ALBANY — When the planes hit the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, West Point cadet Joe Quinn scrambled to learn his brother's fate. His brother, James, worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. The financial services firm would, within hours, become forever linked with tragedy. Its offices occupied floors 101 through 105 of the North Tower, where one of the hijacked airliners struck, killing 658 employees, including Quinn's beloved brother.

Quinn survived that and a tour of duty in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. His wife endured the loss of her loved ones in the wars. Friends admired the couple's strength.

"But we were like the twin towers ... inside we were burning ... we were going to collapse," said Quinn, who is now executive director of Headstrong, a nonprofit group now expanding into the Capital Region that offers free counseling aimed at post-9/11 military veterans and their spouses.

Quinn spoke Thursday at a press conference held at the University at Albany, where law firm Tully Rinckey helped him introduce Headstrong. The Quinns' lives, he said, dramatically changed for the better after they sought psychological therapy.

Headstrong is now offering free counseling by qualified therapists to local veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, other mental health problems such as anger management and suicidal thoughts, and even grief. Marital counseling is also available.

"The veteran answers a few questions and within 21 hours, he will get a call from us and the location of a local counselor," said Headstrong program director Gerard Ilaria, a licensed social worker. "This is all confidential."

Founded in 2012 by combat veterans, Headstrong is partnered with the Weill Cornell Medical College. Currently, it also serves New York City, San Diego/Riverside County, Houston, Washington, D.C. and Chicago.

The counseling is free and available regardless of how many years a vet may need it.

"It's up to us to raise the money to pay for the therapy; that's not the veterans' worry," Ilaria said.

Headstrong lists many well known foundations as donors and supporters on its website. Among the supporters are Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors Foundation, the late Paul Newman's foundation and The Gerstner Family Foundation.

Headstrong aims to cut red tape and delays that many say have plagued the Veterans Administration in recent years.

Still, Peter Potter, spokesman for the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, says veterans seeking treatment there can also expect quick response times.

"I'm a veteran and I get all of my treatment right here at the (Stratton VA) where we take pride in our fast response time," he said. "We call a veteran seeking mental health counseling back within 24 hours and counseling is free."

When one phones the Albany VA center's general information number, the automated system tells callers which number to punch if he or she is having suicidal thoughts. The system is then supposed to patch the caller to a counselor.

To reach a Headstrong counselor in your area, visit the website at http://getheadstrong.org .