and I was happy to be able to share its revitalization with my fellow TMS. We took them to one new local hangout in the redeveloped downtown area and spent some time on campus at the University of Michigan-Flint. If Flint were the “city on a hill”, the University of Michigan-Flint would definitely be the shining jewel at the hilltop. UM-Flint has experienced significant growth during and what many called have called ‘the hardest economic times Flint has ever had to endure’.  Chancellor Ruth Person and the University of Michigan-Flint are dedicated to providing the very best support to student Veterans.

Tillman Military Scholars met with UM-Flint Chancellor Ruth Person at last month's Regional Gathering on the campus.

On Saturday, we performed community service at Carriage Town Ministries (CTM), a local community service agency that has been providing free food, shelter and clothing to individuals and families in need since 1950. Words can’t express the level gratitude I have for my fellow TMS who took time out of their busy lives to come to my city and serve my community members who need it most. On the surface it would appear that the group of TMS had no solid connection to those they were helping; only a couple of us had historical ties to the Flint community. Yet as I sat in the van as we pulled away from the parking lot of CTM, it struck me that this service opportunity was about more than physical community connections.

Tillman Military Scholars performed a community service project at Carriage Town Ministries in Flint, MI.

It was about strengthening the human spirit of a community who would walk into CTM the next day for services. The actions of the TMS were an honest reflection of their integrity and selflessness. It spoke volumes of the impact that military servicemembers stand to make beyond their military service requirements. It is at THAT moment, riding away in that van, that I felt we collectively embodied the legacy of Pat Tillman and I was most proud to be a Tillman Military Scholar and a part of this unique community.

Note: The Pat Tillman Foundation is a non-political, non-partisan organization. Recently, through our partnership with Got Your 6, several Tillman Military Scholars had the opportunity to attend both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

Edward Woodward at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL

Through Got Your 6, I was fortunate to attend portions of the RNC along with fellow Tillman Military Scholars Dave Warden, Josiah Hill and Grey Leonard, along with our wives/girlfriends. We attended the Got Your 6 event Wednesday night, a concert that featured Sara Evans and a brief speech by Meghan McCain, daughter of Arizona Senator John McCain. Josiah and I were able to meet Senator McCain and get a photo. Sara Evans was outstanding and the event was a tribute to the success Got Your 6 is having in creating opportunities for veterans and civilians to join together to reinvigorate our community.

Arizona Senator John McCain and TMS Ed Woodward in Tampa.

We had a great experience in Tampa, having not had an opportunity to get together since the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit. It was refreshing to see everyone in the tremendous setting the Got Your 6 event provided. The entire experience reinforces the overwhelming feeling of gratitude I feel to be a part of the Tillman Community. These events provide tangible results to all the hard work that is being done to help and support our nation’s veterans as they come back and reintegrate into society.

TMS Josiah Hill with Brianna Venable at the RNC Got Your 6 event in Tampa.

John Larch at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC

My wife and I attended various Democratic National Convention activities in North Carolina.

On Monday, we visited Carolina Fest downtown, listened to live music and enjoyed the many vendors. My wife had the good fortune to meet Georgia Congressman John Lewis, a well-known civil rights leader.

Mary Ann Larch with Congressman Lewis at the DNC in Charlotte.

On Wednesday, we attended the Veterans & Military Families Council Caucus. Speakers included Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden. By coincidence, Chris Marvin, Managing Director of Got Your 6, happened to sit next to me during this caucus meeting. Talk about a small world! While I was talking with Chris, my wife slipped away and managed to cross paths with Dr. Biden!

TMS John Larch and his wife Mary Ann at the DNC Got Your 6 event in Charlotte.

That evening, we attended the Flo Rida concert, watching from VIP seating a great show and upbeat crowd. The entire experience was eye opening and enlightening.

