Leadership and the Power of Service: Eric Greitens Shares His Story at Leadership Howard County's Big Event

Eric Greitens' personal journey as a humanitarian and warrior is just beginning to be heard - and it is one of the most inspirational stories you're likely to come across. He will share his story on April 18 at Leaderhip Howard County's Big Event, a luncheon at Turf Valley, open to the public.

Greitens is a former Navy SEAL, a decorated veteran of four tours of duty, and the inspirational founder of The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help returning veterans rebuild their lives at home through community service.

Through all of Eric Greitens’ amazing and courageous journeys, he continued to believe in one thing: “Courage and compassion are two sides of the same coin, and every warrior, every humanitarian, every citizen is built to live with both. In fact, to win a war, to create peace, to save a life, or just to live a good life
requires of us – of every one of us – that we be both good and strong.”

As a Navy SEAL, Eric Greitens led teams through the hardest military training in the world and deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, the Horn of Africa,
and Southeast Asia. He commanded a Joint Special Operations Task Unit, a Mark V Special Operations Craft Detachment, and an al Qaeda targeting cell, earning
the Navy Achievement Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, a  Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star.

But he began his path to leadership in college as an international humanitarian, volunteering to work in the world’s most troubled regions including Croatia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, and Bolivia. As a Rhodes Scholar, Greitens dedicated himself to studying humanitarianism in search of a better way to relieve the suffering of innocent people affected by war, poverty and disease. His work serving among the sick, poor and displaced people from Gaza to Croatia to Calcutta led him to understand that it was not enough to do good, but that being strong and protecting those in harm’s way was more powerful. After serving in Srebrenica, Greitens said, “Good intentions and heartfelt wishes were not enough. The great dividing line between words and results was courageous action.”

Now, as the leader of one of America’s most innovative nonprofits, he inspires wounded veterans around the country to begin to serve again in their communities here at home. Returning from service in 2007, he visited wounded warriors at Bethesda Naval Hospital, and realized that he could
help their road to recovery by asking them to serve. He wanted to welcome
returning wounded and disabled veterans not just with charity but with a
challenge to serve their communities – to give them a purpose and hope for the
future.

He donated his combat pay and service as CEO to create The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization that offers fellowships for wounded and disabled veterans to serve at nonprofit, charitable and public benefit organizations. Mission Continues Fellows receive cost of living expenses and mentors to help them build plans for their new lives at home. Most importantly, The Mission Continues provides the challenge and opportunity to rebuild a meaningful life by serving again.

Tickets for the Big Event are $100, $75 for veterans (active and retired), $50 for students. Register at www.leadershiphc.org. Signed copies of his bestselling book, "The Heart and the Fist," are available for pre-order when you register, or at the event.

Thursday, April 18 from 11 am - 1:30 pm at Turf Valley Resort