By John Ingoldsby | Engagement Insider
As the NFL kicks off its annual Salute To Service campaign again this November, one of their most decorated veterans continues to carry on its mission of serving those who have served.
Which for Pittsburgh Steelers Legend Rocky Bleier means working tirelessly with military veterans’ organizations to ensure that fellow former soldiers transition successfully into civilian life.
And although he has done this for decades, the biggest effort may now just be beginning for Bleier, the former Army infantryman who overcame war wounds from Vietnam to become a four-time Super Bowl champion with the iconic Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s.
“With the downsizing of the military from current conflicts abroad, there are approximately 300,000 troops who will soon become civilians,” said the famous author of “Fighting Back,” which was later made into a movie.
But for many returning soldiers, there is no Hollywood ending, only physical and psychological scars. But that’s where Bleier and the organizations he works with can help veterans be aware of how to access all the services available to them.
“I have a lot going on these days, working work with groups like “Warrior2Citizen” and “Unite Us,” the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, and being an Honorary Director of the Boulder Crest Retreat,” noted the 1968 Notre Dame graduate.
“For Veterans Day, I will be meeting in Atlanta with Warrior2Citizen, which helps veterans handle the challenges of transitioning from the war front to the home front,” said Bleier, who explained that the organization helps, for instance, married couples who may be dealing with the psychological and moral aspects of war.
“It started with the Georgia National Guard, where measurable results showed divorce rates cut in half and suicides drop to zero, and it is now open to all branches of the military,” he exclaimed.
Bleier attributes the success of this program to technology, where 24-7 all veterans can go to a computer and within minutes be online with counselors, even face-to-face, to draw support and discuss issues they are facing.
“The soldiers of today are tied to technology,” observed Bleier, who stressed that the ultimate aim of the Warrior2Citizen (www.warrior2citizen.org) is to make veterans productive citizens.
Another association that the Pittsburgh resident is involved in is “Unite Us” (www.uniteus.com), which connects veterans, service members, and their families with valuable resources and supporters in their local communities.
“As an example, Western Pennsylvania has the second largest veteran population outside of a military base, so we just kicked off this effort which serves as a resource for our veterans,” stated Bleier.
The Wisconsin native also mentioned that “Unite Us,” is teamed up with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (www.vets.syr.edu), which focuses on the social, economic, education and policy issues impacting veterans and their families post-service.
But that’s not all for the busy Bleier, who noted that on November 15 he will attend the Cannon Ball Gala at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh (www.soldiersandsailorshall.org), the nation’s only military museum dedicated to honoring the men and women of all branches of service, and in all capacities (Active, Reserve, Guard).
“The museum is a great tribute to military history, and I am proud to be associated with it,” said Bleier.
An additional association he takes pride in is Boulder Crest Retreat in Bluemont, Virginia (www.bouldercrestretreat.org), a rural sanctuary where military warriors with combat-stress related injuries can bring their families and enjoy non-clinical, recreational therapeutic activities aimed at assisting with their physical, mental, financial and spiritual recovery.
“I was named to the Honorary Advisory Board last year, which was an honor for me since I support Ken Falke, who started by inviting soldiers from Walter Reed Hospital back to his house in Virginia, and later donated land to his foundation to have a retreat where soldiers and their family could have a place to go and enjoy an outdoor experience.”
An experience like so many that Bleier believes will benefit veterans so they can find successful post-service careers, just like Bleier himself, who has two businesses.
“I own a construction company, where I sometimes work with the federal government and Veterans Administration, and I also have an insurance agency with my son, where I help people transitioning into retirement with areas like social security and 401Ks,” he said.
But no matter what the age, Bleier believes a successful transition stems from utilizing available resources, and pointed out the current correlation that resonates with his famous life story.
“I am always struck by the similarities of NFL players and military veterans, since so often they both complete their first career in their twenties,” the former Steelers players’ representative observed. “But fortunately for them, they both have resources second to none available to them for a successful transition, so I would tell the players what I tell the veterans, which is to take advantage of all that the NFL, like the government, has to offer.”
And although the NFL offers exponentially more resources off the field than when Bleier retired from the game, he made his mark on the field like no other, beginning 40 years ago when he fulfilled his football dream by becoming the starting halfback in the Steelers backfield.
“In 1974, there was a strike so there weren’t as many players as usual in camp, and there were only four other running backs on the roster, so with injuries and other circumstances I began to get some playing time early in the season,” recalled Bleier. “Through some mixing and matching, I had a couple of good games and then finally on a Monday night in Atlanta, Franco Harris and I started together and I became his blocking back.”
But he ultimately became Franco’s running mate as well when they won the first of their four Super Bowl together that year, and in 1976 they became only the second set of teammates to each rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.
And as the dynasty unfolded, Bleier forever shed the label as just a blocking back by rushing for nearly 4,000 career yards, including a career-high 70-yard jaunt.
Then, he picked the biggest moment of them all to display his genuine athleticism in making the signature play of his career by jumping high to snare the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XIII.
That leaping catch was captured forever on the cover of Sports Illustrated, serving as a fitting tribute to a soldier wounded in the 1960s who still serves his fellow veterans nearly five decades later.