Pennsylvania Heroes

Robert Patrick Casey Jr. (born April 13, 1960) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania, a seat to which he was first elected in 2006. He previously served as Pennsylvania Auditor General from 1997 to 2005 and as Pennsylvania Treasurer from 2005 to 2007.

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Casey is the son of Bob Casey, a former Governor of Pennsylvania. After graduating from Scranton Preparatory School in 1978, he attended the College of the Holy Cross. He received his J.D. degree from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. Casey practiced law in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before beginning his political career as Pennsylvania's Auditor General, a post to which he was elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2000.

In 2002, Casey attempted to follow in his father's footsteps by running for Governor of Pennsylvania, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by eventual general election victor Ed Rendell. After being term-limited out of his position as Auditor General, Casey was elected Treasurer in the 2004 election. Casey defeated two-term Republican incumbent Rick Santorum in the 2006 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania. He was reelected in 2012 and 2018, becoming Pennsylvania's first ever Democrat to win a third consecutive term in the Senate.

No Barriers Warriors helps Veterans redefine their identity, purpose, and community as they face past and present challenges.

Our Veterans’ programs serve as both an opportunity for growth and a catalyst for change as these brave men and women stretch physical and emotional boundaries, foster camaraderie, push through adversity, and step up to serve others.  No Barriers Warriors programs are FREE, for Veterans with service connected disabilities.  Learn more about our Essential Eligibility Criteria to see if a Warriors program is right for you.

The Problem

According to a 2019 Department of Veteran Affairs study, while the Veteran population is declining, the percentage of Veterans with a service connected disability has been steadily rising.  These injuries, both visible and invisible, add to the potential struggle a Veteran can face after transitioning out of military service, and reintegrating into their civilian communities.

Our Solution

Using the No Barriers life philosophy, we craft an experience that challenges Veterans to critically think about where they are in life, where they want to be, and how to get there.  This experience gives them new tools, strategies, and drive to overcome barriers that are holding them back – as well as a new support team that will be with them throughout the program.

Warriors programs are separated into two categories: At-Home and Expeditions. Our At-Home programs are a perfect way to engage with the Veteran community, as well as work through self-improvement, from a space of your choosing.  Expeditions are adventure based trips, where we bring Veterans to us, to take a deep dive into the No Barriers Life, while challenging them to overcome some serious obstacles in the wilderness.

Pocono 3C is a program designed to give persons who are homeless, or in danger of becoming homeless, a job and case work, to get back up on their feet. These individuals often face difficulties finding work due to not having an ID or address, not having a bank account, or having a minor criminal record, to name a few. To help them overcome these obstacles, Pocono 3C provides them with work picking up litter in Monroe County. This not only gives them an income at the end of every workday but provides them with experience and references for a résumé. In addition to the job, they will be provided lunch the days that they work and case management.

Please visit their website to learn more: https://www.poconomountains.com/pick-up-the-poconos/pocono-3c/

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the

Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) announced today that a new

Pennsylvania law waives the requirement for Pennsylvania residents who are current and

former military members and who operated a commercial vehicle as part of their duties, to take

a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Knowledge Test when applying for a CDL. Previous

legislation – Act 133 of 2008 – established a waiver of the CDL skills test for these individuals.

“We are pleased to announce this important change and hope that it helps military members in

their transition to civilian life find good-paying, sustainable employment to begin their new lives,”

said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian.

Act 131 of 2020 allows the PennDOT to waive the CDL Knowledge Test for Pennsylvania

residents on active or reserve military duty or recently honorably discharged veterans, provided

those service members have at least two years of experience operating a commercial motor

vehicle as part of their military job requirements.

The waiver applies to CDL applicants who wish to operate vehicles similar to those they

operated in the military. For example, those who drove combination type commercial (Class A)

motor vehicles in the military will be eligible in Pennsylvania for a waiver to drive a combination

type vehicle and those who drove a single motor vehicle of commercial type (Class B) in the

military will be eligible in Pennsylvania for the waiver to drive that type of vehicle. Applicants

must complete form DL-398, “Application for Military CDL Test Waiver,” to request the waiver.

Doubles, triples and school bus endorsements cannot be waived under this program. PennDOT

will waive the knowledge test specified, subject to the limitations in the 49 Code of Federal

Regulation Section 383.77, to an applicant who meets all the requirements for a waiver.

“Service members gain many valuable skills in the military that translate well into the civilian job

sector,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, Pennsylvania’s acting adjutant general and acting head

of the DMVA. “This program is a huge opportunity to assist our veterans and service members

with these skills to get good jobs as Pennsylvania is critically short in CDL drivers.”

