A veteran’s wartime experience collides with the civilian world upon their return home.
Often they do not make it if they do not have any access to any resources. This is not only a struggle for the veterans themselves, but also for their family and loved ones who have to try to help them during this struggle.The National Association of American Veterans, Inc. (NAAV) was established in 2005 to assist the severely wounded warriors, especially single parent service members, military caregivers, disabled veterans and their families by helping them access their benefits, improving communications and coordination for veterans and collaborating among health agencies, medical professional, organizations, educational organization and the general public.
NAAV Military Family Program seeks to ease the burden of caregivers, who are unexpectedly thrust into the caregiver role, by providing coaches and trainer to equip them with tools, training, and resources needed to become effective caregivers. NAAV works with leaders in the military and civilian community to build partnerships for the association. Aside from the large metropolitan and urban areas, NAAV has concentrated assistance efforts to rural area and southern communities, with outreach to returning soldiers and veterans in Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
To help those veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression and suicidal tendency, NAAV has sponsored a guided imagery program, “Managing Stress and Anxiety Through Guided Imagery,” by Diane Tusek, a Noted national expert. Guided Imagery is a relaxation technique used to ease stress and anxiety during a stressful or difficult time in someone’s life. Guided Imagery is also recommended for the caregivers of adults with chronic and disabling health conditions.
In 2007, NAAV was instrumental in getting support for caregivers of veterans in the final recommendations of the President’s Commission on Care of America’s Returning Wounded Warriors which became Public Law 111-163, The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, on May 5, 2010. In 2008, NAAV was successful in getting the Guide to Healthy Caregiving published by the Quick Series Publishing in Florida in support of caregivers of veterans. This booklet was later adopted by the VA Caregiver Support Program in 2011. NAAV founder and chief executive officer serves on the DC VA Caregiver Support Program Advisory Board as the Community Liaison in support of its programs for veterans and their families in the greater Washington, DC Capital area. Your gift of $20, $50, $100 or even $10 can help assure that NAAV Military Family Program will be able to continue, expand, and provide this loving care to all who greatly need it.
Leadership
The initial management team of NAAV has a combined total of over 60 years in active military and federal government experience. The National Advisory Council includes not only retired and well-placed active military officers but doctors, attorneys, senior corporate managers, social workers, ordained clergy, university professors, retired VA claims officers and case workers, published writers, motivational speakers, and technology specialists. They contribute to NAAV their years of acquired expertise in accounting, finance, administration, project management, writing, brand management, human resources, systems automation, and web design.
Collaborations
NAAV has established connections with a wide array of organizations of, by, and for veterans, as well as government agencies that serve men and women who are leaving military service and attempting to find a comfortable place in American life. All have been interested in working together to offer necessary services.
For example, on December 16, 2010, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center led a one day Warrior-Centric Healthcare training workshop for healthcare providers. NAAV veteran’s service officer attended this training. The medical healthcare leaders took time from their schedules to help us understand those returning from the war in the Middle with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, working with diversity, understanding and documenting critical medical information in support of those receiving treatment. NAAV veterans’ service officer will work collaboratively with these healthcare providers to provide assistance to veterans and their families in the future.
Examples of other organizations, largely not-for-profit, with which we have made contact with a view to information-sharing and cooperative projects:
- All American Solutions, Miami, FL
- America Supports You
- America Works of Washington, DC
- Affordable Homeownership Foundation, Inc., Fort Myers, FL
- Bethesda Fisher Houses, Bethesda, MD
- Blue Star Families
- Brain Injury Association of America
- BraunAbility – The Braun Corporation, Winamac, IN
- Bubbles Productions, LLC, Bowie, MD
- Burns & Levinson LLP
- Business and Professional Women’s Foundation
- Caring Connection
- Capitol Hill Hotel, Washington, DC
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Central Union Mission
- Choice International Hotels
- Corner Bakery Café, 18th and PA Avenue, Washington, DC
- Cunningham Caterers, Fort Washington, MD
- DC VA Fisher House, Washington, DC
- Dept. of Employment Services, District of Columbia
- District of Columbia, Office of Veterans Affairs
- DPRA Architects of Michigan
- Family Caregiver Alliance National Center on Caregiving
- Four Points by Sheraton
- Friendship Place, Washington, D.C
- GEICO DIRECT (Government Employees Insurance Co.)
- Guided Imagery, Inc. of Ohio
- Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC
- Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel, Washington, DC
- Honda of North America, Inc., Marysville, OH
- Hyatt Place, Washington, DC/White House
- K&L Gates LLP
- Magic Mobility, New Jersey
- Mobility Works, Norristown, PA
- MobilityWorks Foundation, Richfield, OH
- Music is My Life, LLC, Washington, DC
- National Family Caregivers Association
- National Community Reinvestment Coalition of Washington, DC
- National Conference Center, Leesburg, VA
- National Veterans Foundation, CA
- Norfolk Waterside Marriott, Norfolk, VA
- Operation First Response
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Pepco Holdings, LLC
- PNC Place, Washington, DC
- Pure History.org
- SafeLink Wireless
- Salamander Hotel & Spa, Middleburg, VA
- Sheppard’s Hands, Lexington, Kentucky
- Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk, VA
- Silver Spring Vet Center, Silver Spring, MD
- Social Security Administration
- Southeast Veterans Service Center, Washington, DC
- Sparkman & Associates
- Special Kids Fund, Inc.
- St. Michaels Inn, St. Michaels, MD
- StreetWise Partners
- TechAnax, LLC, Montclair, VA
- The Torres Foundation
- Think Green Promos
- Thrivent Financial, Appleton, WI
- TracFone Wireless, Inc.
