Memorial Day Day New Directions Color Guard Tribute to the Fallen Heroes at the 2nd Annual Walk for Warriors

New Directions Color Guard Memorial Day 2012
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New Directions Color Guard

The New Directions Color Guard is manned by US Veterans that are in the recovery program at New Directions.

These men are an exceptional representational cross section of the men and women that are helped daily by New Directions.

These men all have different, yet similar tragic stories of how they struggled with drugs or mental issues after their military service.

They are proud to be vets and are working hard to get their lives together with the help of New Directions, family and the friends they meet there.

Since I used to watch my father march in the Air Force and I myself marched in the Navy, I have been a sucker for watching the color guard. It is one of a few regrets that I have that I was not part of a color guard myself.

I always get such a feeling of pride and reverence whenever I watch a color guard go through their paces. I especially get emotional with the New Directions Color Guard because I know these guys have struggled so hard to get here and that reminds me that there is hope that the thousands of lost vets can find help.

I appreciate the guys giving me a minute to talk with them and that they were so open about their struggles. Thank you New Directions Color Guard- JW

Walk for Warriors

WEST LOS ANGELES, Calif. (May 14, 2012) – The West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and New Directions, Inc. are proud to partner again to announce the 2nd Annual Memorial Day Walk for Warriors on May 28, 2012. Walk for Warriors is a family-friendly 5K (3.1 mile) run/walk to help transitioning veterans in Los Angeles.

Walk for Warriors will help provide assistance for veterans through transitional housing, job training and placement, counseling, adult basic education classes and family reunification services. In addition to the race, Walk for Warriors will feature an Expo booth fair with food and local businesses as well as a performance by the award-winning New Directions Veterans Choir, a singing group comprised of formerly homeless veterans.

Participants can register, form a team and fund-raise by visiting www.walkforwarriors.org. Early registration is $35, and is available until Thursday, May 17. Walk for Warriors is a partnership of New Directions, Inc. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing comprehensive services to veterans in Los Angeles and the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

“The West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce is always ready to step up and help those who have served our country and sacrificed for our Freedom,” said Chamber President Ron Adams. “I had so much fun last year. I was ecstatic when we partnered with New Directions again with hopes of helping more veterans. “

Last year, nearly 600 people took part in the Walk for Warriors run/walk. Teams got sponsors from California and all over the United States and beyond via www.walkforwarriors.org.

New Directions

New Directions, a nonprofit transitional living program, has been helping the Los Angeles veteran community since 1992.

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), there are more than 8,000 homeless veterans on any given night in Los Angeles.

New Directions offers a wide variety of services including housing, substance abuse treatment, counseling, remedial education, job training and placement as well as family reunification and money management classes.

Why do we exist?

New Directions provides services, support and transitional housing to homeless veterans with co-occurring disorders. Essential services at New Directions’ five residential homes include drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation, mental health treatment, food, clothing, shelter, job training, and help with finding permanent housing. This nonprofit agency is unique because it was founded by formerly homeless Vietnam veterans, and has developed an effective “veterans helping veterans” model.

As women and men head home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are more and increasingly diverse vets in need of help. New Directions’ individualized care and treatment methods enable the agency to provide comprehensive, holistic services to veterans of all ages and backgrounds – both seasoned veterans and a new generation just now returning from combat.

What have you accomplished?

From its founding in 1992, New Directions’ history has been filled with reclaimed lives, rediscovered futures and re-imagined possibilities for more than 30,000 veterans who have faithfully and generously served our country.

Each year, New Directions extends help to some 600 veterans through residential substance abuse treatment programs, job training and placement, health assessment and emergency shelter services and a permanent housing placement program. Since beginning operations in an 8-person home, New Directions has grown into a major national model for rehabilitating and housing homeless veterans. Now with 5 facilities, 229 beds, and new permanent, supportive housing in development, New Directions makes a difference in the lives of individual veterans, and on the landscape of homelessness in Los Angeles.

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US Veteran and US Veteran Jobs on LinkedIn are groups formed to bring the US Veterans on LinkedIn together to share and find resources as well as job and employment placement help.

All Veterans are welcome as well as their families. We also allow recruiters and other veterant support groups join, that can help with jobs and other veteran resources.

On Purpose Magazine also has set aside an area devoted to US Veterans to share stories, resources, news and support for our US Veterans.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/US-Veteran-87020
On Purpose Magazine – US Veteran