Top Hollywood Studios, Television Networks, Talent Agencies and Guilds Come Together For Launch Of New Veterans Campaign: "Got Your 6"

LOS ANGELES, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented show of support for veterans and military families, nearly every major studio, broadcast and cable network, talent agency, and guild in the entertainment industry has united with top-tier nonprofit organizations to launch the Got Your 6  campaign (www.gotyour6.org).  Got Your 6 will create a wide array of opportunities for veterans to successfully convert their leadership and operational training into positive civilian roles in communities nationwide.

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"Got your six" is a military expression that means "I've got your back, and you've got mine."  The six o'clock position or "six" is the designation of the rear of a military formation.

Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's Joining Forces initiative and formed as an entertainment industry commitment at a Clinton Global Initiative America convening, Got Your 6 launches today with tremendous strength.

"The entertainment industry captures our imaginations, opens our eyes and touches our hearts, and I'm proud to work with them on our Joining Forces initiative," said First Lady Michelle Obama. "By sharing the stories of strength and resilience that define our military families, we can motivate even more Americans to honor these courageous individuals in new ways.  That's why I'm looking forward to working with the industry in the months and years ahead."

Entertainment industry partners that have already signed on to Got Your 6 include (in alphabetical order):  A+E Networks, ABC, Bad Robot Productions, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), CBS Corporation, Directors Guild of America, Entertainment Industries Council, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Fox Audience Strategy, foursquare, Funny or Die, HBO, International Creative Management (ICM), NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Producers Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, Shine America, Showtime, Sony Pictures Entertainment, United Talent Agency (UTA), Viacom Media Networks, Warner Bros., William Morris Endeavor (WME), and Writers Guild of America West.  The campaign mobilizes the assets, expertise and talent of the entertainment industry, spanning film, television, gaming, print, radio, outdoor media, and social platforms to elevate the conversation around veterans. 

"On behalf of the entire entertainment industry, we are proud to be engaging with our veterans through the Got Your 6 campaign," said Ron Meyer, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. "Together, we are uniting to bring awareness to this incredibly important issue of bringing our country's trained leaders home to be a valued part of our communities across the nation." 

A star-studded public service announcement (PSA) campaign featuring Alec Baldwin, Michael Douglas, Tom Hanks, Milla Jovovich, Bradley Cooper, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tracy Morgan, Brian Williams, Pharrell Williams, Wendy Williams and many more will raise national awareness of Got Your 6. 

Script integrations for TV and film projects, original digital content, and other creative initiatives will generate additional visibility.  The campaign will also offer pathways for Americans to connect and engage with Got Your 6, including logo merchandise, special events, and "calls to action" for individuals.

The Got Your 6 movement already has enthusiastic bi-partisan support in the nation's capital.  Senator Lisa Murkowski (R – Alaska) was the first Senator to put her support behind the program, and earlier this week, "6" logo lapel pins were provided to every member of Congress.

Got Your 6 brings together more than two dozen top-tier, national nonprofit organizations that serve as the subject matter experts for the important veterans issues at the core of the overall campaign.  Each nonprofit partner will have opportunities to showcase their initiatives and to tap in to the web of resources within the Got Your 6 community.

Chris Marvin, a former Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot who was wounded while serving in Afghanistan, is the Director of Civilian-Military Partnerships for ServiceNation and the Managing Director of Got Your 6.  ServiceNation, a campaign of Be The Change, Inc. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the organizing body, coordinator, and fiduciary agent of Got Your 6. 

"Over the next five years, more than one million service members will return to civilian life. It is imperative that Americans see this as an opportunity.  As we welcome this generation of veterans home, it is crucial that we view them and their families as leaders and civic assets.  Got Your 6 is a clear call to action for all Americans to join with our veterans in reinvigorating our communities," said Marvin.  "Inspired by the First Lady's Joining Forces initiative, this is a true collaborative effort that spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors, putting competition aside in favor of cooperation."

In order to position veterans and military families for success in their return to civilian life, Got Your 6 will focus on six pillars of reintegration, working with a lead non-profit organization to activate each pillar in pursuit of a specific, substantial launch goal.  The launch goals are:

Each Got Your 6 pillar is led by an activation partner — a nonprofit organization that is a subject matter expert in its field. Goodwill Industries is the National Activation Partner of Got Your 6. For each substantial goal, official commitments have been made through the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), and   activation partners publish their quantitative goals and provide plans to track and report their progress.  A complete list of activation partners is available at www.gotyour6.org.

