Dr. David Tharp, Psy.D.

CEO, Project Healing Heroes, Lt. Colonel Reserve, United States Airforce

Lt Col Dr. Rev. David F. Tharp is a licensed clinical psychologist, ordained minister and an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) at the United States Air Force Academy.  He joined the Air Force after the attacks on the United States on 9/11.  

Dr. Tharp holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and three master degrees.  He is a two-time National award winner and Texas Congressional award winner.  He has had the privilege of running the third largest PTSD program in the country for the Department of Veterans Affairs, graduated from Leadership VA in 2016 (1/100/360,000), was the Outstanding Doctoral Graduate of the Year in 2000, was an honor graduate (top 2%) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA and is an ordained minister in the American Baptist Church.   

During his deployment in a NATO^[1] billet, he was triple-hatted, serving as the MEDAD^[2] in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011. His responsibilities included oversight of 28 NATO countries medical assets, death notifications of both military and civilians in the AOR^[3], MASCAL^[4] exercises, as well as two other job responsibilities:  PREV MED^[5] and Environmental Engineer.  

Dr. Tharp was so infuriated by what he saw happening to our men and women in and out of uniform and the way they were being treated in life, in the VA, in treatment centers, etc., that he co-founded Project Healing Heroes with his wife where he currently serves as the CEO.  It took a lot to turn his anger around into a positive direction, but once he did, David realized how much God had a different plan and that there is a way we truly can give people a hope and a future.   

We can also stop the suicide epidemic if we, once again, come together as we did as a nation after 9/11 and create our post-9/11 TRIBE^[6].