Valor Outreach Program Connecting with Those Who Sacrifice and Serve

VALOR OUTREACH PROGRAM

“The stories highlighting our honored military members brought tears to my eyes as I hear them and am grateful for those who serve at great cost to preserve our freedoms. It was our privilege to host CMOHS.”

It would seem fair that those who have shown great courage in combat should rest after their service is complete. But this is not always the case.

For many Medal of Honor Recipients, the presentation ceremony at the White House is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a new chapter in which they will give back to others by sharing their time, experiences and unique insights on character, leadership, patriotism, integrity, resiliency, and adjustment to civilian life. Recipients, among the humblest warriors, often remark that they wear the Medal on behalf of those who were lost and those whose freedom was secured by their sacrifice.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor, Recipients strongly believe they have a platform that enables them to connect with communities nationwide and, through that platform, help fellow veterans and others with challenges that affect wellness and resiliency. In doing so, it increases the public’s awareness of those challenges. These opportunities are often made possible through the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Valor Outreach Program, which helps to facilitate virtual and live interactions between Medal of Honor Recipients and civilian, military and youth groups. They come at the opportunity, not as clinicians, as ones who have lived fear, horror and loss--just as their fellow veterans who have “shared the same foxhole.”

Recent events have included visits to long-term care facilities for veterans in Massachusetts, joining the Atlanta United Football Club for its Stars, Stripes & Soccer Cup, visits to high schools, and a virtual meeting with Wells Fargo’s Veterans Connection employee group.

Along with providing a way for Medal of Honor Recipients to give back, these events help the Society fulfill its mission to g

promote the legacy of the Medal of Honor and the values for which it stands: Courage, Integrity, Commitment, Sacrifice, Citizenship and Patriotism. Character traits that Americans thirst for in an era with many national and global challenges.

Medal of Honor Recipient Florent Groberg is one example of a Recipient who has embraced the opportunity to translate his experiences into meaningful words that make an impact on audiences.

In a Veterans Outreach Program held jointly with the Fisher House Foundation about supporting mental health in the military community, he spoke from the heart about his own experiences following his time in service.

Floberg had been hospitalized for about two years at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following his actions taking down a suicide bomber to protect his unit in Afghanistan which resulted in 50 percent of his lower calf and his hearing in his one ear. He also suffered a severe concussion from the blast.

During the online seminar he commented, “I always say this— al-Qaida, Taliban—anyone that has ever fought was as strong or as deadly as my own mental demons.”

Other types of Valor Outreach Program events in which Recipient Floberg and his fellow Recipients have participated include leadership and professional development sessions, panel discussions and team building exercises. Invitations are extended by academic institutions, corporations, veterans' groups, nonprofit organizations and more.

To explore the possibilities of connecting with Medal of Honor Recipients, all are welcome to contact the Congressional Medal of Honor Office directly through its website. Visit cmohs.org to learn more.