“Scars and Stripes” with Nick Palmisciano
Please join us on August 5 as we kick off Wellness Weekend with Nick Palmisciano, U.S. Army Veteran and co-author of “Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself.” Palmisciano will discuss the book and initiatives he started to help Veterans (Ranger Up), Afghan refugees (Save Our Allies), “Ranger 15” movie and the importance of resilience and wellness programs in the Veteran community.
This event brings together the original inspiration for Wellness Weekend, the Veterans and creators of The Twenty-Year War: Our Next Greatest Generation. At 4 p.m., guests will enjoy free exhibition tours by the creators themselves: Tom Amenta and Dan Blakely (both U.S. Army Ranger Veterans) and photographer and producer, Beau Simmons.
Participants can then purchase a signed copy of the New York Times bestseller, “Scars and Stripes,” followed by a conversation with Palmisciano, Blakeley and Amenta. We’ll wrap up the event as our speakers hit the jiu-jitsu mats with our president and CEO (and blackbelt), Lt. General Mike Ferriter, U.S. Army (Retired), to show us firsthand the role physical wellness plays in our lives.
Nick Palmisciano is a U.S. Army Veteran, vetrepreneur, founder of Ranger Up, veteran creative with works spanning a Hollywood movie “Range15,” and a New York Times bestselling book, “Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself: with Tim Kennedy.
Ranger Up became a leader in the Veteran community, with such strong support that it has consistently landed in Internet Retailer’s Second 500 since 2012, selling over $100 million in t-shirts since inception.
In 2014, he co-wrote, produced, starred in, and served as managing partner for “Range 15,” the first Veteran-made Hollywood film. “Range 15” had the fourth largest crowdfund in Indiegogo Movie history and opened in over 650 theaters. Nick later produced a documentary entitled, “Not a War Story,” about the experience of making the film that also spent a week as the top documentary on iTunes and Amazon.
Nick is the CEO of Diesel Jack Media and is also the vice president and one of four founding board members of Save Our Allies, an effort that rescued 12,000 refugees in the final 10 days of the Afghanistan War. He was one of twelve men who went to Kabul to assist with the evacuation.
Nick holds an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was awarded the Entrepreneurial Organization’s Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2015. His interests include film, writing, and art, Italian food, and combat sports.
Dan Blakeley is a former U.S. Army Special Operations Ranger, who served with the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. During his years of service, he deployed six times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Following eight years of service, Dan found himself suppressing his experiences in the military to ‘fit in’ to his new community of friends and coworkers.
After earning a double master’s degree at Appalachian State University, Dan began seeking ways to reconnect with the Veteran community. From personal experience and conversations with fellow Veterans, Dan knows all too well how difficult it is to find the ‘right’ Veteran organization, not to mention finding one that provides purpose to those involved. He knew it wasn’t just coincidence when his friend Beau Simmons approached him about starting a project which would benefit Veterans. They had to capitalize on their experiences and create a platform which would tell the stories of each Veteran: the good, the bad and the ugly.
Tom Amenta was born in Chicago, IL, and grew up in the area before enlisting, against his family’s wishes, into the United States Army on his 18th birthday. Following his five years as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, including two combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Tom earned his degree in political science from the University of Illinois.
Tom spent the next eight years as the COO of the veteran lifestyle apparel company Ranger Up. He pioneered the veteran lifestyle apparel category and helped grow Ranger Up into the premier company in the space. While at Ranger Up he passionately advocated for veterans’ causes in many spaces, including lobbying Senate service committees. Leveraging the success at Ranger Up he helped produce and starred in the only fully veteran-produced Hollywood movie, Range 15. He is a passionate advocate for veteran entrepreneurship and assisting veterans in transition.
Beau Simmons is a fine arts and documentary photographer who has specialized in Americana and Western lifestyle for over twelve years. His admiration and respect for those who have served all started when he was looking to join the Marine Corps, but his life took him into the field of photography. Dealing with a sense of guilt, he has always wanted to find ways to help support those who have fought for our freedoms.
After establishing his name in the fashion and celebrity industry and reconnecting with his childhood friend Dan, he found a way to focus his passion while supporting veterans. With starting United Valor he has dedicated his time to honoring the stories of these brave men and women while shedding light on the physical and emotional stress of war.
