MISSION STATEMENT

The Sgt. John Basilone Foundation was started by Gunnery Sergeant Basilone's family to honor his legacy. Our mission is to preserve his memory and help support those veterans who suffer from the effects of post-traumatic stress. Many veterans, if not all, who have deployed to foreign lands in the service of their country have returned changed as a result. The Sgt. John Basilone Foundation seeks to provide veterans access to treatment that will provide them with coping skills for dealing with their post-traumatic stress. Focus will be on holistic treatments that will positively impact the outlook on their lives as they transition from military to civilian life. This "treatment" can be best described as "Movement is Medicine!" Research has shown that a yoga practice can help relieve symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress such as psychological distress, anxiety and sadness.

The Sgt. John Basilone Foundation also seeks to change the public's perspective on how to refer to what is clinically diagnosed as Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the Rand Center for Military Health Policy Research approximately 18.5 percent of returning service members from Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD. PTSD is defined as an anxiety disorder that may occur after exposure to traumatic event such as military combat, violence, or a natural calamity. The Sgt. John Basilone Foundation, as did Presidents Obama and George W. Bush, prefers to drop the "D." By inferring that those veterans who suffer the effects of post-traumatic stress have a disorder, the Sgt. John Basilone Foundation feels it instead stigmatizes the veterans and may have the negative effect of dissuading them from seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress. In simple terms, when you label, you limit. Comedian George Carlin perhaps best addressed this use of what he coined "soft language" to describe veterans' reaction to combat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuEQixrBKCc&t=25s.

By serving those who have gone to war by seeking holistic treatment for their symptoms we feel we will best accomplish our mission to improve their lives, the lives of their family, and to carry on Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone's legacy of helping others. We're proud to carry on our new mission statement by continuing to help "John's boys."

ABOUT GUNNERY SGT. JOHN BASILONE

After receiving the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II, Gunnery Sgt. Basilone was sent on a war bond tour by the Marine Corps and then transferred to Marine Corps Headquarters and given a desk job. After the war bond tour John requested a return to operating forces so he could fight in the war but was denied. His second request, to train Marines at Camp Pendleton, California, was approved.

There he met his wife, Sgt. Lena Riggi of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. Lena and John were married on 10 July 1944. John requested to return to the Pacific Theater of Operations, which was approved, and he was assigned to Company C, First Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, as it prepared for the invasion of Iwo Jima. John was killed in action on the first day,19 February 1945, but not before performing heroic actions for which he was posthumously awarded a Navy Cross. John was the only enlisted Marine to receive both the Medal of Honor and Navy Cross during World War II.

John Basilone is remembered more than 75 years after he died because of his unselfish dedication to "his boys." In his memory, the foundation works to honor John's legacy and support those veterans suffering from the symptoms of post-traumatic stress. We've been helping others for more than 10 years and we're very proud to fulfill our mission statement and accomplish it by funding to support holistic treatment programs to treat post-traumatic stress and deter veterans from choosing a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Legacy of GySgt Basilone

Iwo Jima Stories

Enduring Love Story

Basilone Statue in Raritan

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6334948/john-basilone-statue

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6334951/john-basilone-statue

BOARD MEMBERS

DIANE BASILONE HAWKINS, PRESIDENT

Diane is the daughter of Dolores Basilone Hawkins, the youngest sister of Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone and ninth of 10 children of Salvatore and Dora Basilone. Diane’s journey to the Sgt. John Basilone Foundation began much further back than 13 years ago when she was asked by her cousin Jerry Cutter, stepson of the oldest Basilone sister Phyllis, to become its president. Raised in Raritan, New Jersey, Diane first lived until the age of five in a house with her grandfather, surrounded by the memories of her Uncle John. Living there, along with her parents, brother and Aunt Mary, Diane learned about the heroic stories of her famous uncle. She often accompanied her grandfather, Aunt Mary and mother Dolores to numerous award ceremonies for her Uncle John, at the invitation of the United States Marine Corps.