Military personnel and veterans interested in taking advantage of the CDL skills and knowledge

test waivers can find further information by visiting www.dmv.pa.gov, click on Driver Services

and choose Military Personnel Veterans from the dropdown. Form DL-398 can be found under

Forms and Publications on the homepage.

Co-Founder/Executive Director of the LRJ Foundation, Teressa Ruspi was born and raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Georgia. Graduate of Marywood University, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors in Nutrition & Dietetics, current grad student at Mercer University attaining her Masters in Leadership with a focus on nonprofit management , a motivational speaker, a mother of three, and in her spare time its an fitness enthusiast and obstacle course racer. Teressa’s vision is to share with you what her unstoppable team strives for each day. A team who’s mission is to transform the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of our youth and community though the most important element we were born for, “connection”. Which they call their most powerful tool to the puzzle pieces of, suicide prevention. 

Be sure to follow Teressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more great information!

Honorable Nancy L. Butts is currently the President Judge of Lycoming County.

Judge Butts graduated from Lehigh University and California Western School of Law.  She began her career in Lycoming County serving as an Assistant Public Defender with the Lycoming County Public Defender’s Office. She next served as the Law Clerk for Judge Clinton W. Smith and after her clerkship joined the practice of Charles A. Szybist, Esq. After about a year in private practice she then became an Assistant District Attorney with the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Butts was elected to her first term as Common Pleas Judge in 1995 and was retained both in 2005 and 2015. She completed the General Jurisdiction Course at the National Judicial College with distinction in 1996.  She became President Judge in 2010.

She currently serves as the Lycoming County Drug Court Judge and has continuously since its formation in 1998. Additionally, she currently presides over DUI Court since 2008. She established the County’s Juvenile Drug Court and served as its judge from 2004- 2016.  She established and worked with the Lycoming County Mental Health Court from 2008 to 2012 and returned to it in 2018. She also presides over the County’s newly created Veteran’s Court.

As President Judge, she is the Chairman of the County’s Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB). She also serves on the CJAB’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Subcommittees. Since 2014 as a member of the Substance abuse subcommittee she considers it her responsibility to increase awareness and education of the public through presentations and community meetings and began that effort through the formation of the Heroin Task Force. She recently completed a training with the National Judicial College on “Drugs in America Today: what Every Judge Needs to Know.” Through her participation on the Reentry Coalition subcommittee she assists with programming and policy governing incarcerated individuals returning back to the community.

Judge Butts has represented the Courts on the Lycoming County Prison Board since 1999.

In 1998, Judge Butts contributed to the creation of a local American Inn of Court. She was the first President of the Charles F. Greevy, Jr. Chapter of the American Inn of Court and currently serves as its Secretary.

Judge Butts was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to serve on the Criminal Procedural Rules Committee from 2007-2014. In her last year on the Committee she served as Chairperson.

Based upon an initiative from the PA Supreme Court examining the accessibility of the Courts of elder citizens, in 2015, Judge Butts called together an Elder Abuse Task Force to identify resources and examine obstacles which exist between the Courts and access of the Lycoming County Elder population. All future work will be a collaboration between the public, Courts and Lycoming College.

Judge Butts is an active member of the community.  She has been a member of the Community Theatre League for more than 30 years. She currently serves as Vice President and as member of the Board of Directors. She has been an Emergency Medical Technician for more than 25 years and is a Life Member of Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Company along with a former employee of the Susquehanna Health System. In addition, she currently teaches part-time at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Co-Founder/Executive Director of the LRJ Foundation, Teressa Ruspi was born and raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Georgia. Graduate of Marywood University, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors in Nutrition & Dietetics, current grad student at Mercer University attaining her Masters in Leadership with a focus on nonprofit management , a motivational speaker, a mother of three, and in her spare time its an fitness enthusiast and obstacle course racer. Teressa’s vision is to share with you what her unstoppable team strives for each day. A team who’s mission is to transform the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of our youth and community though the most important element we were born for, “connection”. Which they call their most powerful tool to the puzzle pieces of, suicide prevention.

Be sure to follow Teressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more great information!

