East Coast Tour - Day 2

Thursday was an incredible day. The OEF/OIF/OND office at VA Medical Center Louisville brought the 4 managers of the program to discuss Able Forces and how we can work together.  They are very excited about the potential at Bluegrass Station and now the Help Desk potential at Ft. Knox.  They would also like to assist us with setting up a training center in cooperation with University of Louisville.

We had a wonderful visit at the Ft. Knox Warrior Transition Brigade.  They also are very impressed with our work on both the employment and training side.  They are willing to provide us free of charge classroom space to offer our job preparation training which is dearly needed by over 450 WW soldiers in this Brigade.  Met several WWs in the brigade including a Warrant Officer that's ready to go to Bluegrass.

Now packing up and getting ready for our 10AM visit to the WTU at Ft. Campbell before moving on to Nashville. 

East Coast Tour - Day 1

Great day Wednesday.  Started the morning with a meeting at Special Operations Command (Bluegrass Station) Lexington KY.  Met with a rep from NISH, 3 Lockheed Martin Program Managers, and the SOC Contracting Officer.  We're all working to bring Wounded Warriors to support SOC requirements.  They are all very enthusiastic about our opportunities to support the Command.  After discussing the work of Able Forces and the support we provide our Warriors, the contracting officer said, "I want you to understand this, I have never said this to any contractor but I would love to work for Able Forces!".  What a wonderful compliment on the work we do.

In the afternoon we met with Paul Green, OEF/OIF Advocate and Therapist at VA Medical Center Lexington.  He is establishing contacts with a number of Wounded Warrior care givers that will be very important in our support of upcoming contracts at Bluegrass and Ft. Knox (upcoming help desk support I'll talk about later).  He could not have been more supportive of our work and is very enthusiastic about our bringing a "very needed" WW training center to Lexington.

Now starting Day 2 and meeting a large group of WW Advocates at VA Medical Center Louisville, then traveling south to Ft. Knox for a meeting a the Warrior Transition Command, followed up by a meeting with L3-MPRI outside the gates of Ft. Knox.  Another busy day.

Able Forces Is Hitting The Road!

Skip and Kathy are so excited to be heading out on a week-long whirlwind tour or the East Coast.  As they travel through Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Geogia they'll be visiting Able Forces work sites, meeting with our donors, chatting with Able Forces employees, and speading the word about the great work Able Forces is doing.  Keep checking back over the next few days to read about their adventures. 

Able Forces Selected To Manage The National Veterans Center

Able Forces has been selected as the Managing Partner of the National Veterans Center in Washington DC.  Funded by a grant from the HSC Foundation and a part of the Foundation's National Youth Transitions Center, the National Veterans Center will occupy the 2nd story of a newly renvoated 7 story, $40 million Transitions Center.  The National Veterans Center will include a fully equipped training room that will have the flexibility to be configured in classroom style with desks and chairs, theater style with rows of chairs, and meeting style with a center table and chairs. Additionally, the Center will have a lounge area where veterans can informally meet to provide peer support and share networking opportunities.

During this first year, Able Forces fully expects to support several hundred veterans drawn from the DC Metro area seeking employment and who will benefit from our job preparation opportunities.  These young veterans will participate in a series of trainings and seminars that help them set goals, obtain necessary skills and enroll in college classes or obtain employment.  In particular, the Veterans Center will offer coursework, seminars, and training on (1)Employment Preparation, (2) Computer Operations, (3) Basic Software Usage, (4) Office Equipment, (5) Life Skills, (6) Getting into college, and (7) being a leader on campus.  The Student Veterans of America will assist Able Forces in it's college curricula preparation.

Able Forces Honored to Support Pinnacle 5

The Founders of Able Forces (Skip Rogers and Joe Cunningham) have been working with the former Sgt Major of the Army Jack Tilley (SMA) for the last 6 years and are members of the Board of Directors for his his non-profit organization; the American Freedom Foundation.   SMA Tilley has partnered with 4 recent Military branch NCO leaders like himself to form Pinnacle 5, a non-profit company focused on educating major corporations in their efforts to employ veterans.

They have produced a video that is being aired Nationally regarding their work and Able Forces is a featured non-profit organization highlighted in the video.  Able Forces is truly honored to be associated with these Military leaders.  Click  HERE to view the video.