Last week I participated in the 3rd annual Pat Tillman Leadership Summit, a three-day program designed to introduce new Tillman Military Scholars to the Tillman Community, in College Park, Maryland. The first day of the Summit allowed new Scholars to meet one another, as well as Network Scholars and the staff of the Pat Tillman Foundation. Marie Tillman welcomed us that first evening and shared with us her story of how Pat’s death while serving in Afghanistan inspired her to create the Pat Tillman Foundation. Day one was especially important to the new Scholars because we were able to get to know one another and learn each other’s stories of service, sacrifice and triumph. It was truly humbling to be among such a remarkable group of people, and each Scholar that I spoke with thought the same thing I did: how did they pick me from this group of amazing people?

The second day opened with a panel on the Community Blueprint Network, and then the group split between a Veteran Entrepreneurship Panel and a Career Marketing panel. I attended the Career Marketing Panel and learned how to tell the story of who I am and what the military taught me and how that can be translated onto a resume. In a chance set of events, one of the panelists at the Veteran Entrepreneurship Panel was a gentleman that I served with in the Army. It was great to see him again and do some networking with him and the other panelists. For the remainder of the second day, the Scholars volunteered in a Day of Service in the Washington, D.C. area. My group spent several hours with the residents of Vinson Hall discussing health care and technology. Vinson Hall is a retirement community supported by the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation in McLean, VA. The residents we spoke to were great people, and I enjoyed hearing their life stories and learning their views on issues that we all face in today’s world.

The third day of the Summit was spent on Capitol Hill visiting Congressional leaders. I was lucky enough to lead the Arizona delegation on Capitol Hill in a meeting with Senator John McCain. Meeting Senator McCain was a lifelong dream come true. As an Arizona native, I have followed his political career since I was about 16. I have always admired war heroes and politicians, and Senator McCain is both. He served in the U.S. Navy as an aviator during the Vietnam War and was captured as a Prisoner of War in 1967. He remained a POW in Hanoi until 1973. He moved to Arizona in 1981 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona’s First Congressional District in 1982, and then to the U.S. Senate in 1986. He is currently the senior United States Senator from Arizona and the ranking member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee.

Tillman Military Scholars from Arizona State University and University of Arizona with Senator John McCain.

The Arizona delegation met with Senator McCain for nearly an hour. Just being in his presence was awe inspiring; I was definitely star struck. Senator McCain invited us into his office, congratulated us on being chosen as Tillman Military Scholars and asked us to sit in the chairs and couches in his office. He spoke to us for 20 minutes about current policy and issues and then asked us to introduce ourselves. When I introduced myself and stated that I was studying law, I discovered that the Senator has a sense of humor. After jokingly stating that the world doesn’t need more lawyers, he asked what the difference is between a lawyer and a catfish. The answer, of course, is that one is a scum-sucking bottom feeder and the other is a fish. After introductions and brief discussions about our areas of study, Senator McCain invited us to ask questions of him. The immediate questions were about his stance on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and SB1070. Senator McCain spoke very candidly about both issues; he did not offer canned responses. I worked in the Arizona Legislature and I am very familiar with SB1070 and all of the issues surrounding it, but Senator McCain offered an explanation that included ideas I had never heard before. He also spoke about Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Sheriff Arpaio is usually a taboo subject in Arizona politics, but again, Senator McCain spoke openly about his thoughts on the Sheriff. All together, we spoke with the Senator for about an hour. That hour reinforced my confidence in him as a U.S. Senator, and as my hero.

I was able to attend the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit just a couple days ago and I was intrigued by such an event. As a new Tillman Military Scholar, I thought the Summit was a great way to connect, network and learn about other Scholars. I was absolutely humbled to be surrounded by such educated, successful and inspiring people (and perhaps a little out of place).

The University of Minnesota partnered with the Pat Tillman Foundation this year and we are honored to be ambassadors. Our university representative was able to gather a lot of good ideas and resources to help enhance our veterans programs at the university.

