Veteran Recovery & Disaster Relief

The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council was pleased to host Mr. David Wiseman, head of Armed Forces Programmes with the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, of the United Kingdom as a part of the U.S.  Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). Mr. Wiseman served in the British Forces in Afghanistan before being medically discharged, worked with Prince Harry to organize the 2014 summer Invictus games in London, captained the 2016 U.K. team in Orlando, and is the author of Helmand to the Himalayas. His IVLP program focused on veteran recovery and disaster relief.

Councilwoman Sherri Myers welcomed Mr. Wiseman to Pensacola and introduced him to the history of the city and the structure of its local government. She also discussed the close relationship the city has with area military bases and veterans; and at the end of the meeting, she surprised him with a certificate of honorary citizenship with the City of Pensacola from Mayor Ashton Hayward III.

Retired Brigadier General John Adams, president and founder of Guardian Six and president of Florida is for Veterans, Inc., met with Mr. Wiseman to discuss Florida’s status as the “most veteran-friendly state.” The two also discussed issues surrounding veteran transitions and how the process can be made easier and more successful.

Our new British friend also visited the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, a not-for-profit research institute that focuses on creating technologies to extend human capabilities. Dr. Sharon Heise showcased their work in developments for wounded soldiers and discussed their recent successes with exoskeletons to help people walk while Dr. Anil Raj and his colleague worked with Mr. Wiseman to demonstrate the use of sensors to give vision to the blind.

On the topic of disaster response and relief, Mr. Wiseman met with the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management and Escambia County Search and Rescue. With the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management, he and Division Manager John Dosh explored cooperation between government and the community in response to disasters by looking at Hurricane Ivan relief efforts and crisis planning. Michael Moring also shared the tools the division uses for emergency communications. At the non-profit and volunteer-run Escambia County Search and Rescue, Clint Retherford, Don Esty, Skip Bollens, B.J. Dunson, and Sean Noon wowed him as they explained their training requirements, the reverence for life displayed by their team, and how their division of labor into several commands helps with efficiency in times of crisis.

While in Pensacola, community members were fortunate enough to learn from Mr. Wiseman directly on several occasions. At the International Speaker Series he discussed “Moving Beyond Injury and Overcoming Adversity,” and he then spoke with Jeff Weeks, host of “Conversations with Jeff Weeks” on WSRE.

At the end of his stay, Mr. Wiseman dined with a group of Pensacola’s veterans and active-duty personnel at a local restaurant. Host Edwin “Ted” B. Howard facilitated this dinner and was also instrumental to the success of this IVLP project as he worked with our staff to develop the structure behind the local project.  (Thank you, Ted!)

This project was a team effort and would not have been possible without the efforts of local community members who contribute to citizen diplomacy efforts in so many ways. The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council thanks all of you, including Mabie the Escambia County Search and Rescue dog.  We also extend a hearty thanks to the friendly folk at Carmen’s Lunch Bar who brought a smile to our visitor’s face with their perfect cup of tea. Thank you, all, for your continued commitment and generosity.