About Us
The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center (pvmsec.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting our nation's honorably discharged veterans. Freedom and Honor programs is a program division of PVMSEC .
PVMSEC's mission is to provide employment, training, and related educational services to all honorably discharged Veterans. Also, to provide social and human services counseling and referrals to less fortunate Veterans experiencing barriers in finding their way back into the mainstream of society. To date, we have supported more than 60,000 veterans and are considered a center for excellence from traditional veterans services to homelessness and sexual assualt. The Freedom and Honor division offers a news model in transition services (combat stress/PTSD and reintegration) providing experiential leadership programs to all branches of the military active duty, reserve and guard.
BACKGROUND
Veterans today are facing ever-growing transition challenges due to lengthy and often numerous deployments. In addition to combat stress, readjustment issues could include changes in family roles, children born and grown during absence, and job changes/unemployment. Adding to the burden can be society’s view of the conflict as well as grief & loss, guilt, sensory overload, and little to no transition time complicating matters even more. If combat stress and reintegration issues go unattended, veterans can face a lifetime of problems in both their personal and professional lives. These issues create not only a large burden for the veteran and his/her family, but also among taxpayers, who pay the price for long term disability, unemployment, homelessness, incarceration, and suicide prevention efforts.
Studies conducted by The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research show that, among those veterans who were evaluated and determined to show signs of mental anguish, approximately 63% struggling with reintegration issues will NOT seek mental health assistance due to the stigma and career consequences. In addition, it has been well documented that active duty military readiness and retention is severely impacted by these concerns.
Freedom & Honor workshops integrate a peer-to-peer approach that helps individuals learn how to re-establish connections with their friends, families, occupations, and society as well as to reduce the impact of combat trauma. Freedom & Honor workshops are not mental health programs; but post-deployment training programs.
The program uses techniques in bioenergetics, emotional intelligence, and paradigm shift along with a well-crafted blend of history, legend, ritual and archetype. The program focuses on core issues without "talk therapy". The curriculum for Return to Honor builds on the following modalities:
- Cognitive training – Understanding combat stress and re-adjustment issues
- Experiential training – Personal & group empowerment work without talk therapy
- Emotional training – Trauma-releasing activities and emotional intelligence
To date, more than a dozen programs have been conducted with a 99% satisfaction rating by military men and women who represent all branches of service, including active duty, Reserve and Guard from 18 states and veterans who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gulf War and Vietnam; not including the 6400+ PA Guard whose Yellow Ribbon program is being support by the Freedom and Honor team.
Freedom and Honor Programs – Transition Warrior and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Support Since 2005 the Freedom and Honor team of combat vets and trainers have been supporting returning veterans and their families to work through combat stress and readjustment issues. With a 99% showing a 99% success rate, our team can support your efforts in a variety of ways, for example:- Assist in developing transition programs/events
- Additional training to mental health providers and transition teams
- Provide workshops and on-going support programs
- Develop and train “resiliency teams and transition leaders”
Offer educational trainings that assist active military personnel and veterans with combat stress & transition issues, enabling a better quality of life for them and their families.
Partner Organizations
About Military Personnel Services Corporation
Our motto; “it’s about people” is not just words, it’s a way of life. MPSC is equipped to provide solutions to complex problems in the areas of human resource and personnel management programs, budgeting and financial services, information technology services, and homeland security. Founded in March 1998 by Mr. John L. Jones, MPSC has grown to become a diverse company providing solutions through service to its clients. We provide corporations and government agencies highly experienced and quality associates to execute and deliver on their vision. Military Personnel Services Corporation is proud to partner with Freedom and Honor in delivering the Yellow Ribbon program for the Pennsylvania Nationial Guard.
After Deployment Transition Program
Formerly Known As Return to Honor; A Hands-on Retreat Designed by Vets for Vets No Rank, No Uniform, Free Meals & Lodging
Freedom and Honor is an organization dedicated to the lives of those who serve our nation, their families and the organizations that support them. Our focus is providing transition support, leadership and education to facilitate healthy and productive lives, whether active duty or civilian. Freedom and Honor values the leadership and understands the courage of returning veterans in transition and offers a safe, confidential peer-to-peer, hands-on approach through a variety of workshops and trainings. THESE ARE NOT MENTAL HEALTH programs but facilitated trainings.
Advisory Board
- Major General William Terpeluk, ARMY (ret)
- Brigider General Ralph Pasini, USAF (ret.)
