Dear Friends,

Greg Parsons, CEO of Semper Capital, is a former US Marine and a friend of ours who I would like to introduce to you. Greg and his firm have focused their philanthropic/charitable efforts around our Military Veterans.  One of the groups they work very closely with is The Heroes Journey, founded by a retired Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel, Scott Mann.  The Heroes Journey helps service members transition to civilian life by learning to tell their own stories.  Military men and women “find their voice” in transition with the aid of books, workshops, and virtual training.  Scott Mann spent nearly two years writing his story.  Today it is a play: Last Out-Elegy of a Green Beret.  (See the Trailer:  https://vimeo.com/345946945)

Semper Capital and CAVU Securities, LLC are proud to bring Last Out to New York City, September 14 & 15, 2019. 

Here is the ask: Greg needs your help to make this a reality in the form of sponsorships, introductions to other like-minded influential folks in NYC, donations, ticket sales, etc.  If you are interested and able to help, Greg’s managing director, Tom Donnelly, tdonnelly@cavusecurities.com, would like to set up a time in the coming weeks to formally introduce you to the project and see where/how you can be helpful.

Please see more information about the production below along with a recent interview of Scott Mann with Mike Huckabee: https://youtu.be/Cmqh3-FfadQ.

LAST OUT: ELEGY OF A GREEN BERET

A Heroes Journey Production

 Last Out—Elegy of a Green Beret –(Click here to watch quick video Trailer:  https://vimeo.com/345946945 )is a validation of the sacrifices of our country’s heroes and offers a window of opportunity for those seeking training services and storytelling skills to bridge the transition from military to civilian life.

Last Out—Elegy of a Green Beret is a theatrical production by Ret. Lt. Col. Mann that universally depicts the impact of war on veterans and their families.  Last Out is a validation of the sacrifices of our country’s heroes and offers hope to those struggling with the transition to civilian life. Last Out stimulates a dialogue to promote understanding, compassion, and community cohesion.

This play is produced by The Heroes Journey, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans and giving them the tools and training they need to share their stories and to bridge the transition from military to civilian life. Each performance is followed by a powerful audience discussion led by the cast, and free resources and reference materials are provided to help combat veterans return to civilian life after deployments. This project has been presented to diverse audiences comprised of veterans, military families, and civilians at theatres across the country.

The Heroes Journey

After terrorists launched an attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, Lt. Col. Scott Mann and his teammates in the 7^th Special Forces Group were fueled by a sense of purpose.  “We were pushing a much more kinetic path to get at the bad guys and put scalps on the barn,” he said. “It is safe to say a large part of our regiment did the same thing until about 2009, 2010. There were more Taliban than we started, and we lost our way.”  When Lt. Col. Mann came home, he found it hard to shed that purpose and to readjust to civilian life.  He spent a few years in a dark place.

“What I found in my own transition is I became dark after a couple of years and it was only through learning to tell my story, my hero’s journey I guess, that I started to reconnect with my purpose and find my way home.”

To assist others who are encountering similar struggles, Lt. Col. Mann and his wife, Monty, formed the non-profit organization The Heroes Journey.  The Heroes Journey helps service members transition to civilian life by learning to tell their own stories.  Military men and women “find their voice” in transition with the aid of books, workshops, and virtual training.

Last Out—Elegy of a Green Beret

Every year 200,000 Veterans transition from military service into civilian life. It is a challenging time that often results in significant personal changes for veterans who must re-discover their voice. Storytelling, a powerful form of communal therapy, is a dynamic tool for coping with the stresses of military transition and strengthening our communities.

“In a back-and-forth time frame covering over 25 years of time (1989-2015) it resembles an ancient Greek tale about warriors and heroes’ journeys–but in this case an American warrior, a Green Beret,” noted a DC theater critic after a performance over Memorial Day weekend. Indeed, Ancient Greek tragedies were a form of storytelling aimed at imparting the experience of war, and when a veteran’s own harrowing struggles are recognized in the story of Last Out, there is a validation that opens the door to letting go and healing.

The play follows Army Green Beret Danny Patton as he fights in battles ranging from tribal Afghanistan to his own living room.  As the corrosive gears of war begin to rip apart Danny’s family, his integrity, and his soul, he is thrust into one final, eternal mission.  With Valhalla beckoning, Danny discovers that combat can be fueled by vengeance or by love…depending on the price you are willing to pay.

Taking two years to complete, Last Out—Elegy of a Green Beret is based on true stories of modern war told from a downrange and home-front perspective. With a cast made up entirely of veterans and their family members, Last Out is a theatrical experience intended to help civilians better understand the cost of combat to our veterans and their families, and to help warriors utilize the power of story to let go of their pain, healing the wounds of war.

You’ve heard the war stories of the “first in.”  This is the untold story of the Last Out.

Thanks for your time and again, to learn more about how you and your firm might support our Military Veterans, please contact Tom Donnelly, tdonnelly@cavusecurities.com, a Semper Capital company.