Dr. David Andrews served over 21 years on active duty with the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. David deployed to combat four times, including with Joint Special Operations, before being badly wounded-in-action while serving as a combat advisor in Afghanistan. After medically retiring from active duty due to his wounds, David worked as a Senior Intelligence Officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). David’s assignments with DIA included the Joint Staff and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) – United States Northern Command. For his exceptional service to the United States, Dr. Andrews was named the 2015 Department of Defense Outstanding Civilian Employee with a Disability.

Dr. Andrews currently serves as the President of the Remount Foundation – a non-profit organization that helps military veterans and their families heal and build resilience through the use of equine assisted learning. David is the Founder and President of Purple Heart Consulting – a management consulting firm specializing in resilience, authentic leadership, and organizational culture. David also served two terms as Colorado’s elected state commander for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, one of the most revered veterans’ service organizations in the United States. David has met with US government leaders – including the President, Congress, and the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs – on the challenges facing Wounded Warriors. Dr. Andrews holds a Doctorate in Management, is an award-winning author on leadership, and is a frequent keynote speaker on resilience, suicide awareness and prevention, and overcoming adversity. Dr. Andrews’ academic work includes serving as a university adjunct professor in management and strategy.

Very low key and humble about his service to the United States, David credits his successful recovery to his wife and their four children for supporting and pushing him every day to get better and adjust to life with injuries. David’s military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart medal and other awards and accolades consistent with combat veterans fortunate enough to return home.

The 5C Framework©, developed by award-winning leadership expert and combat wounded veteran Dr. David Andrews, describes the five elements needed to develop and sustain resilience: community, connection, commitment, culture, and courage. Resilience – particularly against suicide (the ultimate failure of resilience) – is a community challenge requiring a community approach, and thus requiring partnerships between academia, industry, government, faith-based organizations, and non-profit organizations. Resilience is a human endeavor grounded in connections between people. For many trauma survivors with post-traumatic stress, connection with others is the greatest hurdle in healing. By helping others develop the ability connect with others, we give them the tools to build a deep well of resilience to draw from in adversity. Commitment reminds us as individuals and organizations to take tangible actions to build resilience as part of our identity. While we have reminders of resilience throughout the year (i.e., Veterans Day, Memorial Day), we must commit each day to foster resilience as part of who we are. Culture is the heartbeat of resilience, and it is often the attribute that organizations talk most about and yet don’t know how to address. Every member of the organization shares ownership of the organizational culture, and organizational culture is the lens through which we build resilient organizations. Using the tenets of Appreciative Inquiry, organizations can build a resilient culture able to withstand the most arduous challenges. Courage is the most challenging element of developing resilience. Individuals in need of help must have the courage to reach out to others for assistance; to put pride aside and learn that it is okay to ask for help. Likewise, organizations must show the courage to establish and support resilience programs that create a bridge to hope and resilience for their team. The 5C Framework© is an effective, practical, and proven way to help individuals and organizations develop resilience.

• Describe the drivers of suicide and dispel some of the myths about suicide — Bloom’s Taxonomy Element: Understand
• Describe the five elements of the 5C Framework (community, connection, commitment, culture, and courage) — Bloom’s Taxonomy Element: Understand
• Relate the 5C Framework the participant’s personal, professional, and organizational situation — Bloom’s Taxonomy Element: Analyze
• Mentally formulate a resilience plan against suicide using the 5C Framework — Bloom’s Taxonomy Element: Create