Derek J. Blumke

Derek Blumke is a writer, consultant, and advocate with a focus on mental health reform as it relates to the epidemic of overprescribing in the United States, specifically of those who wear and wore the uniform of our Armed Forces. 

 

Derek served 12 years in the United States Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard. During this time he deployed three times with AC-130H Spectre Gunships, as part of the 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. In 2008, Derek co-founded Student Veterans of America (SVA). During his time with SVA, he served as the organization’s first President, and also served as the organization’s Executive Director, where he led the organization’s advocacy efforts to help pass the Post 9/11 GI Bill through Congress. Today SVA is now the largest community based organization of Post 9/11 veterans in the country, hosting chapters on over 1,600 campuses globally.

 

Derek was a startup technology entrepreneur in New York City; served as the founding director of the Department of Veterans Affairs national mental health program, The VITAL Initiative; was a founding committee member of the National Action Alliance on Suicide Prevention; a member of the American Legion’s National Centennial Committee; and was the Editor of Veterans and Military Families for the mental health website, Mad in America. Most recently Derek served as the chief operations and financial officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Michigan.

 

For his work, Derek has received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and was recognized at the White House by President Barack Obama for his leadership in supporting returning military veterans.

 

Derek is a graduate of the University of Michigan where he double majored in psychology and political science. He is currently writing his memoir, as he pursues his MFA in creative nonfiction writing at Alma College.