The Mission Continues Appoints General Ray Odierno To Its Board Of Directors

News provided by

Apr 26, 2017, 11:23 ET

NEW YORK, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National veterans nonprofit The Mission Continues today announced the addition of Gen. Ray Odierno, a retired four-star U.S. Army general who served as the 38th Chief of Staff of the Army, to its Board of Directors. In this role, Gen. Odierno will help guide The Mission Continues in its mission of empowering veterans who are adjusting to life at home to find purpose through community impact.

"Gen. Odierno is one of the most respected military leaders of our time. His track record of effective leadership over his nearly 40 year military career will no doubt be a tremendous asset to our organization," said Spencer Kympton, U.S. Army veteran and president of The Mission Continues. "He was 'in the fight' with this generation of veterans – and is deeply committed to their continued success. As we work to empower veterans to be a force for good in at-risk communities across the country, Gen. Odierno's experience and vision will be most welcomed and valued."

A native of Rockaway, N.J., Odierno attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1976 with a commission in Field Artillery. During more than 39 years of service, he commanded units at every echelon, with duty stations in Germany, Albania, Kuwait, Iraq and the United States.

From October 2001 to June 2004, Odierno commanded the 4th Infantry Division, the same group responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003. Odierno is also considered one of the founding architects of the surge in Iraq, which helped pave the way for political progress in the region.

"Though technically retired, I know I'm not alone in my desire to continue serving my country," said Odierno. "Over the course of my career, I worked alongside so many brave men and women who were ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the mission. That's what makes working with The Mission Continues and the veterans in its programs so fulfilling."

The Mission Continues has operations across the country that engage veteran volunteers every day to have deep impact on critical challenges facing underserved communities. Veterans participate in operations by serving with The Mission Continues in several ways:

As a member of a Service Platoon, undertaking regular service missions that leverage veterans' skills and leadership to make a positive impact.
As an individual The Mission Continues Fellow, embedding as a skilled volunteer with one of the operation's nonprofit partners for a period of six months.
Deploying as part of a mass force for a week-long community service surge to tackle challenges in underserved communities.

To learn more about The Mission Continues' programs and opportunities to get involved, visit www.missioncontinues.org.

About The Mission Continues
The Mission Continues is a national nonprofit organization that empowers veterans who are adjusting to life at home to find purpose through community impact. Our operations in cities across the country deploy veteran volunteers alongside non-profit partners and community leaders to solve some of the most challenging issues facing our communities: improving community education resources, eliminating food deserts, mentoring at-risk youth and more. Through this unique model, veterans build new skills and networks that help them successfully reintegrate to life after the military while making long-term, sustainable transformations in communities and inspiring future generations to serve. To learn more, visit: www.missioncontinues.org or follow us on Twitter @missioncontinue.

SOURCE The Mission Continues