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.

Service and Awareness Events

New York City

New York City Tillman Military Scholars joined with MissionServe, Bank of America and HBO, along with PTF staff members, to prepare emergency packets for homeless veterans in the city. Before the project, they also braved the cold to talk about their efforts on Good Morning America.

TMS Rudy Rickner (right) joins fellow Veterans Day volunteers on Good Morning America.

People Magazine Photo Shoot

NYU TMS Korey Calloway and Lyndsey Anderson joined PTF President Marie Tillman for a People Magazine photo shoot for a “Heroes Among Us” article.

TMS Korey Calloway and Lyndsey Anderson with Marie Tillman.

Blue Bloods Set Visit

PTF Program Coordinator Cara Hammer joined Team Tillman and PTF partner veterans on set in Brooklyn with Donnie Wahlberg, Tom Selleck and Bridget Moynahan.

PTF Program Coordinator Cara Hammer with Tom Selleck and PTF veteran supporters.

San Diego

Robin, Yana and her husband Arthur prepared lunch and dinner for the residents of the Veterans Village of San Diego while they marched in the San Diego County Veterans Day Parade. When the residents returned, TMS served lunch to over 300 residents and family members alongside some of VVSD’s current residents. Later, there was a brief ceremony/celebration of the Marine Corps’ 236th Birthday with Arthur being asked to help cut the cake as he was the youngest Marine on site. For those not familiar with Marine Corps Birthday tradition, the oldest Marine and youngest Marine take part in cutting the birthday cake.

TMS Robin Williams (middle left) and Yana Mukvich (right) with Yana's husband Arthur.

Los Angeles

Along with other volunteers, TMS Nicole Hart, Peter Thomas and Tristan Dyer planted approximately 40 Valencia trees at the VA Westwood campus in Los Angeles. As Nicole states it, “The energy of the day was rich with the willingness to serve; to give back to those, past and present, who have given so much to this country. It was an honor to be a part of such a day!”

TMS Nicole Hart, Peter Thomas and Tristan Dyer (with friend).

Tampa Bay

A week prior to Veterans Day, TMS Dave Warden, Grey Leonard and Josiah Hill rehabbed stables and riding areas for the Quantum Leap Farms, an equine therapy center serving disabled children and military in the Tampa area.

TMS Dave Warden and Josiah Hill.

University of South Florida

TMS Grey Leonard was the Master of Ceremonies as members of the Special Operations Parachute Demonstration Team kicked off the second annual Veterans Week Celebration at the University of South Florida Tuesday with a drop on the green next to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza.

TMS Grey Leonard.

Michigan

University of Michigan-Flint TMS Kyle Caywood and Tiffany Johnson were recognized by their Chancellor at the Veterans Day program – where Kyle served as MC. Later the next week, they met up with University of Michigan TMS John Shriver and Lindsay Compton to discuss Pat’s Run in April 2012.

Michigan TMS Kyle Caywood, John Shriver, Tiffany Johnson and Lindsay Compton.

Baltimore

TMS Rich Blake spoke with WYPR – Baltimore’s local NPR station – about Veterans Day and the work he and fellow veterans are conducting in local Baltimore neighborhoods. Listen to Rich’s interview.

TMS Rick Blake (2nd from left) in studio at Baltimore's WYPR.

University of Maryland

TMS Shelly Burgoyne spoke at the University of Maryland’s annual Veterans Day celebration.

Look for her at the end of this video.

Harvard

Harvard Business School’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony, spearheaded by TMS Danny Cho, welcomed 300 people to the HBS’s Armed Forces Alumni Association “Leadership Through Service” celebration and reception. Danny gave the welcoming speech, followed by Ian Walsh, SVP of Textron Systems and the club’s founding member, and Charles Bolden, the current NASA Administrator spoke about their views on what it means to be a veteran and what value veterans bring to the workforce.

TMS Danny Cho.

San Jose

Pat Tillman Foundation board member Alex Garwood participated in an honorary puck drop when the San Jose Sharks hosted the Phoenix Coyotes over Veterans Day weekend.

