Washington, D.C. (May 24, 2013) – Give an Hour™ (www.giveanhour.org), a national nonprofit organization that provides no-cost mental health services to active duty military, Post 9/11 veterans and their loved ones, has named Colonel David W. Sutherland and Military Connection CEO Debbie Gregory as this year’s recipients of the “Commitment to Service” award. The awards will be presented on June 2, 2013, at a benefit concert at B.B. King Blues Club in Times Square, New York, hosted by Give an Hour.

The concert, titled “A Celebration of Service: Honoring Our Military Men and Women and Those Who Serve Them” will feature Little Big Band, featuring Mark Rivera, long-time member of The Billy Joel Band and Ringo Starr’s Music Director, and American Idol winner Kris Allen. Additional performers include: accomplished country musician Danielle Peck; actress, singer and social activistGloria Reuben; up-and-coming indie rock band The Secret State, which counts three veterans among its band members; and alternative funk rock musician, The 9th.

“These events over June 2-3, 2013, will bring together colleagues from the military, government, corporate, educational, and nonprofit worlds to focus on service and train the next generation of mental health professionals while encouraging voluntarism, engaging communities, and creating awareness of the need for critical mental health services,” notes Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour. “We are excited to celebrate our good work and to honor those who serve, in uniform and out.”

Debbie Gregory stated “I have always considered it a privilege to serve our nations heroes, those who step up to keep us safe. Each of us owes them a debt of gratitude. Give an Hour is an extraordinary organization that makes a positive difference in the lives of those who serve and their families.” Gregory added, “I am honored to receive this prestigious accolade.”

Concert tickets range from $25-$300 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster at:http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00004AA2DC18F73F?brand=bbkingblues&camefrom=cfc_bbking_website

About Colonel Dave Sunderland
Admiral Michael Mullen, 17th Chairman of the Joints Chiefs stated that “Dave Sutherland has defined the American model of excellence for the successful reintegration of our veterans and military families. From his tireless work in the Pentagon to the emergence of Dixon Center, Sutherland inspires and encourages all of us to break down the silos and never forget to put the veterans and their needs first. His vision for collaboration and consolidation will greatly help our country drive the systemic changes that our brave veterans and their families deserve.” Following 29 years of military service, Colonel Sutherland now serves as the Chairman for the Center for Military and Veterans Community Services (Dixon Center) and actively contributes to numerous national veteran and military family committees and boards.
To learn more visit www.sutherlandpartnership.com.

About Debbie Gregory
Debbie Gregory is CEO of Military Connection and founder of Veteran and Military Business Owners Association (VAMBOA). Through her website, MilitaryConnection.com Ms. Gregory advocates for honoring and hiring Veterans. Military Connection is known as The Go To Site for all things military and Veteran. Debbie utilizes the significant reach of Military Connection to assist non-profits, associations and government agencies that are serving the military and veteran communities and also facilities win/win partnerships between corporations and these organizations. Ms. Gregory serves on California’s Interagency Council for Veterans and is an officer of the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation and a member of the California Collaborative. Ms. Gregory’s father served in the military with seven of his brothers, and died in a VA hospital.
To learn more go to www.militaryconnection.com.

About Give an Hour™
Give an Hour is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of military personnel, their families, and the communities affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, Give an Hour has nearly 7,000 providers across the nation—in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam—with more volunteer mental health professionals joining its network every day. In addition to counseling, providers also consult to schools, first responders, employers, and community organizations. Give an Hour has already provided over 82,000 hours of no-cost service, valued at more than $8.2 million.
To learn more, visit www.giveanhour.org or connected.giveanhour.org.