2013 ANNUAL REPORT

Prepared By: Daniel R. Gaita, Founder - Operation Vet Fit, Inc. July 31st, 2013 - danielgaita@comcast.net www.Operationvetfit.org - 501 (c)(3) EIN: 46-0672516

2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Operation Vet-Fit's mission is to assist our nation's combat veterans, active duty members and affected family members through exercise, fitness, and group based motivational activities and events. Operation Vet-Fit is accomplishing this mission through free fitness club memberships, personal training, group training and group based motivational events and excursions geared toward fostering a healthy transition following combat service. Additionally, we serve as a free liaison supporting veterans with service-connected disabilities by assisting in the process of locating, accessing, and navigating the many available veterans benefits currently being offered.

VISION
To embolden our next generation and inspire a greater future for all who have served our nation in combat.

VALUES
Purpose . Achievement . Service . Integrity

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

CONTENTS
Executive Summary .................................................................. 1 Contents ...................................................................................... 2 Situation ...................................................................................... 4 Mission ........................................................................................ 6 Execution .................................................................................... 8 Administration and Logistics .................................................10 Revenues ...................................................................................10 Compensation ..........................................................................10 Revenues v. Expenses.............................................................11 Expenses ...................................................................................11 Command and Control...........................................................12 Founding Board Members .....................................................12 Advisory Board Members ......................................................13 Overview Of Success ..............................................................19 Forward Thinking....................................................................20

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

The combat veteran has proven, through actions, not words, a willingness to sacrifice his or her life for the protection of ours
- Dan Gaita

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

SITUATION
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a kind of anxiety triggered by a traumatic event causing extreme shock, fear, or a feeling of helplessness. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that approximately 1 in every 30 US adults develops PTSD every year. The risk for combat war veterans is significantly greater with some reports suggesting that about 1 in every 4 service men and women returning from Iraq or Afghanistan will develop at least one combat-related problem such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression. Recent studies highlight that At 12 months following combat, the prevalence of mental health problems among veterans does not abate, and in many cases increases. The far-reaching consequences of these disturbing findings touch the returning soldiers, their families, and their peers. Researchers have continually found exercise can be an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Doctors are increasingly prescribing exercise for the prevention and treatment of many diseases as it can alleviate the stress that exacerbates many symptoms and promotes physical fitness which helps with resiliency.

Combat

PTSD
References:

Disease

Thomas JL et al. Archives of General Psychiatry 2010; 67(6): 614-23 Hoge CW et al. JAMA 2006; 295:1023-32
1. 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine. 2. "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Coronary Atherosclerosis, and Mortality" Naser Ahmadi, MD, MS, Ramin Ebrahimi, MD et al "American Journal of Cardiology". published online 02 May 2011. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2011.02.340

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

MISSION
Physical & Mental - Operation Vet Fit aims to provide a free
24/7 fitness center, personal training, group fitness seminars, team oriented motivational fitness events, and stress reducing outdoor and social excursions for returning combat veterans and their affected family members; especially those suffering from Combat PTSD, TBI, and other visible and invisible service connected disabilities.

Social Additionally, we shall serve

as a free liaison supporting veterans with service-connected disabilities by assisting in the process of locating, accessing, and navigating the many available veterans benefits currently being offered. In addition we shall work within our served communities to aid in civilian life reintegration through social service, mentoring programs and volunteerism while identifying and engaging in opportunities geared toward fostering a sense of continued and improved purpose amongst our member veterans.

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

EXECUTION
Bricks and Mortar - The first
location, Private Studio Fitness, is located in the heart of downtown Bethel, CT. It is a beautiful 3,000+ Sq., 24/7fFitness center with full security and surveillance measures in place as well as a crowd capacity control mechanism. The facility provides a full line of industrial high-end cardiovascular equipment. Commercial grade freeweights and cable machines. All necessary apparatus are available to safely and effectively implement a guided, safe and effective fitness program for our combat veterans. In addition, the facility provides flat screen TVs in front of all cardio equipment with cable as well as Direct TV, sports and news packages. Wi-Fi access is free of charge and Pandora radio is streaming through the facilitys controllable audio system via an IPad that stands ready for general use by patrons. Electronic key fob access and automated 24 hr. surveillance provide a safe and easily accessible point of entry. Automated lighting and complete climate control provides for ease and comfort during use. Complimentary fresh towels, free coffee and re-fueling snacks and drinks are always available.

