Ted Blickwedel, originally from Emporium, made it his mission to bring awareness to what was happening within the walls of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vet Centers and ensure corrective action was taken so that quality care for veterans’ mental health and counselor welfare did not continue to be compromised. He blew the whistle, worked with legislators to introduce bills in the House and Senate, and has now released the tell-all book, “Broken Promises — Marine Combat Veteran Turns Whistleblower Exposing Compromised Mental Health Care for Veterans at VA.”
Blickwedel will make a stop at the Barbara Moscato Brown Memorial Library, 27 West 4th St., Emporium, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15, to speak about his experiences and his new book. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Blickwedel is a retired Marine lieutenant colonel and Persian Gulf War combat veteran. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a masters degree in education (rehabilitation counseling), and a masters of social work.
As an advocate for the health of veterans and the wellbeing of those who care for them, Blickwedel encourages everyone to attend this presentation, “In general, anyone who cares about our nation’s veterans and those who serve them should attend. But more specifically, veterans, the families of veterans, and the general public need to come — everyone needs to know and to be aware of what is going on in order to raise awareness.”
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