Dear Home Base Nation,

This Independence Day, I am honored to thank our Nation’s past and present Warriors for their service and sacrifice, especially as we celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War.

Our War of Independence began in Massachusetts a quarter of a millennium ago when the first shots were fired on Lexington Common, less than 15 miles from our National Center of Excellence in Charlestown. Since the Battles of Lexington and Concord began on April 19, 1775, brave men and women across our country have enlisted in our Armed Forces to protect our certain unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are indebted to all of them.

In the present day, Home Base is honored to have served over 45,000 Veterans, Service Members, Military Families and Families of the Fallen over the past 16 years Nationally and with regional locations in Florida, Arizona and Texas, and are proud to continue serving those in need for many years to come – all at no out-of-pocket cost to them!

On Saturday, July 26, we will continue our commitment to celebrate those who have served and are serving at the 16^th annual Run to Home Base presented by RTX. The Run to Home Base is a unique 9K run and 5K run/walk through Boston – the “Cradle of Liberty” – that ends with the unforgettable experience of crossing “home base” at historic Fenway Park.

As we all celebrate the Fourth of July, we must remind ourselves of the hardships our Veterans face today and the importance of our work to continue healing the invisible wounds of war. Despite widespread uncertainties across our Nation, we understand that the need for our work is greater than ever and remain dedicated to our mission. If you, or a loved one, need support, we encourage you to connect with us at homebase.org/getcare.

I also ask that you reflect upon the sacrifices made by millions of patriots since the birth of our Nation. To those who have served, we thank you. For those currently serving, we stand with you. And to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, we honor you.

Sincerely,

Jack Hammond

Retired Brigadier General, U.S. Army | Executive Director, Home Base