The LHF Veterans Initiative is an outgrowth of Leatherstocking Honor Flight created to enable us to conduct missions outside the scope of Honor Flight. Like LHF, the Initiative is a 501c3 corporation and an all-volunteer organization. LHF has been a member of the Honor Flight Network since 2008.
Currently we are working on two missions: The Combat Veterans Initiative and The Purple Heart Mission.
Those of us who have never experienced the horrors of war can only begin to know the impact on those who have fought those battles in our name. We need to ask the question, "how can someone who goes into combat come out on the other side the same as they were prior to the experience"?
The answer is that they are not that same person. They are injured in ways that are not clearly visible like other wounds. To quote many a combat Veterans, "you never get your soul back".
These Veterans carry a heavy burden the rest of their lives often leading to many forms of dysfunction. We owe them some help. We will be doing weekend retreats for these Veterans in the Southern Adirondacks. The retreats will consist of outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking or fishing and maybe a trip to the Adirondack Museum.
Since the Spring on last year, we have been conducting Veterans retreats in the Southern Adirondacks in partnership with Homeward Bound Adirondacks, a great organization with a long history of providing the mental health side of these events.
The sites chosen for these events are lake side, private and serene venues that provide the perfect setting for relaxation and comradery. Outdoor events are hiking, fishing and kayaking for the warmer seasons and ice fishing and snowshoeing for the winter. All the activities give the vets a chance to bond and enjoy each other. Saturday night includes a group campfire for peer to peer discussion, an important element of the retreat providing at least some healing. By all measures the retreats have been a huge success. That coming from our most important critics, the vets themselves. We've heard some pretty powerful and positive comments from them that inspire us to continue with great enthusiasm. The relationship with HBA has been not only productive, but enjoyable and we look forward to working closely with them for a long time.
Recently, HBA has received funding for the retreats ( as well as other programs concerned with the mental health of veterans) so we will increasing the frequency with which we offer the retreats. As part of that some of retreats will be specific to Vietnam vets. The need for this comes from the differences of the experience and the need to alter the outdoor activities to fit their needs. The first of these events will take place on May 19th-21st.
This mission will be conducted under the professional guidance of Homeward Bound Adirondacks. They have a great track record of conducting these missions under the leadership of a licensed clinical social worker with a private practice specializing in PTSD and Veterans.
For information about joining one of our retreats please contact Homeward Bound Adirondacks at the link below:
https://www.homewardboundadirondacks.org/?msclkid=c042c4e1c5b411ec9ffebd2c9e54ff35
If you are a combat Veteran and would like to join us at one of these events or know of a Veteran that would like to join us, please reach out to us via the contact page on the website.
We would love to hear from you.
Our first Purple Heart mission took place this past August 20th.
It started out with a wonderful breakfast compliments of the Zaloga American Legion Post in Albany after which we headed down to Washington's Headquarters and then to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor where Washington initiated the medal that later became the Purple Heart.
After that we took a scenic boat ride on the Hudson River and followed that with an exciting tour of West Point Military Academy and then a great dinner at the famous and historic Thayer Hotel.
The Veterans who took part in this event had a great time and were very appreciative.
For us, it was a huge honor to spend a day with such heroes.
We will be repeating this mission periodically so if you are a Purple Heart Recipient and would like to join us at one of these events or know of a Purple Heart Veteran that would like to join us, please reach out to us via the contact page on the website.
This event of course is free to all Purple Heart recipients who may be accompanied by a loved one also at no cost.
We would love to hear from you.
Our fall Honor Flight was documented by Stephen Revis of Channel 10 ABC News. On that flight among many Veterans, she meant were six Vietnam Veterans whom she interviewed for the following video that aired on Veterans Day. Click on the link below to view the segment:
Veterans Voices: The Vietnam War (news10.com)
Copyright © 2023 LHF Veterans Initiative INC. - All Rights Reserved.
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