Freedom Never Cries Video Pays Tribute to America’s Armed Forces

Five for Fighting/TriWest Healthcare Alliance-produced Music Video
Debuts on the Pentagon Channel July 4th

PHOENIX, AZ – A sense of pride and gratitude wells up every time Col. Janet Hanson watches the Five for Fighting/TriWest Healthcare Alliance-produced music video “Freedom Never Cries.” For Col. Hanson, Commander of the 190th Medical Group, Kansas Air National Guard, the video illustrates the importance of the American flag and what it symbolizes for many people.

As Americans celebrate the nation’s birthday, they can watch the debut of “Freedom Never Cries” at 12:55 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 4, 2008, following the Pentagon Channel show “This Week in the Pentagon.” According to the channel, it will re-air at 4:25 p.m., 5:55 p.m., 7:55 p.m. and 11:55 EDT that day.  Find the channel number for various locations at www.pentagonchannel.mil/ or check local cable listings.

“The American flag is more than a piece of cloth. It symbolizes our nation’s freedom and all of those who fought so hard for it,” said Col. Hanson, a veteran of 23 years who recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. “Freedom is a privilege that is earned and it must be guarded and protected.”

View the Video Online
“Freedom Never Cries” can also be seen at Five for Fighting’s philanthropic Web site http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/706270, where it has received more than 610,000 views, making it the second most popular video on the site. TriWest contributed $30,000 by providing a $1 match for the first 30,000 views, to benefit Operation Homefront’s CincHouse, an organization that provides emergency assistance and morale to service members and their families.

In addition, “Freedom Never Cries” is ranked among the top 45 videos out of approximately 380,195 videos hosted on www.revver.com/.  Search term: Freedom Never Cries.

TriWest and Five for Fighting Produce Video
The video features a young man pawning an American flag for a guitar. Medal of Honor recipient Frederick E. Ferguson plays the pawnshop owner who educates the young man about the price America pays for its freedom.

Through a series of television clips depicting various scenes of war, the young man realizes the tremendous sacrifice of the nation’s military members and asks for his flag back.

“We hope that this video serves as an inspiration to those who sacrifice so much to secure our freedoms and will remind Americans that freedom is not free,” said TriWest President and CEO David J. McIntyre, Jr. “It is a tribute to America’s military and their families for all that they do.”

Over the past year, TriWest and Five for Fighting collaborated on several projects, such as the “CD For the Troops.” The CD is available for free download to service members and retirees with a valid military identification number at www.aafes.com. TriWest partnered with the USO and other military support organizations to distribute 200,000 copies of the CD to military members throughout the nation and overseas. TriWest also sponsored a number of Five for Fighting’s USO entertainment tours.

About TriWest
TriWest Healthcare Alliance partners with the Department of Defense to do “Whatever It Takes” to support the health care needs of 2.7 million members of America’s military family. A Phoenix-based corporation, TriWest is URAC accredited, without deficiencies, in Networks, Utilization Management, Disease Management, and Case Management. TriWest provides access to cost-effective, high-quality health care in the 21-state TRICARE West Region, the 2007 TRICARE Region of the year. TriWest is a proud Corporate Team Member of America Supports You.  Visit www.triwest.com for more information.