Out of the 20 Veteran suicides a day (2017 VA report), 14 do not receive any VA benefits or care.

READ THAT AGAIN.

Out of the 20 Veteran suicides a day, 14 do not receive any VA benefits or care.

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.

Whether active duty or National Guard deployed state side to protect citizens during hurricanes and political issues, WE DESERVE MORE THAN being issued a disability rating from the VA to qualify for these Veteran programs.

While researching nonprofits that help Veterans like myself, I was surprised at the amount that only helped REAL “disabled” Veterans. You know, the ones that are considered disabled through the VA. Whether or not in real life they are denied disability through the VA for PTSD, back issues, hearing loss, female problems (like myself) or countless other issues that are denied daily. If you don’t have a VA disability rating, then well sorry! If you want to volunteer and help real Veterans with disabilities, they will take you though. Yes, this is true. I reached out to Project Healing waters and that was their response. It was heart breaking and made me feel so small and insignificant. That though I was willing to risk my life for them, it wasn’t enough to be a Veteran in their program. 

VA Secretary Dr David J. Shulkin states “I am committed to reducing Veteran suicides through support and education. We know that of the 20 suicides a day that we reported last year, 14 are not under VA care. This is a national public health issue that requires a concerted, national approach.” 

I sure wish more people were made aware the staggering number of Veterans denied help.

PTSD kills Veterans.

There is no TM manual or debriefing on how to transition to a civilian lifestyle after having been in the military. It is one of the hardest things we may ever do. Why? Our mind plays tricks, we can’t simply forget what we have been through. It’s very much a Veteran’s curse. However, we signed up for this.

What exactly is a Veteran or Veterans day you may ask? It’s different than Memorial Day. Memorial Day we remember those who gave their life. Veteran’s however gave their life, but still struggle with a daily battle everyday of their life.  I read this once... “A veteran – whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve – is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including my life.” That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.” I wish I could give credit to whomever wrote it. But this quote resonates with me and all of us from ISYFO.

That’s why it is our mission to give back to Veterans, ALL Veterans. Not just the ones with a qualifying disability rating. We want all Veterans to find that peace we have found through fly fishing.  It set you free outdoors has created a Veterans program just for this cause.  They supply Veterans with a complete flyfishing set up to get them going on the water to help give back that calming yet restoring passion we have found through fly fishing.

You see, we believe 22 Veteran suicides a day is TOO MANY! That is one Veteran every 65 minutes. If we can pull just a few of those Veterans from the edge, to give them the support with fly fishing and then daily there after then this cause is enough.  After they gave it all, don’t they deserve our all? Please click here for more info about this program. To all our Veterans, thank you for serving!