The Mission Continues

"The Mission Continues is not a charity; it's a challenge."

--Christopher Marvin, 2007 Mission Continues Fellow, Hawai'i

The idea behind The Mission Continues was born on the streets of Fallujah and in the recovery wards of Bethesda Naval Hospital. In 2007, my friend Eric Greitens was wounded in Iraq, and returned home to find many of his fellow wounded eager to continue serving their country. Shortly after Eric's return, I visited with injured Marines recovering at Bethesda Naval Hospital. One of them said this: "I lost my legs. That's all. I did not lose my desire to serve, or my pride in being an American." Together, Eric and I founded a new kind of veterans organization.

The Mission Continues was built on the belief that our returning wounded should be recognized not only for the sacrifices they have made, but for everything they have left to give. We award fellowships to empower wounded and disabled veterans to serve in their communities. In doing so, we send the message: "We still need you." America owes these men and women a great deal, but as a nation, we have much left to learn from them. While injury may have changed the nature of their service, their mission continues, and it is as important as ever.

In empowering wounded veterans to continue their lives of service, we depend on the support of Americans everywhere. We have placed Fellows with community organizations throughout the country and are constantly looking to expand these opportunities. If you are interested in supporting a Mission Continues Fellow, please contact us.

We also believe that the best way to honor service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice is to live their beliefs. I encourage you to join us in service by leading a Veterans Tribute Project . In doing so, you will honor our fallen by continuing their mission of service.

Thank you for your interest in The Mission Continues. Every injured service member should have the opportunity to serve their country once again; for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, the greatest tribute we can offer is continuing their mission of service.

Together, we can make this possible.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Harbaugh, Executive Director