Another New Military and Veterans Affairs Group

I lost count how many "new" groups have started in the last ten years. This one does have an impressive group going for it. Wish them luck but above all, pray they get the job done.

FleishmanHillard Announces New Military and Veterans Affairs Group
By FleishmanHillard
Published: Thursday, Jun. 13, 2013

ST. LOUIS, June 13, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- FleishmanHillard (FH), a global public relations and integrated marketing communications firm, has announced the formation of the military and veterans affairs group. Based in the firm's Washington, D.C., office, the group was formed in response to increasing demands from both government and private organizations struggling to create successful outreach programs to address many of the issues affecting our nation's military members and their families after more than 11 years of sustained conflict.

Counselors in the group have worked with the federal government, nonprofit and corporate organizations to design and implement programs to support and educate veterans, military members and military families on a variety of topics. Members of the group are also veterans, military dependents, military family members, former military civilian employees and overall supporters of those who serve. They have served on site at the Pentagon, Department of Veterans Affairs and a variety of military installations, and are intimately familiar with the complex network of programs and organizations providing support for this important group of Americans. The group works with clients in areas such as public affairs, external outreach, community relations, consumer education, veterans affairs, military health, social media and crisis communications.

"As a firm founded by a retired Army Air Corps public information officer and a Navy lieutenant more than 65 years ago, FleishmanHillard has a long, storied connection to our nation's military institutions and our veterans," said Martha Boudreau, president of FleishmanHillard's Mid-Atlantic and Latin America regions. "Our work with the military and on behalf of the military, particularly over the past 12 years, has given us the insight to counsel the military and the many organizations who would like to support them."

In May, the firm announced that former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta was joining FleishmanHillard's International Advisory Board (IAB), which currently includes national defense experts Adm. Vernon Clark, USN (Ret.) and Gen. Barry McCaffrey, USA (Ret.). Unlike many other industry boards, the IAB provides direct-to-client counsel on a wide range of disciplines, industries and audiences.

Social Media/Crisis
Brandon Friedman, Vice President
Friedman joined FleishmanHillard in 2012 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he launched and managed the first office of online communications inside America's second-largest federal agency. As an experienced manager of social media and crisis communications, Brandon oversaw execution of a digital strategy for a department with over 300,000 employees servicing 8 million enrolled veterans. He is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and his memoir, The War I Always Wanted, was named by The Military Times in 2010 as one of "The Best Military Books of the Decade." Brandon is a frequent media commentator on veterans issues and a regular contributor to TIME.
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