Follow
By Jason Doyle Oden | Photos Provided by Honoring America’s Warriors
The Oklahoma City metro area and Oklahoma, in general, are appreciative of what our military veterans have done for our country. As Veterans Day rolls around again, tributes will be paid and thanks will be given. However, an organization called Honoring America’s Warriors is taking it a step further by engaging veterans who need more than a pat on the back.
“Honoring America’s Warriors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides direct support for military veterans, men and women of all eras. Our primary mission is to provide augmented military honors for families upon request,” said Honoring America’s Warriors Executive Director and Founder Scotty Deatherage. “We provide colors presentations for memorials and dedications. The reason why we provide augmented military honors is because when a veteran dies, unless they are killed in action, a former prisoner of war, or Medal of Honor recipient, they will only receive the legislated two man flag fold. With all the sequestration and cut backs, branches of service will try to provide more than two if the family asks for them, if those guys are available, but they are really short.”
Deatherage tells SPLURGE! Magazine his organization helps to fill that gap for families of veterans.
“You have a lot of veterans who are Purple Heart recipients, Bronze Star, Silver Star, Valor, decorated, may have served in several different theaters of combat whether it be Korea, Vietnam, World War II. When those families decide they would like to have a greater presence, we will provide disabled veterans who represent all branches.”
While this service helps the families of veterans who have passed on to pay proper tribute to their loved ones, Honoring America’s Warriors also helps engage returning veterans. Deatherage and Honoring America’s Warriors organize activities meant to take care of physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of a serviceman or servicewoman.
“We provide therapeutic outdoor activities for our veterans to cope with the anxieties, depression, and transitioning from military life to civilian life. A lot of them are great soldiers, but terrible civilians. They just can’t seem to reintegrate. They don’t like crowds. They don’t like loud noises. They try to isolate themselves.”
One of the veterans helped by Honoring America’s Warriors is Shane Mayall. He served in Iraq. When he got back home, things were not the same.
“A few years ago, I was in a really bad depression. I didn’t see any sunlight, daylight, any kind of light for about nine months. I would hardly get off my couch. The closest I got to going outside is letting the dog out of the front door,” said Mayall.
The veteran read about Honoring America’s Warriors online. They were holding a fishing trip for veterans. That’s when Mayall received just the right encouragement.
“My wife is like ‘You ought to go to that.’ I said, ‘Well, I’ll give it a shot.’”
Mayall really connected with the group taking the fishing trip. It was then he began the path to becoming more interested in “outside.”
“It got me out and about. The more I got to talking to people, the more relaxed I got.”
As Mayall got more comfortable, he wanted to give back to the organization that helped him come out of his shell.
“The more comfortable I got, the more I wanted to help. The organization actually gave me purpose again as far as letting me take vets out hunting, fishing, camping and things of that nature.”
Mayall said he is now driven to help vets avoid feeling isolated like he felt. It has been a busy year for him as he’s organized dove hunts, archery deer hunts and fishing events. He adds that Honoring America’s Warriors will coordinate about seven months as hunting seasons come and go.
It gives the veteran a brighter outlook on life.
“It gives me purpose again. When the military retired me and put me on disability, I just felt I had lost purpose. I didn’t have a purpose anymore. That’s one thing Honoring America’s Warriors has given me. They’ve given me my purpose back. It feels good for me to help other vets as well. It is a sense of pride.”
Mayall also raises Boxer dogs. For every litter, he donates one of the puppies to the Honoring America’s Warrior’s K-9 program. Deatherage added it has become a valuable asset to help veterans who are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD.
“We have breeders who will contact us that want to help veterans. We have a pretty strict way of determining who is and who isn’t suitable for those dogs because dogs are short and the need is high. We try to accommodate the majority of veterans who are disabled medically; they’re medically retired. Their disability rating might be 80 percent or higher. Those are the ones we look for to place the dogs,” Deatherage said.
He adds the therapy dogs do wonders for the veterans.
“It is hard to describe quite honestly. You get these applicants who want a dog and you place them. When you see how it changes their entire life, their family life, it is just absolutely amazing.”
Honoring America’s Warriors hires veterans as the organization’s program directors—veterans helping veterans.
“I couldn’t do it all without the support of our program directors which are all veterans.”
To find out more about Honoring America’s Warriors or to donate or volunteer, visit the organization’s website at honoringamericaswarriors.org.
Follow
