The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) was announced as a strategic partner of the new “Got Your 6″ campaign, an initiative inspired by the White House’s Joining Forces that unites the entertainment industry with top tier nonprofit organizations to change the military-civilian conversation in America. The campaign was officially launched Thursday, May 10, in Hollywood, with the mission to empower the nation’s veterans and military families to be understood as leaders and assets that will reinvigorate their communities and the nation. IVMF executive director and founder Mike Haynie, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and IVMF founding director of operations & development Ray Toenniessen, an Army veteran, participated in the campaign launch event. The launch was attended by leaders in the entertainment industry, including Ron Meyer, president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios and a Marine Corps veteran. Meyer, a longtime supporter of SU’s Newhouse School, has made several campus visits to meet and speak with students, was a guest lecturer for SU’s LA Semester program and has twice served as a co-chair for the Newhouse’s Mirror Awards ceremony. He received an honorary degree from SU in 2010. In military vernacular, the expression “Got Your Six” means “I’ve got your back, and in turn, you have mine.” The six o’clock position, or “six,” is located at the rear of a military formation. The reciprocal nature of the “Got your six” statement underlies the message that the campaign strives to spread to all Americans, a powerful show of respect and understanding for this nation’s veterans and military families to take significant steps toward bridging the growing civilian-military divide. Read Full Article