We are looking forward to getting more involved by participating in community events and helping make our university more veteran friendly by providing the necessary tools and resources for their academic success.

The University of Minnesota Scholars were all happy to meet Marie Tillman and hear her story – what a remarkably strong and extremely inspirational woman!

On July 24, the Pat Tillman Foundation, Student Veterans of America and Operation College Promise will formally launch the Education Pillar of the Got Your 6 campaign with hundreds of student veterans, participating universities and colleges, members of Congress, celebrity partners and many others.

The evening will kickoff the Education Pillar’s collection of 500 pledges from Institutions of Higher Learning who commit to implementing or enhancing resources, programs and policies to support their student veteran population.

The Pillar partners also will showcase the student veterans and Tillman Military Scholars from across the nation who are achieving academic excellence due in large part to their own talents, but also because they have access to a peer-support network and attend institutions that have implemented programs that assist student veterans. Roughly 25 such schools have already signed the Education Pillar’s pledge and they will be revealed on July 24.

To conclude the launch event, student veterans from SVA and Tillman Military Scholars will share their personal stories of transition and will be accompanied on stage by a special celebrity guest.

The Pillar’s launch event will come on the heals of two major events for both Student Veterans of America and the Pat Tillman Foundation.

SVA is hosting its annual Leadership Institute from July 19-22 at Google’s Headquarters in Mountain View, CA. Fifty chapter leaders from across the nation will come together to receive one of the most unique training programs for student veterans that has been created to date. Purdue University’s Military Family Research Institute and SVA created a curriculum that teaches student veteran leaders how to “design, develop and deliver” a thriving student veteran organization. All 50 leaders will be empowered to create a business plan for their chapter that is focused on sustainability and changing the landscape of their institution to be more supportive of student veterans.

The third annual Pat Tillman Leadership Summit will take place July 22-24, 2012 at the University of Maryland in College Park. More than 100 Tillman Military Scholars, Foundation board members and staff and representatives of the Foundation’s 14 University Partners will take part in the three day annual Summit. Attendees will participate in leadership development and job skills workshops and volunteer to help with service projects throughout the area. In addition, Tillman Military Scholars will meet with key U.S. Congressional members to share their personal experiences and to bring awareness to the leadership roles filled by veterans and military spouses in today’s society.

Any individual interested in attending should email info@pattillmanfoundation.org to RSVP.

Guest Blogger: Chad Waltz, Tillman Military Scholar Class 4, Arizona State University

TMS Chad Waltz takes a break during the 2012 Arizona Coalition for Military Families Veteran Symposium.

TMS Chad Waltz sits in an F-16 Flight simulator.

Last month, I was invited to New York City to attend the Wounded Warrior Project Gala, which is a fundraiser event with over 800 attendees at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. I was invited as a representative of our country’s wounded veterans. The main event started off with a silent auction and cocktail hour. Nearly 100 items were sold, ranging from exotic trips to foreign countries to one of Jay Leno’s autographed motorcycles. Many important unknown military supporters stepped up to the plate and donated millions of dollars to support the Wounded Warrior Project, which is a vital organization for our military’s wounded. NBC’s Bob Costas was the host for the main event, which was held in the Grand Ballroom. Many public and military figures were in the crowd, such as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and actor Gary Sinise (Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump), among others.

TMS Brian Kolfage and his wife Ashley at the WWP Gala.

To date, over 45,000 members of the United States Armed Forces have been physically wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Studies estimate that more than 300,000 will suffer the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury and the WWP offers programs to help everyone who needs assistance at no charge.

We also were taken on a private tour of the Ground Zero Memorial. The architect/developer invited us up to their studio to overlook the site.

The Wounded Warrior Project has helped me many times with issues and has supported my rehabilitation process when I was hospitalized by taking me on trips that jump started my new life with activities such as skiing in Aspen, CO only 5 months after I became a triple amputee. The money raised will ensure other veterans will be able to experience these rehabilitative trips at no cost for years to come.