Programs and Services - Founder, Dan Gaita, has

transformed his once for profit fitness center into a non-profit operation which enables existing community donor members the opportunity to improve their health and fitness while also contributing to the health and fitness of our combat veteran members. Additionally we host a variety of regular physical, and social activities including but not limited to: 5Ks Golf Outings Recognition Dinners Luncheons Camping Trips River Rafting Trips

Veterans Assistance Operation Vet Fit aids its member combat veterans through the
burdensome process of obtaining and utilizing the many available programs, services and benefits currently available through the Department of Veterans Affairs, State of CT resources, and other local agencies that serve the combat veteran population.

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report

From the Chosin Reservoir to the Helmand Province. We protect those that protected us.

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ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS

Operation Vet Fit is proud to announce that it utilized an all-volunteer force to form, design, implement, fund, manage and bring into existence the entirety of its charity.

Revenues

Programs Service Fees 14%

Revenues

Other 1%

Contributions 35%

Membership Dues 50%

Compensation

All Volunteers = No Payroll Expenses

Wages Salaries 0% Benefits Other

100%

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Revenues v. Expenses

July 2012-July 2013

$100,000 $90,000 $80,000 $70,000 $60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 $10,000 $0 1 year Revenues $97,008 Expenses $95,101 $

Expenses
Staff Development 1% Insurance 2% Advertising 3% Operations 12%

Expenses
Travel and Meetings 6%

Business Expenses 5% Contract Services 1%

Facilities and Equipment 69%

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COMMAND AND CONTROL

Founding Board Members
Daniel R. Gaita, MA Founder & Director Dan served in the United States Marine Corps from 1992-1996 as an Artillery Forward Scout Observer in the Fifth Battalion, Tenth Marine Regiment, deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and participated in Operation Restore/Continue Hope in Somalia, Operation Deny Flight in Bosnia and also Operation Support Democracy in Haiti. Following his honorable discharge Dan went on to earn an Associates Degree in Science, a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from UCONN, Western Connecticut State University and a Graduate Degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. Dan is a AAAI/ISMA certified personal trainer, weight management specialist, pre/post natal certified, and a recognized master level trainer through IDEA. Dan has been active in the health and fitness industry for nearly 20 years serving in all roles from Maintenance Manager, Fitness Director, Assistant Manager, Manager, and Owner. Dan's Grandfather, Leonard Palmer, was an Ammunition Handler in the second beach-landing wave in Normandy, WWII. He fought for nearly two years in Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe before being nearly fatally wounded and declining to receive the Purple Heart. Dans Great Uncle, Vincent Lasalva, was not as lucky and would be killed aboard ship in the Pacific Theatre by a Kamikaze attack.

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report Erin OMeara Gaita Co-Founder Erin Gaita has 10+ years experience as an Executive Assistant, namely to the CEO and Chairman of Richard C. Breeden & Co., LLC. A dedicated mother of two, (a third is due Dec 2013). She is married to Marine veteran and Founder of Operation Vet Fit, Inc., Daniel Gaita. Erin has personal experience and compassion for the real effects combat has on our veterans, and is committed to being a true advocate. Credited by her husband as the catalyst to his investigating and understanding the impacts that PTSD has on veterans and their families, Erin has served an integral support role throughout the founding, formation and current facility functions of Operation VetFit. Erin holds a B.A. in Psychology from Western Connecticut State University. She is a certified personal trainer and holds group class certifications including Spinning and Pilates and has successfully trained for and completed both the 2010 and 2011 New York City Marathons.

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Advisory Board Members

Sgt. Maj. Brandon Eckardt - Active Duty Liaison Brandon Eckardt enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1990. During his career in the Marine Corps Brandon has served in all four Marine Corps Divisions, in diverse assignments giving him a unique perspective on the dynamics that accompany a calling to fulfill the duties of a Marine for a lengthy time. With deployments to Somalia, Haiti, Yemen, East Timor and Iraq, Brandon has experience in a variety of expeditionary operations. Brandon is currently serving as the Squadron Sergeant Major for VMU-2 with 2D Marine Aircraft Wing in Cherry Point, North Carolina. Brandon holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Grand View University. Among the many professional military education schools completed during his career in the Marine Corps, Brandon is proud to have graduated from the first ever Marine Corps Sergeants Major Course. In his spare time, Brandon is an avid distance runner with the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Concerned with the ongoing issues plaguing combat veterans departing the active ranks, Brandon is committed to providing insight and assistance to this most honorable endeavor that seeks to identify sustainable solutions for veterans in need.

