Honorary Board
Kim Milano
Kim Milano is the Secretary of Hidden Wounds Board of Directors. Kim is married to MG James M. Milano and has been actively involved in programs to help soldiers and families for the past 27 years. She is also a registered dietitian with a specialty in pediatrics. While at Fort Carson, Colorado she counseled patients with TBI and PTSD and their families on healthy eating for brain injuries and depression. Kim led programs such as Walk to Iraq and Back, Resiliency Workshops, Baby Blankets for Newborns, monthly Division FRG Steering Committee meetings etc., to improve morale during deployments. She also partnered with the Homeland Defense Foundation to provide programs for military families such as stress reduction, healthy cooking, self-defense, suicide prevention, etc. She has served as the senior family readiness advisor and has actively promoted programs to alleviate stress and create resiliency for families and soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado, Fort Knox, Kentucky and currently at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Thad Viers
Thad grew up in Socastee, S.C. where he started a Republic Club at his high school and later became an office intern for the late Senator Strom Thurmond.
He graduated from Socastee High School in 1995 and then matriculated to The Citadel on an academic scholarship to pursue a Marine Corps commission. After an injury in Officer Candidates School, the Marine Corps was no longer an option. Viers then went to work for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank in Washington, D.C. From there he later became a field staff for Congressman Henry Brown.
Thad was elected to the State House of Representatives in 2003 where he strives to always be part of the conservative revolution that President Ronald Reagan started. While serving in the State House, he further his education by attending the University of South Carolina Law School. His plan is to practice law while promoting the conservative ideals of less government, lower taxes and family values in the State House of Representatives.
Chaplain (Colonel) Steve Shugart
Steve Shugart is the full-time Sr Army Chaplain (COL) for the South Carolina Army National Guard. In this role, he provides spiritual care and support for the day to day needs of SC troops as they deploy and return from combat. As a multiple-deployed veteran, Chaplain Shugart additionally serves with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Assistance Program because many of our law enforcement personnel are also Reserve Component soldiers. For the past ten years Chaplain Shugart served full-time as the State Family Programs Director, the Strategic Development Coordinator and as the Task Force Chaplain for the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command (NARMC). Chaplain Shugart and his team have helped deploy over 12,000 soldiers and today he is a Regional Instructor on soldier issues including combat operational stress, post traumatic stress disorder, suicide prevention and grief. He is a United Methodist Elder. Chaplain Shugart attended Chester High School, Clemson University, BA, Emory University, Masters of Divinity, and Drew University, Doctorate of Ministry.
Chaplain Shugart, native of Chester, SC, is married to Sue Campbell Shugart and lives in Easley, SC. They have five children: Jonathan, Ginny Lynn, Anna Grace, Will and Grant (twins).
Roxanne Wilson
With four sons currently serving in the military, Roxanne has an obvious affinity and love of the military. On top of the fact that she is the wife of Congressmen Joe Wilson, Chairman of the Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, you’ve got a Board member that understands military issues on many fronts making her a valuable resource.
Dan Ramsey, Executive Director of Strategic Outreach
Dan Ramsey is a veteran of both the Navy and the Marine Corps. In the Navy Dan served as a construction man in the Seabees and in the Marine Corps he served in the Infantry as part of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Charlie Company, stationed out of Camp Lejeune, NC. Dan has served in numerous places around the world including East and West Africa and the Middle East. During his last deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, while on a mission, Dan broke his neck in several places which almost left him paralyzed and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Dan was subsequently retired from the Marine Corps and diagnosed with PTSD, TBI and other combat-related injuries, but despite his injuries, he is still fully supportive of all branches of the military and of their missions. He is using his experience as an Infantry leader along with his experiences with PTSD, TBI, and the VA to bring a unique perspective to the Strategic Outreach Program, called “Fire Teams”. Dan was appointed as the Executive Director of Strategic Outreach in January 2010. He is directly responsible for providing strategic direction, management and coordination of Hidden Wounds Fire Team, and is also a co-founder for Fire Team. He focuses on developing and implementing plans aimed at raising funds from the public and private sector through recruits and events associated with lowering the stigma surrounding psychological injuries among military personnel. He seeks to let veterans know they are supported and appreciated, and that help exists when trying to re-assimilate to civilian life.
Steven Diaz, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Steven Diaz joined the Marine Corps after he graduated from high school. Initially he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan and alter volunteered to go to Iraq in January 2005. He spent three months escorting convoys out of Al Asad Airbase. During a mission he was hit by an IED, severely wounding him and leaving shrapnel scattering throughout his body. As a result he is now blind in his left eye, cannot run or stand for long periods of time, and has been diagnosed with TBI, PTSD, and a seizure disorder. Having been prematurely medically discharged from the Marine Corps since October 2006, Steven felt like he was not finished fighting his war. Inspired by President Ronald Regan’s 1985 quote, “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don’t have that problem,” Steven got involved with Hidden Wounds. As the Fire Team leader he has a chance to continue his commitment to never leave a fallen brother behind by providing the help veterans need after returning home with post-war challenges of all kinds. His shared goal, along with Hidden Wounds’, is to let veterans know they are supported when they come back and to spread awareness about PTSD and how families, friends, and comrades can help fight it.
Add to Google