UPCOMING OSM EVENT
MEMORIAL DAY 2023
On Memorial Day there will be a Parade beginning at 9:30am in Etna, which will wind through Sharpsburg. The starting point for the Parade will be near the Etna Municipal Building in Etna, 437 Butler Street Pittsburgh PA 15223.
Following the Parade on Memorial Day there will be a service to honor our deceased veterans at Greenwood Cemetery at approximately 11am.
Tom Stokes will be speaking and directing the ceremonies.
Operation Strong Mind applies Combat and Operational Stress Control (COSC) principles and techniques, which have been proven effective in military theaters of operation, to the civilian setting in a comprehensive, holistic approach.
This approach includes developing community partnerships to the benefit of the military community and providing proactive, preventative forward engagement with flexibility and mobility. We like to think of ourselves as the “Special Ops” of behavioral health.
EVENT DESCRIPTION
Community Outreach
We engage key individuals and organizations to be additional eyes and ears. We provide extensive, in-depth knowledge of contemporary military culture, the challenges faced by the military community, and strategies for how OSM partners can do their part to aid the military community in overcoming these challenges.
Military Experience
The Military Experience is an engaging and interactive group experience conducted in veteran-friendly locations for members of the military community. OSM staff gently facilitates this series of meetings to lead participants through the process of developing increased self-awareness of the change that has taken place within them so that they can use that change for their own benefit as well as that of the larger military-civilian community.
Counseling
Military service, on top of everything else, is stressful. We get it, and we’re here for you. We provide formal therapy for current and former military members and their families in a culturally relevant, proactive, and strengths-based manner. We emphasize the positive change that members of the military community undergo as a result of military service. Together we craft a course of action to maximize functioning in their social and cultural context.
Resources
We strive to provide timely, relevant, and useful information to members of the military and civilian communities through our website. We identify and vet veteran-friendly businesses, promote local events concerning the military community, and provide links to resources and behavioral health related material, to name a few.
FreeX
Members of the military community are familiar with retail outlets called a Post Exchange (PX) or a Base Exchange (BX) located on military bases. We offer a Free-X to promote interaction between members of the military and civilian communities in an informal setting. This is an organic opportunity for civilians and members of the military community to partner and offer for free donated items that are of interest to military members and their families.
Training
Our Forward Engagement Teams venture out into the community to get to know people on a personal level, laying the foundation for a relationship based on trust. We provide introductory knowledge of how to translate effectively the resiliency, leadership, and self-sufficiency gained in military service to civilian life and open the door to our more in-depth educational programs such as The Military Experience. Walkabouts also provide the opportunity for interested civilians to gain knowledge of contemporary military culture.