Adam Armstrong Veterans Day Feature
“Five years ago, we gathered for the first time, most of us anxious, not sure how it would turn out - all cognizant of a new enemy: death by suicide. It was something we needed to face head-on together. There have been no suicides since, and yet here you are again because you know the lifeblood of what a company is. Because of your love for the guy sitting to your right and to your left.”
- Colonel Adam Armstrong
As Veterans Day approaches, The Independence Fund recognizes the incredible sacrifices made by everyday people-turned heroes. When someone makes the commitment to serve their country, they commit to sacrificing in the name of freedom for their fellow Americans, most of whom they will never know personally.
Colonel Adam Armstrong is one of these brave heroes who served as a member of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division - the first unit to participate in The Independence Fund’s Operation Resilience program.
Adam has attended both of 2-508’s OpRes retreats seeking healing for himself, and his men. Since 2005, Armstrong has commanded multiple units at various levels in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he has deployed over 15 times.
Adam’s company fought through the Taliban’s concentric belts of homemade Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), Soviet-era anti-tank and personnel mines for 12 long months. Suffering so many wounded-in-action that over 60% of the roughly 140 paratroopers assigned to the company received Purple Hearts.
Upon returning home, Adam and his unit lost several brothers to Veteran Suicide. This June, Adam spoke at the welcome dinner for B Co. 2-508 as nearly 100 members reunited for the second time through OpRes.
Your Support Matters
Honor a hero this Veterans Day by helping more leaders like Adam bring their units back together to fight Veteran suicide.
A single OpRes retreat can cost upward of $100,000, but the unit attends at no-cost thanks to generous donors and sponsors. A single donation can go a long way toward improving the life of a deserving Veteran.
