Jay Conner has a discussion with Todd Domerese about The Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund.
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF) builds critically-needed centers for treating United States military personnel suffering the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). These injuries have severely impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of men and women who have served selflessly in defense of our nation.
To help address this urgent need, IFHF is building a series of ten specially-designed treatment facilities, called Intrepid Spirit Centers, on military bases across the nation.
These centers act as Gymnasiums For The Brain, providing service members with the most advanced care available to address the complex symptoms of TBI and PTS. Seven Intrepid Spirit Centers are open and serving America's brave men and women in uniform and the eighth center is currently underway.
More than 90% of patients treated in the centers are able to continue on Active Duty. Two additional centers are planned. The Intrepid Spirit Center program is only the latest in the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund's almost 20-year history of assisting America's military community.
Since 2000, IFHF has provided over $200 million in support for severely wounded military personnel and families of military personnel lost in service to our nation.
"My name is Alvis “Todd” Domerese and I was born and raised in Michigan. In 1998, at the age of 23, I joined the Army as an infantryman.
In my 15 years in the Army, I have served with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, I have served with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and I have served with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
I did a 6-month long peacekeeping deployment in Kosovo in 2000, a 1 year-long combat deployment to Sadr City, Iraq in 2004, and a 1-year long combat deployment to the Helmand Providence in Afghanistan in 2010. On December 27, 2004, my vehicle was hit by two improvised explosive devices simultaneously.
My gunner was killed instantly, my driver had his arm torn apart by shrapnel, and I had a large metal fragment go through my Kevlar helmet which caused a period of unconsciousness, a large complex scalp laceration, a linear skull fracture, and swelling and bruising on my brain. I also had multiple shrapnel pieces embedded in my face that had to be surgically removed.
"After my injury, I changed my job to a water treatment specialist since I could no longer serve as an infantryman. Due to the physical and psychological injuries I sustained in Iraq, I am now found to be 100% disabled and was medically retired as a staff sergeant on September 28, 2013, after serving 15 years, 2 months, and 14 days.
"Some of the disabilities I suffer from are my severe post-traumatic stress, severe migraine headaches, and other residual effects from my moderate traumatic brain injury.
"My awards include the air assault badge, the expert infantryman badge, the combat infantryman badge, the expert marksmanship badge, the Purple Heart medal, meritorious service medal, the Army Commendation medal (2), Army Achievement Medal (6), Good Conduct medal (5), National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Noncommissioned officer professional development ribbon (2), Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon (4), Afghanistan NATO medal, and the Kosovo NATO medal. I have been married to my wife Marti for 21 years and have two sons- Benjamin, age 16 and Joshua, age 12 [as of 2019]."
Todd was treated at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in early 2013.