- The Veterans Law Firm
- Unmet Needs – VFW
- U.S. Department of Defense, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, DC VA Caregiver Support Program
- USO Warrior and Family Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
- VA Caregiver Support Center and VA Fisher House, DC
- Veterans Upward Bound, Prince George’s Community College
- Vietnam Veterans of America
- Visit Norfolk, Norfolk, VA
- Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC
- Wounded Warrior Resource Center
- WiseHealth, Inc.
- Xerox Foundation
Board of Directors and Executive Team
Constance A. Burns
Founder, President, Chief of Operations, Chair, Board of Directors, and Veterans’ Service Officer, Washington, DC, Senior Advisor for Grants and Fundraising, CFC Coordinator; Corporate and Individual Donations
Byron Athan
LTC U.S. Army (Ret) Vice President of Business Development and Board of Directors; CEO of TechAnax, LLC, Woodbridge, Virginia
Roy L. Croom
U.S. Army (Ret) and NAAV Board of Directors and Senior Advisor for Business Development, Combined Federal Campaign Donations, Individual and Corporate Donation, and Marketing nationwide.
Kevin L. Jackson
LTC U.S. Army (Ret), NAAV Board of Directors, Corporate and Individual Donations and Marketing Advisor; Frederick, MD
Craig E. Lean
Partner & Attorney, K&L Gates LLP, Washington, DC and NAAV Senior Advisor for Veterans VA Claims and Benefits, Washington, DC.
Randy Benson
NAAV Board of Directors and Senior Advisor for Sponsors and Corporate
Donations; VP of Store Operations and HR, DRCE Mobility Solutions,
Driver Rehabilitation Center of Excellence, LLC, Chantilly, Virginia
Mary Roach
BS, Ms. PharmD., President and CEO, The JJ Center, Inc., NAAV Board of Directors for Community Programs and Home Health Care Senior Advisor, and NAAV Advisor for Corporate and Individual Donations nationwide.
Staff and Advisors
Paul Marcone
President, Paul Marcone & Associates Law Firm, Chantilly, VA: NAAV Senior Advisor for Corporate Sponsorships, Partnerships, Business Development, Budget Planning, and Major Corporate and Individual Donations nationwide.
Ellen Marcum
North Group Real Estate for NC/SC Broker Realtor and NAAV Board of Directors and Senior Advisor for Housing, Eviction Notification, Health Care Programs, and Corporate and Individual Donations nationwide.
James Wheat, Jr.
U.S. Army Veteran and Minister, NAAV Senior National Advisor for Individual and Major Donations in Kentucky and nationwide.
Deborah J. Peckham
Partner & Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Group & Esquire, Burns & Levinson LLP, Boston, MA; NAAV Senior Legal Advisor for Agreement, Contract, Sponsorships, Partnerships, and Trademarks, etc. nationwide.
Martha L. Crenshaw
CDR U.S. Navy (Ret) Veterans Advocate and Fundraiser Advisor
Linda Williams
Juris Doctor degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Organizational Behavior. She currently serves as a Community Outreach and Training Manager at Consumer Action, Los Angeles, CA, Office Outreach and Training Team and as Senior Advisor, Advocate, and Counselor for NAAV for the fundamentals of financial literacy and networking for our nation’s Service members, Veterans and their family members.
Mary Sprague
NAAV Volunteer Financial Advisor and Writer for financial literacy information for NAAV’s Servicemembers, Veterans and their caregivers and family members nationwide.
Sherri Jones-Kleiner
Media, Publications, Fundraiser, and Veterans Advocate
Peter J. Meadows
P.A., Advisor, The Veterans Law Firm, Veterans Appeals and Widow Benefits;
website: www.veteransappealslaw.com
Stella J. Adams
NAAV Senior Advisor to NAAV Board of Directors and Senior Advisor for Housing, Corporate and Major Donations; Founder and CEO of SJ Adams Consulting, Durham, NC; Former Director for Housing and Civil Rights, National Community and Reinvestment Coalition, Washington, DC
William J. Smith
NAAV Advisor for Resume Building, Job Search and Interviewing Techniques
for Veterans and their Families nationwide
Reverend Byron Williams
U.S. Air Force (Ret) and NAAV Advisor Family Counselor for Spiritual Wellness and Moments of Meditation, Greater DC Metropolitan Area
Kim M. Watson
NAAV Advisor for Public Relations and Corporate Sponsorship;
Chevy Chase, MD
Lola Taylor-Johnson
NAAV Advisor for Caregiver of Veterans and VA Claims Representatives;
Washington, DC & Maryland
BG Julia J. Cleckley
U.S. Army (Ret), NAAV Advisory Council Member and Advisor for Donations and Public Relations; Virginia and Florida
Robert W. Mitchell, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army Veteran
U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army Veteran
NAAV Senior Advisor for Marketing and Media; Advisor for Community
Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator; DC Metropolitan Area
Evangelist Margaret Walker, U.S. Navy (Ret) Veteran
NAAV Advisor for Veterans’ Claims and Benefits and Community Outreach
Activities and Spiritual Wellness, nationwide.
Chaplain Geraldine D. Manning
Colonel U.S. Army (Ret)NAAV Senior Advisor for Spiritual Counseling and
Wellness; Spiritual Army Military Chaplain and Counselor at the Walter
Reed Hospital in Washington, DC ministering to Wounded Warrior military
men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Chaplain Manning
supports spiritual and pastoral counseling services for NAAV and Donor
support for Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and
Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND)and prior wars nationwide.