CGI has played a significant role in the development of the Got Your 6 campaign. At the CGI America annual convening in 2011, ServiceNation and representatives of the entertainment industry first laid the groundwork for this collaborative endeavor. CGI has been instrumental in providing guidance and frameworks for the metrics-based goal setting of the campaign.

In addition to their CGI commitments, Got Your 6 nonprofit activation partners have developed specific "calls to action" for the American public, designed to provide tangible, achievable opportunities for any person who wishes to express gratitude or serve their community in support of Got Your 6.  An updated menu of Got Your 6 calls to action is available online at www.gotyour6.org.

Using Intercast, a rich-media interactive platform developed by Brand Knew, several Got Your 6 partners will feature the campaign's May 10, 2012 launch event on their websites and social media channels, empowering viewers to chat, answer polls, submit questions and even make donations. 

Got Your 6 Activation Partners include:  Goodwill Industries International (National Activation Partner), 100,000 Homes Campaign, Blue Star Families, Give an Hour, Military Child Education Coalition, The Mission Continues, The Pat Tillman Foundation, Team Rubicon, Student Veterans of America, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes.

Got Your 6 Strategic Partners include:  American Red Cross, Bob Woodruff Foundation, Code of Support Foundation, Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University,  Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Northern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE), Operation Gratitude, Points of Light Institute, Sierra Club, Volunteers of America, USO, and Warrior Gateway.

Got Your 6 is grateful to the following government entities for continued counsel:  The White House's Joining Forces Initiative, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, and The Corporation for National and Community Service

About Got Your 6

Got Your 6 is a campaign designed to change the conversation in America such that veterans and military families are seen as civic assets and leaders who will reinvigorate our community.  The campaign combines the reach and resources of the top American entertainment studios, networks, guilds and agencies with the expertise and commitment of more than two dozen non-profit organizations.  Through an extensive media footprint and a set of substantial service commitments, Got Your 6 will ensure successful reintegration of veterans into civilian life.  For more information, visit www.gotyour6.org.  ServiceNation is the organizing body and fiduciary agent for Got Your 6.  The campaign is managed by Propper Daley.  Mering-Carson developed the Got Your 6 brand, star/six device, and related creative.  Brand Knew LLC developed the GotYour6.org website and the social media presence. Beck Media & Marketing handles all media and publicity.

About ServiceNation

ServiceNation is a campaign to increase national service opportunities and elevate service as a core ideal and problem solving strategy in America.  The campaign is focused on two main initiatives: building a permanent grassroots constituency to advance service legislation and challenging the American public to view returning military veterans as civic assets and leaders who will reinvigorate our communities. ServiceNation envisions a day when a commonly asked question in this country is 'Where do you serve?' and when all Americans have the opportunity to serve in order to tackle pressing social challenges and strengthen our democracy.  For more information visit www.servicenation.org.  

About Joining Forces

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden created Joining Forces in 2011 to recognize, honor and serve military families. Since launching Joining Forces, significant progress has been made to rally Americans around military families. Communities, businesses, schools, faith groups, non-profit organizations and individual Americans have made substantial commitments to show military families the support that they deserve. Through collaborative efforts with Joining Forces, these groups have helped more than 60,000 veterans and military families find jobs, improved educational opportunities for military children, supported our nation's wounded warriors and their caregivers, and honored our nation's fallen.

About CGI America

President Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) to address economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting in June 2011, CGI America participants have made more than 100 commitments valued at $11.8 billion. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will improve the lives of three million people, create or fill more than 150,000 jobs, and invest and loan $354 million to small and medium enterprises in the United States. The 2012 CGI America meeting will take place June 7-8 in Chicago. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

About Our Activation Partners

Goodwill Industries International (National Activation Partner)

Goodwill inspires hope and self-confidence, helping people from all backgrounds and walks of life to feel successful, valuable and dignified by helping them earn a living, improve their lives, and strengthen their families and their communities. Through their network of 165 independent, community-based Goodwills in the United States and Canada Goodwill offers customized job training, employment placement and other services to people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges. In 2010, Goodwill helped more than 2.4 million people train for careers in industries such as banking, IT and health care, to name a few — and get the supporting services they needed to be successful, such as English language training, additional education, or access to transportation and child care.  Goodwill is a long-time advocate for veterans, and in 2010, they provided job training, employment services and other supports to more than 25,766 veterans.  Some Goodwills have specific programs to help veterans transition to civilian life; and all Goodwill agencies stand ready to help veterans and their family members access job training and placement support, career services, and support services such as health care, substance abuse counseling, transportation assistance and more.

