Veterans Helping Other Veterans

For everyone that does not know my true reason for being here in the music industry, I am here to provide healing through music and raise money and awareness for the issues that U.S. Military Veterans face everyday.  We may have left the war, but I have learned through personal experiences that the war never leaves us.  The veterans have many problems that need solving.  The two most important issues facing today’s veterans are suicide and homelessness.  In my opinion these are two issues that should never have a chance to exist in the United States of America.  After a little research I was able to find some information on the statistics for suicides and homelessness among the veteran population.  According to the Veterans Support Organization,  “These days, a lot of factors are contributing to their instability: high unemployment, poor housing market, and untreated conditions related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions.”  As a combat veteran myself I have faced everyone one of these hurdles and still struggle with them today.  These can be very over whelming hurdles for many veterans.  Due to these conditions, I have also faced homelessness and spent many years with a mind full of suicidal thoughts.  The VSO goes further to report that in 2012 over 100 veterans are committing suicide every single week.  That comes out to about 17 veterans suicides every day which has actually gone up to around 23 a day in 2014 and 2015.  These are horrific statistics that I am constantly tracking.  Many ask why I would trouble myself with these numbers.  Well, I could have been one of these numbers.  Over the past 12 years, I have contemplated suicide almost every single day. The VSO also shows that around 200, 000 veterans are homeless on any given night.  I have also been homeless with a family, so the two main areas are very close to my heart.  I want to be able to change these numbers and create solutions for these problems.  I am very happy when I am able to find other people who feel as deeply as I do about these two topics.  SoldierHard another Army combat veteran and rapper, has also made it his life’s mission to help other veterans heal and live better lives through music.  He has helped to create a new genre of music known as “Military Rap.”  He is the founder and owner of Redcon-1 Music Group and hopes to bring healing to struggling veterans.  He has made many songs about the horrific issues that plague the veteran community today.  I am actually a huge fan of his music and would love to work with him one day.  It’s not all about raising money to help those veterans in need.  We must also spread our message as veterans, to those who may never understand, to raise awareness for our fellow veterans.  The nation will not find the answers by blindly donating money, but by learning about us, and the issues we face.