Pennsylvania's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has a dual mission: to provide quality service to the commonwealth’s veterans and their families, and to oversee and support the members of the Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG).  We fulfill our dual mission by: Providing resources and assistance to Pennsylvania’s nearly 800,000 veterans and their families, and providing quality care for aging and disabled veterans. Preparing the PNG for combat, performing worldwide combat and combat support operations, providing global reach and the projection of U.S. military power in support of national objectives; and, at the command of the governor, providing trained personnel to support state and local authorities in times of natural disaster or civil strife. Created by the Act of April 11, 1793, the Adjutant General Department was later renamed the Department of Military Affairs by the Administrative Code of 1923. The Act of March 21, 1996 changed the name, once again, to what it is known by today – the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). DMVA is one of Pennsylvania’s largest employers, with approximately 22,000 military and civilian personnel in some 90 communities statewide.  It is overseen by the adjutant general, a governor appointed cabinet-level position. The DMVA and PNG are headquartered at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Fort Indiantown Gap features more than 17,000 acres and 140 training areas and facilities for year-round training for military forces, law enforcement agents and civilians from across the nation and is one of the busiest National Guard Training Centers in the country.

Co-Founder/Executive Director of the LRJ Foundation, Teressa Ruspi was born and raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Georgia. Graduate of Marywood University, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors in Nutrition & Dietetics, current grad student at Mercer University attaining her Masters in Leadership with a focus on nonprofit management , a motivational speaker, a mother of three, and in her spare time its an fitness enthusiast and obstacle course racer. Teressa’s vision is to share with you what her unstoppable team strives for each day. A team who’s mission is to transform the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of our youth and community though the most important element we were born for, “connection”. Which they call their most powerful tool to the puzzle pieces of, suicide prevention.

Be sure to follow Teressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more great information!

The mission of the NEPA Youth Shelter is to provide quality emergency shelter and related services to unaccompanied youth ages 14 through high school graduation from all counties in NEPA. The Shelter will provide essentials such as food, clothing, and bathrooms, as well as services such as educational support, counseling, family reunification, and/or preparation for independent living. With a focus on social justice and advocacy, the Shelter will be welcoming to youth from all backgrounds and especially affirming to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth, as this population constitutes a high percentage of homeless youth in our area.

Our second part is focused on learning how we can help with this serious issue in our communities.

Please visit their website at nepayouthshelter.org.

Co-Founder/Executive Director of the LRJ Foundation, Teressa Ruspi was born and raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Georgia. Graduate of Marywood University, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors in Nutrition & Dietetics, current grad student at Mercer University attaining her Masters in Leadership with a focus on nonprofit management , a motivational speaker, a mother of three, and in her spare time its an fitness enthusiast and obstacle course racer. Teressa’s vision is to share with you what her unstoppable team strives for each day. A team who’s mission is to transform the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of our youth and community though the most important element we were born for, “connection”. Which they call their most powerful tool to the puzzle pieces of, suicide prevention.

Be sure to follow Teressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more great information!

The mission of the NEPA Youth Shelter is to provide quality emergency shelter and related services to unaccompanied youth ages 14 through high school graduation from all counties in NEPA. The Shelter will provide essentials such as food, clothing, and bathrooms, as well as services such as educational support, counseling, family reunification, and/or preparation for independent living. With a focus on social justice and advocacy, the Shelter will be welcoming to youth from all backgrounds and especially affirming to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth, as this population constitutes a high percentage of homeless youth in our area.

Our first part is focused on learning about the poverty cycle and its impact on our youth.

Please visit their website at nepayouthshelter.org.

Co-Founder/Executive Director of the LRJ Foundation, Teressa Ruspi was born and raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Georgia. Graduate of Marywood University, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors in Nutrition & Dietetics, current grad student at Mercer University attaining her Masters in Leadership with a focus on nonprofit management , a motivational speaker, a mother of three, and in her spare time its an fitness enthusiast and obstacle course racer. Teressa’s vision is to share with you what her unstoppable team strives for each day. A team who’s mission is to transform the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of our youth and community though the most important element we were born for, “connection”. Which they call their most powerful tool to the puzzle pieces of, suicide prevention.

Be sure to follow Teressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more great information!

Co-Founder/Executive Director of the LRJ Foundation, Teressa Ruspi-Stann born and raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in Georgia. Graduate of Marywood University, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors in Nutrition & Dietetics, current grad student at Mercer University attaining her Masters in Leadership with a focus on nonprofit management , a motivational speaker, a mother of three, and in her spare time its an fitness enthusiast and obstacle course racer. Teressa’s vision is to share with you what her unstoppable team strives for each day. A team who’s mission is to transform the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of our youth and community though the most important element we were born for, “connection”. Which they call their most powerful tool to the puzzle pieces of, suicide prevention.

Be sure to follow Teressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more great information!

The AgrAbility PA project is designed to assist farmers and other agricultural workers with disabilities or long-term health conditions by providing the resources and support they need to live independently and to continue working in or return to production agriculture.