PTF Board Member Alex Garwood drops the opening puck. Pictured here with team captains Joe Thornton and Shane Doan.

Public Recognitions

Tillman Military Scholars were publicly recognized for Veterans Day on campuses across the country:

PTF Program Coordinator (center) with University of Maryland TMS Roel Mora, Kevin Kim, Josie O’Regan and Louis Thorne at the 4th Annual Veterans Reception.

San Diego State University TMS Yana Mukvich and Robin Williams recognized during the SDSU vs. University of Wyoming football game.

University of Oregon TMS Jeff Meray, Bryan Boender, Ryan Williams and Kelly Christensen recognized at the Veterans Day Ceremony.

Texas A&M University TMS Susan Stallings, Marisela Spangler and Cameron McCoy are recognized at the Veterans Day Brunch.

PTF Director of Programs Hunter I Riley alongside Mississippi State University TMS Mark Edwards, Janice Cunningham, Trish Pohlhaus, Ryan Bear, Samantha Hill and Catherine Turner at Veterans Day Scholarship Dinner.

University of South Florida TMS Josiah Hill, Dave Warden and Grey Leonard are recognized on the field at the USF vs. University of Miami football game.

University of Arizona TMS April Ellsworth, Martin Stahl and Matt Randle are recognized on the field at the Arizona State vs. Arizona football game (standing next to the PT42 gate).

To top off Veterans Day celebrations and events, NFL-Tillman Military Scholar D’Onior Felton will be recognized on the field at the December 11 Washington Redskins game.

Cormick Wong (L) and Rudy Rickner (R)

The Tunnel to Towers run brings together firefighters, police, military and first responder groups who run the route together, some in uniform. In total, Cormick and Rudy joined approximately 20,000 other runners and walkers in this year’s race.

The ballroom was full of beautiful people from the latest issues of all those magazines you see while standing in line at the check-out. Marie Tillman and I struggled to understand what exactly we were doing at a celebrity-filled event in downtown Manhattan and as Marie walked the red carpet – a first for her – we both shared a laugh about how just out of place we were.

“GQ Magazine” had selected the Pat Tillman Foundation to be one of the recipients of their annual “GQ Gentlemen’s Fund” charity event. We were one of four major non-profits selected with the likes of UNICEF and Oceana. We, the scrappy tiny non-profit, spending our days in a tiny office in Tempe where seven staffers are squeezed into one open room. Did we really have any business being at something like this?

Every selected organization has one official recipient that would speak on behalf of the charity and our selection of Marine Corps Master Sergeant William Gibson had been an easy one.

After losing his left leg to snipers’ bullet while serving in Iraq in 2006 Sergeant Gibson endured months of painful rehabilitation and rigorous physical therapy.

While recovering from his amputation, Master Sergeant Gibson set a personal goal of training for triathlons. In 2007, he competed in the “Escape from Alcatraz Swim”, regarded as one of – if not the most – challenging competitive swimming events in the country. While competing in the event, a Marine General, observing the event – who was so impressed with Gibson’s obvious personal strength and integrity – approached Master Sergeant Gibson, to ask him if there was anything he could do for him. Gibson had just one request…

Re-deployment to Iraq.

This request made Master Sergeant Gibson the first ever above-the-knee amputee to return to front-lines combat.

With his second deployment now completed, Gibson works on Capital Hill for the House Committee on Veteran Affairs. He is also enrolled at the University of Maryland, University College where he his pursuing his academic dream of committing the rest of his career to caring for and supporting disabled veterans and their families.

Gibson is a member of the inaugural class of Tillman Military Scholars. Last fall, the Pat Tillman Foundation was honored to award Master Sergeant Gibson his full-requested scholarship amount.

His comments upon receiving the GQ Gentlemen award were brief but as he left the stage, the audience of “beautiful people” erupted into a spontaneous standing ovation – the only one of the night.

Maybe everyone there at first didn’t recognize Master Sergeant Gibson and his wife Chaney on the red carpet, but after his remarks he was the biggest celebrity in the room.