Dr. Oscar D. Ramirez
Dr. Oscar D. Ramirez, the founder and president of Crossfire National Veterans Assistance Corporation has a military career that spans almost three decades. Dr. Ramirez served in the Air Force Systems Command, Air Force Training Command, Tactical Air Command, Strategic Air Command, Pacific Air Force, Military Airlift Command and the Army National Guard. He served one tour of duty in Vietnam, and his reserve unit was activated during the first Gulf War. He has received over 14 different medals, ribbons, commendations and citations for his military service, and he is a service-connected disabled veteran.
Dr. Ramirez was ordained into the ministry in 1974 after completing a bachelor of arts in Biblical education and a bachelor of theology. He became a faculty member and department head at Florida Bible College, and later took graduate level courses towards a masters in business administration from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. The deregulation of the airline industry convinced him to change direction and pursue graduate and postgraduate work in psychology. He then completed a masters of arts and a Ph.D. in Christian psychology from Jacksonville Seminary. He has served as the program manager for Miami Rescue Mission's one-year residential treatment center for homeless men suffering from substance abuse and other co-occurring issues. Dr. Ramirez also served as volunteer counselor and therapist at the Miami VA Medical Center's Outpatient Substance Abuse Clinic (OSAC) and was later invited to conduct similar therapeutic sessions in the Miami VA's Specialized Inpatient Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Unit (SIPU). He has worked for several mental health programs in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Recently, Dr. Ramirez worked with President Bush's Faith and Community Based Initiatives building community coalitions through the Florida Department of Labor (WorkForce One). Dr. Ramirez served as the performance improvement manager for the federal H-1B nurse recruitment grant, and his efforts received local and national recognition resulting in an additional $4-million grant to Broward Community College's nursing program. He has also assisted many non-profit groups in their initial organizational and funding efforts throughout Florida and has conducted seminars and training sessions throughout the country on subjects such as PTSD and substance abuse.