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Lt. Col. Mike Zacchea - Veterans Programs Outreach

Mike Zacchea was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1990. He served as a Forward Observer and Platoon Commander, deploying to Somalia for Operation Restore Hope and to Haiti for Operation Support Democracy. In March 2004, as a major he deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II. His team's mission was to build, train, and lead in combat the first Iraqi army battalion trained by the US military. During this time the battalion participated in Operation Phantom Fury, the 2nd Battle of Fallujah. During the battle Mike was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade, but declined to be medically evacuated. Mike's military awards include the Bronze Star Medal for Valor (with gold star in lieu of 2nd award), the Purple Heart Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, and numerous unit and campaign awards. Mike was also the first and at the time only American recognized by the Iraqi government by the Order of the Lion of Babylon. As a result of his wounds, Mike was medically retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Mike's education includes an MBA from the University of Connecticut, an MA in Organizational Dynamics from Hawaii Pacific University, and a BA from the University of Notre Dame. He is the Program Director of the University of Connecticut Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. He is also involved in the creation of ConnectVets, Inc., a non-profit organization of veteran-owned businesses in the state of CT. He was appointed to a multi-agency cross-disciplinary working group chaired by the Commissioner of the CT Dept of Veterans Affairs to align veteran education, jobtraining, and workforce re-entry issues. The Small Business Administration recognized Mike as the 2011-12 Veterans Business Champion. Mike is the author of Veterans Advocacy: the Fight for Social Justice and Healing Through Activism in Healing War Trauma: A Handbook of Creative Approaches (Routledge: 2013). Mike has been featured in several documentaries and books about returning veterans, and has been interviewed in numerous national media venues discussing the war and related issues. He continues to be active in veterans affairs and Iraqi refugee affairs. Mike lives in Brookfield CT with his wife and son.

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2013 Operation Vet Fit Annual Report HM3 Todd Angell - Combat Veterans Liaison Todd Angell served in the United States Navy as a Combat Fleet Marine Force Corpsman attached to the 1st battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. Deployed September 2010 March 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. While deployed Angell served in direct combat operations participating in over 150 combat patrols providing battlefield aid to injured Marines, local nationals, and other coalition forces. Angell would go on to earn the nations third highest military award, the Silver Star and complete his term of active service with both honor and distinction. Today Angell continues to serve in his community working as an Emergency Medical Technician preparing to become a Firefighter. He is an active member of Operation Vet-Fit, Help our Military Heroes, and Team Red, White & Blue.

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Cpl. Timothy Mallette - Marketing Advisor Timothy Mallette is an Honorably discharged United States Marine Corps veteran who served in Operation Restore Hope in Mogadishu, Somalia and various other campaigns around the globe during his active duty service. He went on to graduate with a business degree from the University of Connecticut and has over 15 years in sales and entrepreneurial experience ranging from nonprofit organizations to the banking industry. Timothy is also a founding member of the organization Vets2checks which assists unemployed veterans. As an active member of Operation Vet-Fit he has seen the positive affects that exercise has on raising morale.

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Laurie Hollander - Team Mom, Group Exercise Volunteer Involved in the Navy as a dependent wife from 1984-2000 and the mom of a US Marine serving with the 3/8 from 2006-2010 and a grad from West Point class of 2010 now serving with 1CAV at Ft Hood, Texas. Laurie's sons have 3 combat tours in Afghanistan from 2007-2012. Laurie's experience is in fundraising for military causes through fitness, including Indoor Cycling/Spinning Events, Marathon and other racing events. Laurie's primary volunteer work is with her own non-profit where she serves with her husband Ted Hollander and Marybeth Vandergrift on Help Our Military Heroes (HOMH). HOMH is a military non-profit specifically serving the needs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars most seriously injured needing specially modified wheelchair accessible vans. These activities have resulted in the co-creation of Operation Vet-Fit. Brought together by a mutual friend in the Bethel community, Dan Gaita and I met in the Winter of 2012, worked on the Inaugural Memorial Day - Tribute Run and HOMH combined support and attendance grew from there.

