Honoring and Empowering Wounded Warriors

Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

This past Monday, June 27 2011, I was honored with the Champion of Change Award, allowing me to join with other Veterans and White House Officals to discuss changes we can make to help injured veterans and their families in jobs, education, and health care.

As an injured service member I know first hand the challenges injured veterans and their families face everyday. I am one of the 26 Founders of the Wounded Warrior Project. Our mission is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. We are a non-profit organation helping not only the injured veteran but their families as well. The greatest casualty is being forgotten!

I am also the Vice President of NEIE Medical Waste. We are a service disabled veterans owned business. We strive to help injured veterans by employing them so they can move on and be productive in life. We handle disposal of medical waste in a safe way so to keep our enviroment clean and safe.

I have also been honored with an endowment being put in my name at the University of Pittsburgh. The intent is to offer scholarships opportunities to injured military veterans, surviving spouses or children. Hopefully to start paying out no later than August 2012. The endowment initial raise is $10,000 the goal is to exceed this with a long term of $1 million within 20 years.

Did I mention that I was blinded from my injury? My hopes are to teach people to see from their hearts; there are many people that can see but are blind.
 
Learn  more about the Wounded Warrior Project.

Jeremy decided to pursue his lifelong dream of joining the military, and became an Army Ranger with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Iraq. While serving at the Haditha Dam, Jeremy was blinded from an injury.