Veterans Advantage Honors Team USA at Invictus Games

GREENWICH, Conn., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Veterans Advantage, PBC announced that it had gifted a year of Veterans Advantage with personalized VetRewards Cards to the 93 wounded warrior Paralympian members of Team USA competing at the 2017 Invictus Games, just completed in Toronto.

"The one-week event brought 550 competitors from 17 nations across the globe competing in 12 sports," said H. Scott Higgins, a Vietnam Veteran and Co-Founder of Veterans Advantage. "The real meaning of these games, however, transcend sport to demonstrate why we should be grateful for our freedoms today. The Invictus Games is our opportunity to see these brave warriors in action and cheer them on."

At a private U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reception and ceremony in New York before the games, 93 U.S. service personnel, who have each overcome tremendous challenges associated with service-related injuries to represent their country once again ? this time as athletes ? were recognized. In honor of their achievements, each was presented with the gift of a VetRewards Card, with benefits plans underwritten by Avis Budget Group as presenting sponsor, as well as Veterans Advantage and its community of former military and family members.

Veterans Advantage gifted free VetRewards Cards for the U.S. Team at a similar event at last year's Invictus Games in Orlando, chaired by Ken Fisher, Chairman of Fisher Houses.

"As I told our U.S. Team athletes, they have already represented our country with valor," said Paul W. Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and Veterans Advantage Advisory Board member. "These games are for them to enjoy the spirit of camaraderie and competition with their fellow warriors, and one more way we can honor them for their service with real benefits that will serve them long after these games are complete."

In addition to the United States, the other 16 nations are Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, who started the games in 2014 with the vision of Prince Harry.

Veterans Advantage ? Gifting Programs

Veterans Advantage's Gifting programs are part of its mission as a registered public benefit corporation ("PBC") to advocate for greater respect, recognition, and rewards for those who serve our nation. To date, with member support, Veterans Advantage has delivered over a half million free VetRewards Cards and its associated benefits to active duty service personnel, wounded warriors and their caregivers, student veterans, and as gifts to honor special groups of veterans.

To reach new recipients of veteran-led and supported benefit programs, Veterans Advantage works through its 501c3 partnerships, institutions of higher learning and government organizations, such as the U.S. Invictus Games teams, Operation Gratitude and Operation Care and Comfort, the City University of New York and Syracuse University, the City of New York through the IDNYC card with Veteran Designation, Department of Veterans Affairs of the State of Connecticut, and  the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients, spouses and widows.

ABOUT INVICTUS GAMES 2017

The Invictus Games inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect of those who serve their country. They provide a unique opportunity for people to show support for ill, wounded, and injured soldiers, and their families.

The Invictus Games were created by His Royal Highness Prince Harry of Wales as a way to honor these heroes. Eight days of competitions took place at state-of-the-art sports venues across Toronto. This year's Invictus Games brought together 550 competitors from 17 countries to compete in a dozen adaptive sports.

The Fourth Invictus Games will be held in Sydney, Australia next October.

ABOUT AVIS BUDGET GROUP

Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of mobility solutions, both through its Avis and Budget brands, which have more than 11,000 rental locations in approximately 180 countries around the world, and through its Zipcar brand, which is the world's leading car sharing network, with more than one million members.  Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world.  Avis Budget Group has approximately 30,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J.  More information is available at www.avisbudgetgroup.com.

ABOUT VETERANS ADVANTAGE

Veterans Advantage is a registered public benefit corporation that creates greater respect, recognition, and rewards for its members who are U.S. military veterans, active and retired U.S. military, National Guard, reservists and their family members. In addition to exclusive partner benefits, Veterans Advantage has issued over one million VetRewards Cards, which allows its partners to use free, real-time verification technology to check customer eligibility for military and veteran discounts online, in mobile apps, by toll-free phone, and at point-of-sale locations nationwide. For more information, please visit www.VeteransAdvantage.com, www.Facebook.com/VetRewards, and www.Twitter.com/VetRewards.

Contact: Roy Asfar, 203-422-2526, [email protected]

SOURCE Veterans Advantage