#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Jerome Mapp

Jerome W. Mapp was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He began his Navy career on Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands, where he and thousands of sailors, soldiers, airmen and Defense Department personnel cleaned up radiated material from atomic bomb tests conducted there in the 1950s. He served as a Navy journalist with the American Forces Antarctica Network, deployed aboard USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7) as the command journalist, and served in the Marine Corps Reserve during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm

The Sept. 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks occurred while Mapp worked in the Pentagon as a writer and editor for the Navy News Service under the Chief of Navy Information Office. Mapp used his experience with traumatic situations to continue helping others get to safety over several hours after first helping a coworker escape the damaged building.

Mapp worked at Defense Information Systems Agency as a public affairs specialist from 2006 to 2010 before engaging in service projects as a public affairs officer at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in 2013 for Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa. He has written for various military and Veterans’ publications, and is currently an American Legion member and the Deputy Public Affairs Chief at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Mapp’s words to Virginia’s WAVY-TV in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 encourage all Veteran and other trauma survivors: “I feel like I need to carry on. Obviously, in any tragedy, there’s gonna be survivors. And you just gotta forge ahead, you gotta keep going. You remember the tragedy. You pray for those who died, you pray for their families. But then again, ultimately you have to move forward. You can’t stay in one place.”

During his service, Mapp has earned awards including a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, a Navy Achievement Medal with gold star award, a Humanitarian Service Medal and a Public Affairs Excellence Award.

We honor his service.

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Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

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Writer: Michelle A. Shade

Editors: Ashley Shaut, Marisa Bunton

Researcher: Raphael Romea

Graphic Designer: Kiki Kelley

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