6 • MAY 24, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Valiant Air Command awarded prestigious tourism award
You Do Not Have To Be
For Veteran Voice The Valiant Air Command is honored to have been awarded the 2013 Solomon Portrait of Excellence Award. This award, presented during the annual Tourism Day Luncheon, Thursday, May 16, has been presented annually since 1994, and recognizes a person or an organization for their contributions to the tourism industry and economy of the Space Coast. Valiant Air
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became increasingly obvious that the classes might as well have been conducted in Mandarin. “They come through our PTSD classes, and don’t even speak the same language we do,” he said. “They have a totally different language than we do. Things we talk about, they don’t talk about.” Folks from the Military Officers Association of America recently met with the council to help it start a Points of Light Institute’s Community Blueprint. The council is working with the program to create local behavioral-health and reintegration assistance for younger, returning veterans. That’s where Rednour comes in. She speaks fluent millennial, and is married to a combat-wounded veteran, James Rednour. He served in the Army from 2000 until medical retirement in 2007. He was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq that left him with the current wars’ signature wound — traumatic brain injury. “He has a severe TBI,” Rednour said. “He has a titanium plate over three-fourths of his head.” And James has the common wound of all wars: PTSD. But Rednour also knows a fair amount about veterans from other eras. “My father is a Vietnam veteran,” she said. “Army. My grandfather was a World War II veteran. He just celebrated his 91st birthday. “My grandfather suffers from PTSD and manic depression.” Zickert said Rednour’s intimate contact with veterans of several generations made the council feel she was unusually qualified to promote its Community Blueprint programs and efforts. “We had to get somebody who has a clue,” he said. “Someone
Command Commander Lloyd Morris received the award and its beautifully crafted glass block trophy from chairman Jim Ridenour, who presented it on behalf of the Brevard Tourism Development Council. The Valiant Air Command was recognized for its 36-year history of excellence in preserving and presenting the heritage of American military aviation, highlight-
See AWARD page 7 “My father is a Vietnam veteran,” she said. “Army. My grandfather was a World War II veteran. He just celebrated his 91st birthday. “My grandfather suffers from PTSD and manic depression.” Zickert said Rednour’s intimate contact with veterans of several generations made the council feel she was unusually qualified to promote its Community Blueprint programs and efforts. who knows how to do all that stuff that makes us go, ‘Wow.’” Like, say, posting a picture on Twitter, driving traffic to a Facebook page, or evaluating mobile-phone apps. Communicating where and how younger veterans are. Rednour studied business management, dramatic arts and image development at college. In addition to her work with Community Blueprint, she does freelance image consulting and professional job interview coaching. “What I do full-time, I’m a caregiver for my husband,” she said. “I’m on call for him at all times.” James has memory problems that can cause episodes of severe anxiety. The couple has two children, Luke. 12, and Makaila, 3. The council is paying Rednour $2,000 a month for her services. To become blueprint community, one or more organizations have to complete a needs assessment to the Points of Light Institute, complete a survey and submit an agreement to implement solutions to at least two of eight listed items within a year. When done, the institute can provide help from the Veterans Leaders Corps, which operates through AmeriCorps.