Wounded Nature Working Veterans Poised to Launch Aggressive Environmental Effort

Organization Selling Vessel’s Naming Rights

A new organization is launching an effort to tackle two of America’s greatest challenges – helping wounded veterans re-enter the workforce and stemming the tidal wave of plastic entering the Atlantic Ocean. Wounded Nature – Working Veterans, a non-profit organization, wants to be on the front lines of both battles. “This is an ambitious project that promises to benefit a lot of men and women who proudly served our nation,” said Rudy Socha, Wounded Nature’s president and CEO. “At the same time, these former soldiers will be the boots on the ground along our eastern shores. They will be assimilating into civilian life while performing a vital environmental mission.”

Many veterans are currently completing therapies and rehabilitation, attempting to enter the civilian workforce. Yet many are ending up on permanent disability. According to government estimates, that costs taxpayers more than two million dollars over the lifetime of each individual on permanent disability. Socha believes his organization can help lead veterans to a more prosperous future. “Wounded Nature-Working Veterans will expose these people to a number of disciplines which will aid in their recovery and help them transition to a future career path.”

Along the way, these veterans will be filling a void in a critical fight to protect our natural resources. Recent studies indicate that the Atlantic Garbage Patch may exceed the size and volume of the infamous Pacific Garbage Patch. However, the Atlantic situation is more sinister due to particle size. Plastics on the East Coast have broken down into particles 0.3 grams or smaller, making them easier for a myriad of marine creatures to consume. “This pipeline of plastic to the sea begins on rural beaches and in estuaries,” said Socha. “Nature breaks it into smaller pieces where it moves out to sea. We can get to these areas that lack government cleanup funds and stop the big pieces from transitioning to tiny pieces that kill wildlife.”

Socha says that Wounded Nature-Working Veterans will welcome a minimum of three prequalified veterans to work for the organization every 30 days. “We will have a minimum of nine veterans working in a staggered 90 day rotation throughout the year,” Socha said. “At the end of their 90-day employment period, the veterans will leave with a letter of recommendation listing their civilian work experiences and acquired skills.” Along the way, each veteran will have also completed their therapy and rehabilitation programs.

Each “tour of duty” will begin on a live-aboard ship that will be stationed offshore adjacent to the area targeted for cleanup. >From this mobile base of operations, workers and supplies can be ferried back and forth via small landing craft. “The ship will also create public awareness to both the needs of wounded veterans and the marine plastic crisis we will be fighting,” Socha said. “We will also deliver educational programs targeting youth who represent our environmental future. We hope to reach students through group tours, social media platforms and traditional media involvement. If we are successful, our corps of volunteers will grow exponentially.”

Right now Wounded Nature-Working Veterans is seeking some “big-gun” supporters. “While we’re looking for financial support at all levels, what we really need right now is an individual or corporate sponsor to see and fully appreciate the value of backing our mission at the highest level,” Socha said.

Naming rights for the organization’s ship are being offered from now until Christmas Day. Wounded Nature – Working Veterans hopes someone will be willing to devote five million dollars for the honor to give a unique and expensive gift this year. “The price tag sounds rather large, but compared to the impact that Wounded Nature-Working Veterans will have in the future, someone is getting a bargain knowing they will have a tremendous impact on the environment and the lives of these deserving service men and women,” Socha said.

Wounded Nature – Working Veterans is a non-profit entity cleaning up rural beaches and estuaries on the East Coast. Wounded veterans who have completed their rehabilitation are utilized as clean-up workers for 90 days providing them with their first civilian paycheck and transition into the workforce.
http://woundednature.org/