About Us
As one of America’s foremost veterans service organizations, AMVETS (or American Veterans) has a proud history of assisting veterans and sponsoring numerous programs that serve our country and its citizens. The helping hand that AMVETS extends to veterans and their families takes many forms.
One of the most visible is our network of trained national service officers (NSOs) accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Funded by the AMVETS National Service Foundation, these dedicated men and women can be found in close to 40 states, providing sound advice and prompt action on compensation claims at no charge to the veteran.As a volunteer-led organization, we annually elect and/or appoint officers at the national, district, department and post levels. Each August, representatives from these levels attend the AMVETS national convention to make decisions on issues affecting veterans and the organization.
Over the years, AMVETS has been in the forefront of public-policy related to national defense, services for homeless veterans, adequate funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, concurrent receipt of retirement pay and disability compensation by disabled military retirees, veterans employment and training, POW/MIA accountability and flag protection.In addition to the work of our national service officers, other AMVETS members, as well as those in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, will devote as many as 250,000 hours of free time a year to brighten the lives of hospitalized veterans. Here, something as simple as playing cards with the lonely or watching television with the disabled can make a world of difference.
As the organization moves further into the 21st century, it does so with the conviction that its focus on preserving freedom, supporting America’s defenders and serving her communities remains a clear blueprint for continued service to God and country.To date,the Freedom and Honor warrior transition team has supported more than 60,000 veterans The Freedom and Honor Warrior Transition programs offer a sustainable 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.
Freedom and Honor Team
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.
Angel Fernandez, Veteran ARMY and Navy; Trainer
Angel Fernandez, Combat Veteran (Navy/Army) with 7 deployments – Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Afghanistan 2001, Iraq 2003, 2004 and 2005 plus two foreign drug interdiction duties. Angel is a senior staff member of Freedom and Honor since 2006 (He was a participant in the first pilot program called Return to Honor). He is responsible for training segments, multi-media and Veteran benefits. Angel was a key member of the team for the Pennsylvania National Guard Yellow Ribbon program 2009-2010. Angel is owner of ElevenCharlie, gun training operation for law enforcement, military and civilians. As a trainer in the military he taught law enforcement, anti-terrorism and tactical weapons. Angel endured both physical and the mental impacts of combat. He is service connected for PTSD. Angel is married with one son currently serving in the Marines and two younger boys at home.

Lead Facilitator, Curriculum Designer and Program Director
Martin Richardson, son of two world war vets, 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.
Nancy McGrory Richardson (nancy@freedomandhonor.org)
Facilitator and Market Development Director & Curriculum Designer
Nancy has more than 25 years in communication program design and implementation covering a broad range of issues and audiences. Her father served in the Navy Reserves, her brother retired from the US Coast Guard as a warrant office and had several tours of duty with the NAVY and her nephew is currently a US Marine serving in Afghanistan. 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.
- Bruce Gold
- Judy Elbring
- Walt Stewart
- Brenna Wheatley
- Angel Fernandez
- Bonnie Bahatti
- James Paton
- Connie Whalen
- Tyrone Beach
- Veterans who have participated are encouraged to staff future programs
Advisory Board
- Major General William Terpeluk, ARMY (ret)
- Brigider General Ralph Pasini, USAF (ret.)
- Major General Wesley Craig, Adjudant General, PA National Guard
- Brigadier General William Colvin, (ret.) PA National Guard
- Dr. Harold Kudler, VA VISN 6, Duke University
- 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)
- Dr. William Carter, CEO Hemispherx BioPharma
- Major Davina French, ND National Guard, Reintegration Officer
PARTNERS
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.