Victoria Guggenheim - Strategic Development Victoria has over 20 years of healthcare experience working in both the provider and healthcare payor environments. She currently serves as Vice President of Provider Operations at OrthoNet LLC. Prior to joining OrthoNet, she was Vice President of Service Operations at HealthNet with enterprise wide responsibility for all member and provider service functions. During her 10+ years at HealthNet she held various other management positions and has extensive experience in strategic management, planning, marketing, process improvement and financial planning/budgeting. In addition to her professional experience, Victoria brings experience from serving in the USMC Key Volunteer Network program to the Operation Vet Fit Team. In that role she provided family members of active duty and deployed Marines information, referrals, and support. She holds a Masters Degree in Healthcare Management. www.operationvetfit.org

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Stephanie Vernik Prezioso - Events Consultant An events consultant with 9+ years of professional experience in the events and meetings industry. She has leveraged her extensive knowledge and experience to strategically develop and manage a wide range of corporate and non-profit events. Prior to becoming a consultant, Stephanie worked as an events manager at KPMG LLP in the New York office. Stephanie has been an active member of the Ladies VFW Auxiliary 10059 since 2002. She recently served as treasurer for two terms. In addition to her involvement with the Auxiliary, she participates in various fitness and fundraising opportunities with Help Our Military Heroes, and Operation Vet-Fit; organizations dedicated to helping our wounded veterans. Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in International Trade and Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She currently resides in Danbury, CT with her husband and two children.

Ted Hollander - Compliance Consultant Ted is a founding member of Help Our Military Heroes. He has a wide background in the non-profit world having served on the Board of Trustees for The Canterbury School for the past 11 years and the Board of the Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Stamford CT for the past 5 years. He is currently the Chairman of HOMH and The Exchange Club Center and sits on the Executive Committee of The Canterbury School. Ted has 25 years of experience in the investment world including 10 years at Bear Stearns, 9 years at The Citadel Investment group and 5+ years at his current job with Magnetar Capital.

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Valerie Plue - Substance Abuse Resistance Advocate Valerie is Vice President of Business Development for Williams Lea, a global corporate information solutions firm headquartered in NYC. Prior to joining Williams Lea, Valerie spent the majority of her career in publishing at Grolier publishing working her way up from an input clerk to Vice President of Manufacturing. Valerie's skill set include supply chain management, process reengineering, budget management, vendor negotiation and procurement. Valerie is on the Board of Directors of Success Residential, a sober house for men in the Danbury area and also serves on the board of Directors of The Fellowship Center, a sober club in Danbury where 12 step meetings are held several times daily. Valerie is knowledgeable in navigating local detox facilities, sobering centers and rehabs that specialize in addictive behaviors. In addition to her experience with the above facilities, Valerie has been in recovery for 15 years and is active in helping others to get and stay sober. Valerie's brother Ray, served in the US Army and is a Vietnam combat veteran. Valerie's fianc, Tom served as a paratrooper and medic in the US Army and is also a Vietnam combat veteran. Her father, Raymond was also a combat veteran in the US Army.

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OVERVIEW OF SUCCESS

Operation Vet Fit stands at 54 Combat Veterans strong!

WHERE THEY SERVED?
15 VIETNAM 4 SOMALIA 3 BOSNIA 1 BEIRUT 2 GULF WAR 17 IRAQ 15 AFGHANISTAN 2 WORLD TRADE CENTERS SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001 1 SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FIRST RESPONDER

MAJOR AWARDS FOR VALOR AND SACRIFICE

- 1 SILVER STAR - 15 PURPLE HEARTS - 5 BRONZE STARS

ARMED FORCES BRANCHES REPRESENTED

1 AIR FORCE 27 ARMY 5 NAVY 20 MARINE CORPS 1 NYPD 1 FDNY

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FORWARD THINKING

I can envision the day when Operation Vet Fit has a facility situated in every major city of America.and each facility is being operated by a combat veteran and his/her family..
Dan Gaita, Founder, Operation Vet Fit

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