Mission-Next Foundation

Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of *both* the Senate Veterans' Affairs and Armed Services Committee, was named Wounded Warrior Project 2024 Legislator of the Year. Watch below to check out some highlights of his commitment to veterans in Maine and across the country, as well as some kind words and reflections from the Wounded Warrior Project team. They have been incredible partners to work alongside. My Dad (Paul Nelson) served in the Air Force for over 30 years, so it is really special to have the opportunity to work for someone who so steadfastly supports and advocates on behalf of veterans. Tremendous thank you to all who serve!

Call me odd, but I have never really understood the concept of “work/life balance”. There are activities we often think of as "work" that involve trading our time for money or other resources, which we usually call our jobs. Other times we give our physical or mental labor to activities that provide value to ourselves and others without regard for financial gain. We often label these as chores, our hobbies, or volunteering. I view all of the above as a part of how I live my life, not separate from it. Therefore work cannot be balanced against my life because it is simply a component of it. Moreover, like many people who love what they’re doing, I tend to pour myself into every task with intensity, regardless of the compensation proposition. I believe anything worth my time is worth doing well. The attached picture I recently took while working from the beach is an example of the tranquility I seek. It's about being in harmony with a work/work balance. Read that again. A work/work balance. There is work we do to have financial stability and there is work we do to take care of ourselves. Both are worth your investment. When I retired from military service, I was looking for the next meaningful thing to pursue, preferably with good people in service to a noble mission. As I explored what excited me, I was eventually drawn to the value based care space and am grateful to work at a company that is changing the landscape of healthcare for historically underserved populations. I am grateful to have a job I love at Cityblock Health! To be able to do some of it remotely from locations like this, that help energize me and my family, is truly a gift. "When you have balance in your life, work becomes an entirely different experience. There is a passion that moves you to a whole new level of fulfillment and gratitude, and that's when you can do your best...for yourself and for others." ~Cara Delevingne What does your own “work/work” balance look like? #balance #leadership #healthcare

The 3 pieces of advice that I recently gave to a retiring 4-Star General and offer to you as well. - Go to bed! You've been in the gun club a long time, and likely don't realize how tired you are. After your retirement, or at the conclusion of your service, give yourself some time to rest, sleep, and decompress. Please do this! #sleephygiene - Opportunities. Don't chase the $. The money will likely be better than it once was, but it's not real. Nothing matters more than your freedom, time, & flexibility. When/If you take on work, only do it with people you enjoy being around, and a product/capability you believe in. I've turned down significant money because the organizational culture wasn't right for me. If your circumstances allow you to be selective, I encourage it. #familyfirst - Tribe. Find a way to stay connected. There are many organizations, VSO, VFW, to name a few, but find yours. If you've served for any significant amount of time, you've been institutionalized. If you're like me, you went from 17 and returned to society 31 years later. Your tribe knows and understands you. Call, text, physically meet, etc. Stay connected and reach out to your tribe! #tribe There are many other things to consider, but I didn't need my remarks to last 30 minutes. What do you think of my list? What would you add? #veteranshelpingveterans #veteransupport #personaldeveloment #professionaldevelopment #leadershipdevelopment

5 years ago, Betsy, Elizabeth Lacy Nelson, Matthew, and I had the privilege of standing on a sunny day overlooking the beaches at Normandy. Let us strive to be a people and a nation today and in the future worthy of the sacrifices paid by those who came before us. Photo by Lacy.

Memorial Day is tough for many vets and for their families as we remember those individuals who paid the ultimate sacrifice and especially for those they left behind. Do your buddy checks, and take care of each other.

You never know who comes into your life and who stays. Almost 20 years ago, Diamond Cookson was my assigned roommate at the Air Force Officer Training School. He was an enlisted C-17 mechanic at the time, which is why he was assigned to a newbie like me - to show me the cheat codes for making your bed, preparing your uniform and cleaning your room. This month, Diamond pinned on Colonel as part of his meteoric rise through the ranks. He's one of the good ones. Congratulations! And he asked me to play the National Anthem at his promotion at the Air Force Memorial. I thought he was joking...but here we are. I'm looking forward to playing it again when he promotes to General.

I’m not in terrible shape for being an old man (I’m 42, but if we factor in mileage, I’m around 134).  That being said, I’ve done a LOT of damage to my body over the years. Like a lot a lot. I drank an organ out of my body before I was 25. Two drug induced heart attacks by 35. Lost count of surgeries fixing breaks and tears after doing stupid stuff that should have killed me. We do recover - but that doesn’t mean we don’t keep praying the price for our stupidity. Tomorrow, I’m going in for yet another surgery, this time to fix decades of wear and tear on my shoulder. For an addict in recovery, that’s a terrifying thing.  I’m gonna get shot up with a bunch of dope, then have to manage excruciating pain on the backend of it, responsibly. Fortunately, I’m working a solid program of recovery.  I work steps, I’ve got a sponsor who has a sponsor, I’d like to think I’m more spiritually fit than I am physically fit - but I need prayers, big time. I’m definitely more comfortable walking into cartel country unarmed and intent on committing good deeds than I am going into an OR and getting an IV and having yet another surgery. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.

The WHO report is important, acknowledging the critical errors made early in the pandemic because SMEs and PH authorities were slow to acknowledge the role of aerosols in transmission of COVID….instead focusing first on surface transmission, and then later on droplet protection. Nearly all superspreader events were attributed to aerosols, and the dose dependency we observed early on only reinforce this issue. Why we advocate for Safe Air For Everyone….if we don’t apply the lessons today we will be unprepared the next time we face an airborne spread of an infectious pathogen at scale…beyond the improvements in health and performance that could improved ventilation can bring. #action #bestscience #peoplefirst #invest https://lnkd.in/gsv5waJr

🏛️ In the history of our country, just 60 of the 2,003 elected Senators have been women. That’s 3% of all Senators in history.  Women represent 51% of the population and right now, just a quarter of our Senators are women. 🪖We are currently represented by 97 Veterans in Congress, 17 of whom are Senators. Two of those 17 Veterans are women. 🎓Only one of those Senators was born in Thailand and also holds a PhD. 🚁She was flying a Blackhawk helicopter in Iraq in 2004 when an RPG shot it down. Despite losing both legs, she fought for a medical waiver so she could continue serving another 10 years in the National Guard. She said she chose to fly helicopters because that was one of the few specialties that would enable her to serve in combat zones. 🧑🏽🦼Senator Tammy Duckworth lost her first House run, but she kept trying.  She became the first disabled woman to be elected to Congress and has advocated fiercely and successfully to pass bipartisan legislation, including protections for Americans with disabilities and public safety officers experiencing PTSD. 👶🏽Senator Duckworth is the first woman who gave birth while a sitting Congressmember.  After a unanimous vote to change the rules, she became the first person (but not the last!)  to bring her child onto the Senate floor so she wouldn’t have to choose between breastfeeding her newborn and fulfilling her duty to cast a Senate vote. 👏🏽Senator Duckworth’s resilience and grit have enabled her to keep going, especially when things have been difficult. She leads bipartisan initiatives for the causes she believes in and works to update policies that no longer make sense.  She is a true American hero. #representationmatters #warriorwomanwednesday #mcsllc