Jermaine Husser: Palmetto Warrior Connection / Recognizing our Veterans

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November 10, 2015 – Our keynote speaker this week was Jermaine Husser, Executive Director of Palmetto Warrior Connection.  As most of you know, Jermaine is a past-president of this Club and he is also a veteran.

Palmetto Warrior Connection’s mission is to empower the veteran and their family by utilizing collaboration, advocacy and education to promote relentless quality care.  The values of Palmetto Warrior Connection include fierce commitment to care for the veteran and their family, respect, integrity, diversity, inclusion, outreach, engagement, and an adaptable and resilient organization.  The vision of Palmetto Warrior Connection is to cultivate a community of self-sustaining warriors.  Essentially, Palmetto Warrior Connection is the first stop for veterans determining the correct path to ensure the veterans receive the services and opportunities that will help them achieve their goals, including housing, education, employment, benefits, and mental health.

Jermaine shared with us the growth of Palmetto Warrior Connection as well as the organization’s impact on the local veteran community.  Specifically, the organization has either obtained certain goals regarding education, homelessness, unemployment, benefits and healthcare or is very close to meet such goals.  Currently, more than ninety (90%) percent of the veterans working with Palmetto Warrior Connection are on track to receive a degree.  Most of these veterans have utilized the GI Bill to help them obtain such degrees.  Approximately ninety-three (93%) percent of the veterans engaged with Palmetto Warrior Connection have moved to permanent housing.  Jermaine believes that the goal of having one hundred (100%) percent of the veterans engaged with Palmetto Warrior Connection being moved to permanent housing is obtainable and hopes to reach that goal very soon.

There are approximately 323 veterans engaged with Palmetto Warrior Connection that are currently unemployed.  Jermaine and the rest of the Palmetto Warrior Connection staff are working diligently to help these veterans find continuous employment.  On a positive note, Jermaine shared a story about a veteran who began working with a construction company and, through the veteran’s hard work and dedication, the veteran is now a site supervisor with Boeing.  Moreover, the veteran routinely works with Palmetto Warrior Connection in seeking to hire other veterans for various positions within Boeing.  This is a great example of the positive impact that Palmetto Warrior Connection has had on the local veteran community in the short period of time the organization has been in existence.

As for assisting veterans in finding educational opportunities, Palmetto Warrior Connection works closely with several education partners, such as Charleston Southern University, Trident Technical College, the College of Charleston and other local educational institutions.

Jermaine recognized that the Veteran Affairs (VA) healthcare system has challenges and that there have been several negative reports regarding the VA health system.  Despite the challenges facing the VA, Jermaine stated that currently eighty-three (83%) percent of the veterans engaged with Palmetto Warrior Connection are receiving health care from the local VA.  In fact, Jermaine believes that Charleston has one of the best VA health systems in the country.

Over the past six (6) months, Palmetto Warrior Connection was received approximately Forty Thousand ($40,000) Dollars in donations.  Currently, Palmetto Warrior Connection is a supporting organization for another tax exempt organization, but plans to be a separate, stand-alone public charity in the near future.

Palmetto Warrior Connection is working closely with the Fisher House Charleston project, which will provide comfortable housing for families of patients at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.

Abe Gutting, Keyway Committee