Home Base executive director on how group helps veterans and their families

Updated: 6:49 AM EST Nov 13, 2024

THE PHONE LINES ARE OPEN. DONATIONS OF ANY AMOUNT ARE APPRECIATED TO HELP HOME BASE’S CRITICAL MISSION AS PART OF OUR HELPING VETERANS HEAL TELETHON, I’M JOINED NOW BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM, RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL JACK HAMMOND. GENERAL HAMMOND, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT’S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS ONCE AGAIN. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOME BASE AND THE WORK THAT GETS DONE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION, BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS SAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING THIS FOR? AND SO I WOULD TELL YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS HOME BASE FOCUSES ON TREATING IS THE MOST INJURED VETERANS IN THE UNITED STATES. EVERY TWO WEEKS, WE FLY 24 VETERANS IN FROM ALL 50 STATES, 13 COUNTRIES. AND EVERY WEEK WE FLY IN FIVE SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, A LOT OF TIMES WE FOCUS ON OUR FAMILIES AND THESE ARE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST EVERYTHING. THEIR SOLDIERS DIED BY SUICIDE AND THEY’VE GIVEN EVERYTHING TO THIS COUNTRY, BUT THEY REALLY DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO GREAT CARE. Y SUPPORT FOR THE VETERANS. SO CRITICAL RIGHT NOW. WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT, I MEAN, WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PERIODS OF TIME, RIGHT NOW. YOU LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND CHINA AND NORTH KOREA. WE HAVE SOLDIERS, 150,000 SOLDIERS DEPLOYED EVERY SINGLE DAY AS WE SPEAK. AND WE’VE GOT MILLIONS OF SOLDIERS THAT HAVE DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN THAT HAVE COME HOME AND NEED THE CARE. AND IF WE DON’T DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE FOR US IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE NEED THEM. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND OUR GREAT HONOR TO GIVE BACK. SO WHERE WILL THIS MONEY GO? A LOT OF THIS FUNDING WILL GO TOWARDS OUR FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN PROGRAM. IT’S A UNIQUE PROGRAM WHERE WE BRING ABOUT FOUR TIMES A YEAR, 12, 12 FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER TO SUICIDE. TOO OFTEN. THEY WITNESSED IT CATASTROPHIC INJURIES. AND WE HAVE A VERY SPECIALIZED PROGRAM DESIGNED JUST TO TREAT THOSE THOSE PARENTS USUALLY OR SPOUSES. AND WITHOUT THAT CARE, YOU CAN IMAGINE, WOULD THEY BE GOING WITHOUT YOU GUYS? THERE WOULD BE SO MANY VETERANS AND FAMILIES LOST RIGHT NOW. SO WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND CARE FOR OUR VETERANS. GENERAL JACK HAMMOND, HERE’S THAT INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN. CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN. IT’S. (781) 433-4009. YOU CAN ALSO DONATE ON WCVB. DOT COM SLASH HOME BASE. WE’LL BE RIGHT B

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