Special Guests

National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp
October 6 - 8, 2023
Boston, Massachusetts

Special Guests

National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp
October 6 - 8, 2023
Boston, Massachusetts

During the seminar, you will have the opportunity to hear from national experts in grief, trauma, health and wellness and more. Below is a list of the speakers and presenters who will be in attendance.

Make sure to also download the TAPS Events app. Recommended session schedules for different grief programming and speaker information are all built into the easy-to-navigate app.

 

Brett Jones

Brett Jones, Singer Songwriter

Brett Jones is a country music singer/songwriter originally from Warm Springs, Georgia. His first professional staff writing position was with country star Ronnie top twenty single, and in 1996, his first #1 country single. Since his career began, he has notched seven #1 country singles, two #2 singles, 14 top tens, and over 150 major label recordings. Some of his notable recordings are: You Gotta Love That by Neal McCoy, Cover You In Kisses by John Michael Montgomery, A Little Past Little Rock' by Lee Ann Womack, Better Man, Better Off by Tracy Lawrence, You Wont Ever Be Lonely by Andy Griggs, What Do You Think About That by Montgomery Gentry, Don't Ask Me How I Know by Bobby Pinson, Good Little Girls by Blue County, That's How Country Boys Roll by Billy Currington, Crazy Town by Jason Aldean, and If Heaven Wasnt So Far Away by Justin Moore. As a performer, Brett has been on play bills with: Little Texas, Tracy Byrd, Ricochet, Michael Martin Murphy, Joanna Smith, the Gatlin Brothers, Eddie Raven, Gary Morris, Michael McDonald, Big and Rich, Daryl Worley, Billy Currington, Phil Vassar, Shawn Camp, Rob Crosby, Andy Griggs, Randy Houser,Jason Jones,Jamie Johnson, Darryl Singletery, Bobby Pinson, Rhett Akins, Blue County, Mark Chesnut, Billy Ray Reynolds, Hank Cochran, and Kenny Chesney among others. Brett has also been a successful publisher sine 1997, and has had a hand in the careers of Tony Lane, Joanna Smith, Jason Jones, and Dallas Davidson. Some of his copyrights are: Honky Tonk Badonkadonk by Trace Atkins, Put A Girl In It by Brooks & Dunn, and Start A Band by Brad Paisley.


 

Jack Hammond

Brigadier General (Ret.) Jack Hammond 

Jack Hammond is a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General with multiple combat commands, and he currently serves as the Chief Executive for the Home Base National Center of Excellence for Mental Health and Brain Injuries. Hammond is a decorated combat leader and private sector innovator who has served on advisory groups for presidents, governors and businesses. Hammond has also presented on his innovative programs and leadership at the White House, United Kingdom’s Parliament, Presidential libraries, and with national companies working in defense, construction, biotechnology, marketing, and more. 

General Hammond has led U.S. and NATO forces in combat and counter-terrorism operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This includes; simultaneously commanding two separate Battalion level Task Forces on more than one hundred successful intelligence-fused counter-terrorist operations in Iraq, responding to both WMD events and Mass Casualty suicide bombings, and an attack on our US Embassy. 

In 2012 Hammond was invited to lead Home Base, which is a unique partnership between the Boston Red Sox and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Over the past decade Hammond and his team have; established the nation’s first private sector Center of Excellence for the Invisible Wounds, developed innovative solutions for mental health and brain injuries, and leveraged the faculty and clinical resources of MGH and Harvard Medical School to reimagine Veteran mental health and brain injury care. All of these treatments are provided at no cost to the Veterans, and military service members, and families we care for. 

General Hammond has advised President Obama’s Commission on Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization & the White House Veterans and Military Family Mental Health Conference, President George W. Bush’s Health and Well Being Task Force and Warrior Wellness Alliance, Secretary Bob McDonald’s MyVA Advisory Committee, Governor Mitt Romney’s Homeland Security Advisory Council, and Governor Charlie Baker’s Healthcare Transition Team & Veteran Advisory Council. He was the co-founder and Board Member for the Cystinosis Research Network and leads the Military Advisory Board for the NanoDX company. 

General Hammond’s military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, two Legion of Merit Medals (one for combat service), the Bronze Star Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Commendation Medals (one for Valor), two Valorous Unit Awards, the Combat Action Badge, the French Medal of National Defense, and the Bulgarian Medal of Mission Support. Hammond received the National VFW Commander in Chief’s Gold Medal of Merit in 2019. In 2020, General Hammond received the American Red Cross Heroes Award for his work at Boston Hope, and was inducted into the US Army Military Police Hall of Fame. 

General Hammond earned a BS from the University of Massachusetts, an MS from Boston University, and completed a National Security Fellowship at Harvard University. In addition to the many military schools completed during his 31 years of service, Hammond also completed the Israeli Defense Force’s International Crisis Management Program and the NATO Counter Insurgent Leader Course in Kabul, Afghanistan.