Tuesday Feature: America’s Mighty Warriors and Debbie Lee

How it Started:  America’s Mighty Warriors was started in response to Marc’s amazing last letter home.  The full letter is on the AMW website, but the last line Marc wrote said, “to my family and friends, pass on the kindness, the love, the precious gift of human life.” Debbie says, “I had no choice the news that was given to me on Aug 2, 2006, but I did have a choice how I responded. I do know who pays the price for my freedoms, and I chose to put on Marc’s boots and pick up his weapon and stay in the fight for our troops and the families of the fallen.”

The Growth of AMW:  AMW has grown slowly since 2006, with the most rapid growth occurring over the last two and a half years. In that time, AMW has successfully conducted three Gold Star retreats, opened the Heroes Hope Home for extended Gold Star Families, participated in hundreds of events nationwide, provided funding for treatments for service members and vets, and built a reputation as an effective and trustworthy non-profit.  The organization has uniquely assisted thousands of families.  Debbie has been called on more than 2,000 times (since AMW’s inception) for comment by major media networks and has become a reliable subject matter expert regarding the needs of the troops and Gold Star families.The Programs offered by AMW:  Debbie travels constantly, advocating for the troops and creating awareness of their needs. In keeping with the challenge Marc Lee issued in his last letter home to “pass on the love, the kindness, the precious gift of human life,” AMW also conducts Random Acts of Kindness for service members and their families. Currently, AMW has two major programs, Gold Star Respite and a new program called Got HBOT?.

The Gold Star Respite Program funds respite for families of the fallen at the Heroes Hope Home in Arizona, and provides families access to retreats through out the year.  The program has helped hundreds of Gold Star families connect, grieve and build resiliency in a positive and helpful atmosphere.

The GotHBOT? Program addresses the needs of thousands of military families challenged by Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). The program funds the use of an evidence-based Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) protocol that has been helping hundreds of service members heal.  Since these helpful treatments are expensive and not covered by the VA or insurance, AMW creates awareness and finds the funds so that members and their families are able get their lives back despite combat-related TBI’s.

AMW Funding:  AMW seeks funding from private donors, strategic partners and corporate sponsors to support and expand the existing programs in order to help more families.  Funding will be used to add additional resources, improve evaluation practices, create online educational tools, and provide access to HBOT.