22 veterans commit suicide every day. This has to stop.
Camo To College™ was developed to proactively help reduce the suicide rate and help veterans complete the difficult steps of applying/completing their education after their service.
Camo To College™ started with two Marine Corps Veterans discussing a possible way to help other Veterans that isn’t currently being addressed. Initially, we didn’t know how we wanted to help, but knew we couldn’t stand by any longer while our brothers and sisters were struggling. There are many excellent programs and nonprofits working the back end of these problems, and we cannot stress enough the importance and the need for these organizations. Individuals who are currently affected by these problems need help and these organizations stepped up to provide this service. However, if this is our only approach, we are merely helping Veterans after these problems have become life threatening. Our goal is to provide a different and proactive solution to the Veteran suicide and Veteran homelessness issues than the ones currently being utilized. While viewing this from a business-driven perspective, all the pieces came together. In looking at the root of the problem, we knew we could work to prevent these issues before they negatively affected Veteran lives. It was through this approach that our idea would become Camo To College™.
The transition back into society is extremely difficult. You were equipped with a safety blanket while you were serving, and once you leave it feels like it is gone. Your Veteran support network that you served with for so many years are now spread across the nation, and you are left to figure out your new purpose on your own. There are a lot of benefits available, but it is difficult to find these, so many Veterans fall back into the life that they had before. We want to make the transition easy for our Veterans and helping them utilize their GI Bill benefits to better their lives. More importantly, they will be doing this alongside their brothers and sisters who share similar experiences, albeit in different branches of the military. The transition is a pivotal piece in determining Veteran success after service.
This issue was so important, the United States Government started the TAP (Transition Assistance Program) to provide a quick transition process that costs $100 million dollars per year. Let's put this into perspective. The government spends at least $4 million dollars to train just one troop to become combat ready, but only $500 per Veteran to train them on how to reenter society. This program is a great step, but it isn’t enough. We knew the defense budget was better spent making sure our military is ready to defend our nation. However, this creates a dangerous gap in the transition from the military back into society. Our nonprofit's goal is to bridge this gap and save Veteran lives in the process.
As officers of Camo To College™, we know the isolation that is felt when Veterans reenter society. It's difficult to make connections after what we’ve been through, and it feels like you are going at it alone. This isolation, according to the VA, is the leading cause to Veteran suicide. Our nonprofit aims to eliminate this isolation component and give Veterans the transition program they need and deserve. We should all want to help those that served, to make sure they not only stay alive, but succeed in our society. This is why we exist and why we will never quit on our mission.
