"Stay Strong" song gives nod to our troops

"Stay Strong" is a moving, forceful reminder to our servicemen and women that the nation respects and reveres them and will not forget them when they return home. The song is designed to raise awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and to raise money to build a state-of-the-art PTSD treatment facility in Hawaii for returning combat vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Stay Strong" is co-written by Keith Crosby, a decorated combat veteran who served in Vietnam. The featured vocalist is Charles Cook, a vet who served on active duty in Afghanistan and Iraq and toured at military bases as a member of "Tops in Blue," a traveling USAF entertainment group comprised of soldiers.

"Stay Strong's" powerful message comes at a time when there are mounting concerns that the incidence of traumatic brain injury is producing a high number of cases of PTSD. According to the latest Pentagon estimates, tens of thousands may develop debilitating long-term problems.

The $3.99 "Stay Strong" CD comes with a postcard that can be filled out and returned to the song's executive producers at StayStrongNation.org. They will distribute these messages of support to the soldiers, posting them in mess halls and other places where the troops congregate.

Consumers can order the CD by going on the organization's website -http://www.staystrongnation.org.

StayStrongNation.org has received a congratulatory letterf rom the White House on behalf of President George W. Bush.

In addition, the proceeds from the CD sales will go to raise money for a re-entry and PTSD treatment facility in Hawaii. Expected to cost some $15 million, the center will provide soldiers returning from combat zones and diagnosed with stress any necessary therapy within a relaxed environment, along with their families. The project is the vision of Keith Crosby and Gresford Lewishall, president and vice president - respectively - of the music label Boo You Back Productions, who have formed StayStrongNation.org and filed for a 501(c)(3) charitable status.

This grassroots effort reflects their commitment to the more than 1.65 million service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. For these men, "Stay Strong" is a chance to make a real difference in the lives of our combat veterans. Though both have extensive connections to the music business, these residents of Maui describe themselves as just "regular guys." Crosby is a maintenance worker and Lewishall, a tour bus operator. Crosby has been composing for nearly 40 years and Lewishall has been involved in music promotion since the 1990s.

Keith Crosby, the song's co-writer and co-executive producer and a decorated vet who served active duty in Vietnam, continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress. He drew inspiration for the song from his own experiences and explains, "I understand what soldiers are going through and I believe they'll be able to really relate to the song's message. We want service members who have been in combat areas and their families to understand that the earlier they get whatever assistance they need, the better off they'll be."

Charles Cook, one of the song's lead vocalists, toured for 8 years in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. His long career in the U.S. Air Force offered him the opportunity to audition for the "Tops in Blue," a traveling USAF entertainment group and he was invited to join the team in 2003. His tour began atthe start of Military Operations "Enduring Freedom" (the war on Afghanistan) and "Iraqi Freedom" and took him into Baghdad, Kosovo, Bosnia and Cuba, delivering a message of hope and encouragement that he felt the soldiers so desperately needed.

An April 2008 Rand Corporation study noted that 20 percent of veterans who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan reported signs of major depression or stress disorder. According to the survey, many service members said they do not seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they fear it will harm their careers.

The PTSD treatment facility in Hawaii that StayStrongNation.org is raising money for will not only allow returning soldiers to receive treatment from medical professionals, but also to take advantage, along with their families, of an idyllic retreat and such amenities as tennis and basketball courts, whale watching, parasailing, jetskiing, musical programs and a computer center.

"Stay Strong" was written by Crosby along with Michael Lietz (aka Bishop). It was produced, recorded and mixed by Robbeatz with music by DeVon Johnson. L.A. Keith Crosby and Gresford Lewishall are the executive producers. The soundtrack also features vocalist Amber Riley.

StayStrongNation.org has also forged an alliance with another non-profit formed by returning war veterans called "Wounded Warrior Mentor Program," whose mandate is to provide unique programs and services to meet their needs including helping them to find jobs. Sgt. Melissa Cramblett is one of the members of "Wounded Warrior Mentor Program"
(http://www.wpwoundedwarriormentorprogram.com)
who served combat duty on the frontlines in Iraq, and among her injuries she suffers from PTSD. Cramblett, along with the Stay Strong founders, is on a mission to help returning vets.