Please visit their website at AgrAbilityPA.org for more information and to sign up for their newsletter to continue learning about the great work being done!  They can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Pennsylvania's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has a dual mission: to provide quality service to the commonwealth’s veterans and their families, and to oversee and support the members of the Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG).  We fulfill our dual mission by:

• Providing resources and assistance to Pennsylvania’s nearly 800,000 veterans and their families, and providing quality care for aging and disabled veterans.
• Preparing the PNG for combat, performing worldwide combat and combat support operations, providing global reach and the projection of U.S. military power in support of national objectives; and, at the command of the governor, providing trained personnel to support state and local authorities in times of natural disaster or civil strife.

Created by the Act of April 11, 1793, the Adjutant General Department was later renamed the Department of Military Affairs by the Administrative Code of 1923. The Act of March 21, 1996 changed the name, once again, to what it is known by today – the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA).

DMVA is one of Pennsylvania’s largest employers, with approximately 22,000 military and civilian personnel in some 90 communities statewide.  It is overseen by the adjutant general, a governor appointed cabinet-level position.

The DMVA and PNG are headquartered at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Fort Indiantown Gap features more than 17,000 acres and 140 training areas and facilities for year-round training for military forces, law enforcement agents and civilians from across the nation and is one of the busiest National Guard Training Centers in the country.

The late Major General Gerald Sajer and his wife, Helen, founded Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors Inc. in 2006 to support and assist Wounded Warriors and their families as the soldiers returned from deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. They started out by visiting wounded soldiers and their families in Washington D.C., then invited them for a relaxing weekend at their farm in Adams County. As the word spread, PAWW began to work with the Lebanon VA Hospital to address other veteran needs. Ten years later PAWW has grown tremendously thanks to the generous support of Pennsylvanians and in our statewide capability to assist Wounded Warriors, Veterans in Crisis and their families. They are an independent non-profit 501C3 organization and not affiliated with any other veterans support organization, nor do we receive any funds from them. 

For additional information, please visit their website at www.pawoundedwarriors.org.

Earl Granville is a decorated combat veteran and veteran advocate from Northeast Pennsylvania.  His journey from entering the military to the advocacy he does now is incredible.  From earning promotions and developing the soldiers entrusted to him, to losing his leg in combat and the death of his brother, Joe, Earl has seemingly been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

This is the third of three episodes.  In this part we learn about Earl overcoming his brother's suicide, becoming part of a new team, and his future ambitions.

To reach out to Earl, you can email him at Earl.Granville@gmail.com or through Instagram and Facebook. 

To learn more about the organizations Earl mentioned please visit www.enduringwarrior.org, www.oscarmike.org, www.warriorstronginc.org, and achillesinternational.org.

Earl Granville is a decorated combat veteran and veteran advocate from Northeast Pennsylvania.  His journey from entering the military to the advocacy he does now is incredible.  From earning promotions and developing the soldiers entrusted to him, to losing his leg in combat and the death of his brother, Joe, Earl has seemingly been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

This is the second of three episodes.  In this part we learn about Earl's recovery from his injuries and a phone call that no one saw coming.

To reach out to Earl, he can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and earl.granville@gmail.com.

Earl Granville is a decorated combat veteran and veteran advocate from Northeast Pennsylvania.  His journey from entering the military to the advocacy he does now is incredible.  From earning promotions and developing the soldiers entrusted to him, to losing his leg in combat and the death of his brother, Joe, Earl has seemingly been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

This is the first of three episodes.  In this part, we learn about what motivated Earl to join the military, how his outlook on life was changed in Iraq, and the patrol in Afghanistan that would shape his future.

To reach out to Earl, he can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and earl.granville@gmail.com.

Searching for a job out of the military or when already out of the service can be challenging and nerve-racking.  There are many firms that specialize in placing current/former military into civilian careers.  Orion Talent is one of them.  This week's episode features Chris Hurst from Orion Talent discussing the current job searching environment as well as the benefits of utilizing a recruiting firm during a job search,  To learn more about Orion Talent, search for job postings, or looking into a hiring conference, please visit www.oriontalent.com.

*No compensation was received from Orion Talent for their participation in this podcast*

The LRJ (Lou Ruspi, Jr.) Foundation is a non-profit organization serving Pennsylvania and several other states.  Their mission is to improve mental wellness and suicide prevention through interactive educational programming to school districts and the community.  The LRJ Foundation has brought education and resources to tens of thousands of school children as they share the importance of mental health.

Additional information on the LRJ Foundation can be found at www.lrjfoundation.com as well as their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

This week's episode is an introduction to the podcast's mission as well as the amazing work being done by Marley's Mission.  For more information on Marley's Mission, please visit www.marleysmission.com.