- Major General Wesley Craig, (ret.) PA National Guard
- Brigadier General William Colvin, (ret.) PA National Guard
- Dr. Harold Kudler, VA VISN 6, Duke University
- Kenneth Elsom, Jr., Business Strategist & Consultant
- Allan Roberts, Marines (veteran), President B2G Alliance
- Russell Schulz, Navy Captain (ret.), VP Freedoms Foundation
- Pat Peterson, Navy Captain (ret.), VP Strategic Marketing, Inc.
- Richard Larson, President, Associated Veterans LLC (SDVOB)
- James Paton, USCG Warrant Officer (ret.)
- Dr. William Carter, CEO Hemispherx BioPharma
- Major Davina French, ND National Guard, Reintegration Officer
- Richard Barham, USAF, Combat Military Therapist
Staff and Facilitators
(brief bios to be added shortly)
- Martin Richardson
- Nancy McGrory Richardson
- Turpin Mott
- Walt Stewart
- Brenna Wheatley
- Angel Fernandez
- Kenny Carnes
- James Paton
- Bruce Gold
- Rich Barham
- Connie Whalen
- Tyrone Beach
- and many others
Designers of Freedom and Honor
Martin Richardson (martin@freedomandhonor.org)
Lead Facilitator, Curriculum Designer and Program Director
Martin Richardson is the program director for the Freedom and Honor Transition Team as well as program coordinator for the Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program at the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center in Philadelphia. Mr. Richardson was one of the founders and designers of the Freedom and Honor combat transition programs which began in 2005 to provide experiential trainings to assist those with combat stress (PTSD) and reintegration issues. Through 2009 and early 2010, Mr. Richardson lead the team to support the Pennsylvania National Guard Yellow Ribbon programs to more than 6000 returning troops covering topics such as honor, grief, suicide and substance abuse as well as interpersonal communications.
Mr. Richardson is a certified hypnotherapist and an international facilitator. He is an expert in emotional literacy and is one of an elite group of approved facilitators for Folsom Prison in understanding the effects of violent behavior and trauma. Martin has worked throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and is experienced in a variety of modalities including NeuroLinguistic Programming, Voice Dialogue, Group Dyad, Bioenergetics, and Race/Gender issues. He completed studies at the Alchemy Institute of Santa Rosa, CA and Langside College in Scotland. His father and mother both served in World War II.
Nancy McGrory Richardson (nancy@freedomandhonor.org)
Facilitator and Market Development Director
Nancy has more than 25 years in communication program design and implementation covering a broad range of issues and audiences. She is an expert in Risk Communication and has done work in Education and Patient Advocacy covering Chemical and Environmental Exposures, Cancer MCS, Chronic Fatigue and, now PTSD. Her facilitation expertise includes coaching and personal empowerment training in paradigm shift and breakthrough thinking technology. Her non-profit experience includes family, health and social welfare issues. She received her BA in Communications from Shippensburg University and continued graduate studies at Drexel University. Working under General William Hilsman (ret.) was a key team member in the campaign for the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Her father served in the Navy Reserves, her brother retired from the US Coast Guard as a warrant office and saw combat in Grenada and her nephew is at the US Naval Academy.
Turpin Mott
United States Marine Corps Veteran; Curriculum Designer and Facilitator
Turpin Mott is the president and owner of an executive coaching and training business in Seattle, WA.Turpin served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm and received the Schmidt Award, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Ribbon, National Defense Medal, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Defense Medals. Formerly he has held the position of market team leader and core management team leader for a telecommunications firm. He is a certified co-leader of a international men's personal empowerment and leadership program. He attended Louisiana State University.
Richard Barham
Master Sergeant Air Force Reserves Therapist for Military Personnel and Families; Curriculum Designer and Advisory Board
As a reservist, Rich is currently working for the VA Suicide Hotline. Rich has served more than 18 years in the military. In 2008 he served in Iraq working with the trauma units. Prior to Iraq, he served a tour of duty in Afghanistan where he managed counselors on the front line. For this service he received the Armed Forces Reserve Medal as Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the Mental Health Field for the US Air Force Reserve. Rich served in Vietnam and was part of Operation Baby Lift for the US Air Force. He is a trained expert in PTSD with a broad based background in bio-energetics work. He is a trainer in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and alcohol abuse counseling as well as a former trainer and participant in the Bamboo Bridge, a program specifically designed for Vietnam Vets. Rich holds a BS, MS and is currently pursuing his Doctorate at Richardson University. Rich has been awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Reserve Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit, National Defense Ribbon with Stars, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Global War on Terrorism Ribbon and Armed Forces Reserve Medal for Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the Mental Health Field for the US Air Force Reserve