100,000 Homes Campaign

The 100,000 Homes Campaign coordinated by Community Solutions is a national movement of over 120 communities working together to find permanent homes for 100,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless individuals and families by July of 2014. Participating communities work to identify everyone on their streets by name, develop a system that can house anyone in 30 days or less, and begin housing 2.5% of their homeless population each month. The Campaign brings these communities together to identify common challenges, innovate new solutions, and share best practices with other communities across the country. Learn more at www.100khomes.org, www.facebook.com/100khomes or on Twitter @100khomes.

Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is a national, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families. In addition to morale and empowerment programs, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life and works to make military life more sustainable through programs and partnerships like Operation Honor Cards, MilKidz Club and Blue Star Museums. Membership includes military spouses, children and parents as well as service members, veterans and the civilians who strongly support them. To learn more about Blue Star Families, visit http://www.bluestarfam.org.

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. As of February 2012, Give an Hour has more than 6,100 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 50,000 hours of free service, valued at more than $5 million. In April 2012 Give an Hour was chosen as one of the five winners of the White House's Joining Forces Community Challenge, sponsored by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. That same month Dr. Van Dahlen was named to TIME magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.  To learn more, visit www.giveanhour.org or https://www.facebook.com/GiveanHour or on twitter at @GiveAnHour.

Military Child Education Coalition

The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) is a 501(c)(3) global, nonprofit organization focused exclusively on the well-being and needs of America's two million military-connected children, specifically in the areas of academic opportunity and excellence, school transition support, and developmental needs. Our goal is to ensure that every military-connected child grows and thrives through good and challenging times so that they are college, work place, and ultimately, life-ready.

The Mission Continues 

The Mission Continues challenges veterans to serve and lead in communities across America. The organization was founded by former US Navy SEAL Eric Greitens in 2007 when he returned from his final deployment to Iraq, fueled by the deep belief that veterans are civic assets.   The Mission Continues offers six-month community service fellowships to veterans, awarding more than 360 fellowships to date.  The organization does not offer charity; rather, it challenges returning service members to utilize their tremendous skills and leadership to continue serving our country at home.  For more information, please visit http://www.missioncontinues.org. 

The Pat Tillman Foundation

The mission of the Pat Tillman Foundation is to invest in military veterans and their spouses through educational scholarships; building a diverse community of leaders committed to service to others. This is accomplished with the Tillman Military Scholars program which purpose is to identify high-impact active or veteran servicemembers and their spouses and invest in their higher education, covering the needs left unpaid for by the GI Bill and other government support. The scholarship funds awarded are just a portion of the Tillman Military Scholar experience which also focuses on guiding an engaged community and providing essential resources that empower Scholars to serve and lead in their local communities and ease the transition from military to civilian life. Since its inception, 171 Tillman Military Scholars representing 32 states and attending 59 institutions nationwide have been awarded over $2.2 million.

Student Veterans of America

Student Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of student veteran organizations on more than 550 college campuses globally. Each chapter, run by and for student veterans, provides a critical peer-support network that has been linked to improved academic success. The local chapter is essential to accomplishing SVA's mission, which is to provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Program

In March of 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched Hiring Our Heroes, a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Working with a network of 1600 state and local chambers, in its first 12 months, Hiring Our Heroes hosted more than 140 hiring fairs in 47 states and the District of Columbia; more than 9,500 have gotten jobs. The program will significantly expand its efforts in 2012 with hiring fairs in 400 communities, the establishment of a stand-alone program for military spouses, and a sustained campaign to enlist the commitments from the small business community to hire veterans and military spouses over the next three years.

Updated information about the full universe of Got Your 6 activation partners is available online at www.gotyour6.org. 

CONTACT:
Todd Beck, Beck Media & Marketing
[email protected], 310 300 4800

SOURCE Got Your 6