From the Adjutant’s Desk
I’m conducting a study for Post interest in a program that I’ve learned about.
We’d be talking about a collaboration of some kind. My point of contact for these early ideas is Mike Miller, a member here in AZ.
He tells me that “There is a woodworking class called “Training the Hand”, offered by Rob Cosman. This is the paid version of the class. However, there is a program called “The Purple Heart Project” version of the class (no reference to the Purple Heart medal). Nicknamed the “PHP” for veteran scholarship attendees.
There are 14 slots available for each 6 day class. 7 slots for paying students and 7 slots are reserved for veterans who were selected to receive a scholarship for the class. Basically speaking, the PHP will cover the cost of travel, lodging, meals, class, and tools for approved veterans attending the PHP class. The veterans in class will receive approximately $4000 (USD) worth of high quality woodworking hand tools, which they get to bring home and call them their own. There is a child program of the PHP called “The Bench Brigade”. The bench brigade will select a volunteer located close to the veteran’s home. The volunteer will resource the required material to build a bench as per adopted plans and then deliver the completed bench to the veteran. Now, the veteran has attended the woodworking class and has gained fundamental knowledge of woodworking, received quality hand tools and how to use them, and have a woodworking bench built and delivered to them to continue their therapeutic journey in to woodworking.”
Mike was a veteran scholarship attendee (PHP class May/2023). So he knows first hand about this program.
This is one of Mike’s ways to try to “Be The One” to help fellow Veterans. If this project is something that has interest by members of your American Legion Post, please reply back to me, copying Mike at mikell.miller@outlook.com With enough interest we can start to look more closely at forming a collaboration that can help connect people to this training and other supports.
You can learn more about the program at: https://www.thepurpleheartproject.org
Also, visit Rob Cosman’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RobCosmancom to see what he is about and what he does.
The PHP in the USA is a 501c(3) program.
Blessings,
For God and Country,
Angel Juarez
Department Adjutant