Diane would have many other interactions with the Marine Corps. For the 40^th Anniversary of the end of World War 2 in 1985 she was invited, along with her Aunt Mary, to attend a Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Arlington, Virginia. That same weekend she ran her first of three Marine Corps Marathons; speaking at gatherings Friday and Saturday before the race on Sunday. Her brother Gary ran with Diane during one of them. They finished together, each with a huge smile, proud to have shared in the camaraderie of the other runners, among them many Marines, young and old. Later that year Diane was invited to narrate a video talking about the Marine Corps Marathon and suggestions about how to run a successful race.

Running marathons literally fell right in stride with Diane’s job at the time, which was being a health and fitness reporter for the New York Daily News. Beginning in 1985 Diane wrote a weekly column about running and numerous other fitness articles pertaining to exercise and healthy living which included nutrition tips. While at the Daily News, Diane took up boxing, just like her Uncle John. Diane even took boxing lessons at Gleason’s Gym, perhaps the most famous boxing gym in the United States, where she was one of only three women who trained there. Diane fought 10 amateur fights and was undefeated.

Being healthy and taking physical challenges were important to Diane and she now began to compete in ultra-marathons. These ultra-marathons varied in length, some with a distance of 50 miles, and Diane was very successful, named Women’s National Champion from 198. Diane ran 24-hour races, completing one of 130 miles! Because of her success, the New York Road Runners Club named Diane Ultra-Marathoner of the Year three years in a row.

About 10 years ago, Diane faithfully began taking yoga classes and became a dedicated yogi, experiencing for herself the healing power of yoga that addresses speaks to the mind, body, and spirit. So when her cousin Jerry Cutter approached her to take over the Sgt. John Basilone Foundation, Diane knew that yoga had to be the avenue to connect Veterans with the theme “Movement is Medicine” as a means to holistically treat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

DENNIS LYNN COVERT (FORMER SAILOR), BOARD MEMBER - IN

Dennis Covert has served his country and fellow veterans since 1967 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 18. He served aboard the heavy cruiser USS SAINT PAUL (CA-73) for two years, which included 12 months in the coastal waters off South and North Vietnam. When he separated from active duty in October 1969 Dennis had attained the rank of Petty Officer Third Class (E-4).

Following his naval service Dennis attended Ball State University on the G.I. Bill and graduated in February 1973 with a degree in Business Administration. Right after graduation he was hired by Merrill Lynch in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was employed by them until June 2016; 43 years!

In 2010 Dennis became involved with Honor Flight Northeast Indiana (HFNEI). HFNEI’s mission is to transport America’s Veterans to Washington, DC to visit those memorials dedicated to honor the service and sacrifices they and their friends have made. World War II and terminally ill veterans are given top priority on these flights. Honor Flight Northeast Indiana is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization and all contributions are tax deductible.

At HFNEI Dennis has served in many capacities including a financial donor, serving on the board of Directors beginning in 2014, and being elected President of HFNEI in May 2016, a position he held for five and a half years until January 2022. Perhaps in his most noticeable role Dennis has served as a guardian for 11 different veterans while traveling on 31 Honor Flights. For the last 16 Honor Flights Dennis served as trip leader.

Another passion of Dennis’ is to visit World War II Pacific battle sites. In 2006 Dennis spent several days exploring the many battlefields in the Solomon Islands, most on Guadalcanal, with a visit to Gizo. In 2008 Dennis visited the islet of Betio in the Tarawa atoll, Republic of Kiribati (formerly Gilbert Islands), exploring the sites of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific theater and Butaritari (formerly Makin Island).

It was in 2010 that Dennis visited Iwo Jima and Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. The visit to Iwo Jima was memorable, falling on the 65^th anniversary of the battle, but also because it was there he met Diane Hawkins and enlisted Diane to be a guardian and all-around resource to the veterans transported to Washington, DC by HFNEI. Diane has returned the favor and recruited Dennis to serve on the board of the Sgt. John Basilone Foundation.