A call to help those who served

Lewis Jordan and Chief Hurley
Gratitude America

Suanne Z. Thamm

On July 18, about 30 community stakeholders responded to Fernandina Beach Police Chief James Hurley’s invitation to hear from Lewis Jordan, CEO of GraditudeAmerica as he outlined his vision for establishing Fernandina Beach/Amelia Island/Nassau County as a model community in support of our military personnel.

Like many Americans, Lewis Jordan is determined to give back to his country, especially since retiring recently from a successful career in the airline industry.  Jordan, of Fernandina Beach, the co-founder and former chairman of AirTran Airways, recently shared his vision of focusing on better connecting, coordinating and collaborating with community-based services and grassroots support for military service members, veterans, their families and families of the fallen from a local, regional and national perspective.

Lewis Jordon

His nonprofit organization, GratitudeAmerica, recently got a giant kick-start with the announcement that Easter Seals will team with Jordan, and Colonel David W. Sutherland (United States Army, Retired), who formerly reported directly to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Former Senator Bob Dole is the Honorary Chairman of GratitudeAmerica.

GratitudeAmerica believes that the one percent of our population who have served our nation in war are owed a debt we can never fully repay.  Our soldiers have returned from Iraq, and are returning home from Afghanistan, with various injuries that are compounded by a sense of isolation. Most Americans want to help, but often don't know how. These military heroes face unemployment, families that are not always intact, and communities wanting to meet their immediate and long-term needs. The numbers are alarming:

• To date, there are 47,740 wounded military from Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts

• Eleven to 20 percent of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan and 30 percent of Vietnam-era veterans live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• In just over 10 years, nearly 250,000 soldiers have been diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury

• An estimated 18 veterans commit suicide every day; 2,293 U.S. military have committed suicide since 2001

• Twenty-seven percent of troops returning from Iraq/Afghanistan abuse alcohol

• One-fifth of the homeless population is veterans – 107,000 on a given night

• The divorce rate for military families increased by 38 percent from 2001 to 2010

• In 2011, the unemployment rate for Gulf War era veterans rose to 12.1 percent; for women, it's 12.4 percent

Jordan discovered that there are 40,000 organizations in the United States competing with each other in helping veterans and their families.  Often the work of these organizations is duplicative of other efforts and does not reach its target audience because of communications and/or collaboration difficulties.  His goal is to establish a clearinghouse for veterans’ services so that it will be easier for veterans and their families to discover the many outreach services available to them nationally and in their own community.

He hopes to establish community-based outposts for GratitudeAmerica that will more easily reach those who both need and deserve help in their return to civilian life.  He believes that if the Fernandina Beach/Amelia Island/Nassau County community would agree to help pilot this venture, it could serve as a model for other communities.

Jordan’s audience applauded his goals and efforts to date.  If you are interested in learning more about GratitudeAmerica or if you would like to get involved with local efforts, you may contact Mr. Jordan at his office (904-432-8990) or via email at lewisjordan@gratitudeamerica.org.

July 23, 2012 9:40 a.m.