Today, Americans pause to honor the men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform, our heroes.
But here at The National Press, we want to do more than say thank you. We want to talk about what happens after the uniform comes off.
And here is a number that is truly heartbreaking and should stop all of us in our tracks.
According to the VA’s newest report, about 18 veterans a day die by suicide, and more than 60% of them weren’t getting care from the VA.
That means help often has to come from somewhere else.
From family. From neighbors. From communities that refuse to let veterans fight alone.
That’s the mission of our guest today.
Valor Farm: Helping Veterans Heal and Get Back on Track
Retired Army Maj. Gen. Bob Dees served 31 years in uniform, including command of the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea.
In 2020, he founded the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm in Altavista, Virginia.
It’s a place where veterans facing trauma and tough transitions live together, work the land and heal as they transition back into society.
Dees says his mission came from witnessing the selfless service and sacrifice of the soldiers and families he served alongside.
At West Point, he was taught two things: “Accomplish the mission. Take care of the troops.”
After seeing soldiers die at his side, those words became a calling.
And that responsibility doesn’t end when soldiers take off their uniforms.
Dees says veterans can continue to suffer from the wounds of war and other challenges brought on by military service.
That’s why Valor Farm has a nine-month program, not a nine-day program.
Here’s what happens there.
Veterans live in tiny homes, with community centers where they cook together, share meals and take classes. It’s designed to defeat what Dees calls the enemy of isolation.
The farm has horses, agriculture and a carpentry shop, giving veterans opportunities to build purpose and self-esteem.
Veterans go through resilience training, followed by a trauma recovery course called REBOOT, designed to help them deal with the realities of past trauma.
Dees says the goal isn’t just to help veterans get jobs, but to help them keep those jobs, with skills training and an aftercare program.
The center also helps veterans and their families work through broken relationships and other difficulties.
Dees says the program focuses particularly on at-risk veterans who are most likely to take their own lives or struggle with drugs and alcohol.
And he’s seen what that help can mean.
Dees told Lyndsay about a veteran who came to Valor Farm with serious post-traumatic stress disorder after extensive combat exposure.
At one point, he got off his medications and began to struggle again.
The center sent him back to the VA, where he received help getting his medications on track.
He returned, completed the program and found a job with a large industrial firm.
At graduation, he spoke about arriving with severe PTSD, his life unraveling and thoughts of suicide.
But he said the people at Valor Farm loved him and helped him see that he didn’t have to live with his trauma for the rest of his life.
“Thanks for giving me hope,” he told the staff.
Dees also shared the story of a veteran whose trauma had deeply affected his family.
When he asked the man’s 13-year-old daughter why they had come to Valor Farm, she said:
“We just want our daddy back.”
After the family went through the program, Dees asked her how things were going.
“I’ve got my daddy back,” she told him.
For Dees, that’s priceless.
What Can You Do for a Veteran?
Dees says it’s very good to say, “Thank you for your service.”
But it’s even better to figure out a way to engage the veteran.
Ask them to help with a community group. Give them opportunities to lead, participate and continue serving others.
He says veterans have a DNA of service, engagement and action.
And he believes they’re an untapped national treasure.
You can learn more about Valor Farm or refer a veteran at HealthyVeterans.org.
That’s the briefing for today.
What do you want to see happen to help veterans who are in crisis? Should the government do more, or should private support systems be the path of the future?
Let us know in the comments.
And to everyone who has served our country, thank you.
The National Press
Real reporting. From real America.
