The Darkside of the Veteran Community.

There is a very unfortunate part of our MIL/Vet community that no one seems to talk about or warn others about. There are bad organizations, veterans, causes, and outcomes.

I have been assisting, mentoring, and advocating for veterans, servicemembers and families for over 16 years. My personal and professional experience is vast and well rounded. Working for the State government, Federal Contracting/Pentagon, and nonprofits. I also spent years before I started my career as a volunteer in many organizations learning the ins and outs. I am also an Iraq War Veteran. Served 6 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

I worked for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs- Veteran’s Outreach and Recovery Program. I was responsible for seven counties in Northeastern WI. Assisting hundreds of homeless veterans and services members with housing, inpatient/outpatient programs, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, AODA treatment, VA benefits, etc. I do not call myself a subject matter expert because I enjoy learning every day. Some people call me an expert and that is fine. I do feel I am burdened with knowledge and information.

The Veterans/Service members/clients that I met with were at their lowest point in their lives. Some were just overwhelmed with information and did not know where to find basic needs and assistance. My job was basically to physically bring them to those who streamlined results and reduce stress. It was the most rewarding job I have ever had. In 9 months, I helped over three hundred veterans. While working for the Pentagon, in 2019 alone, I assisted 3,000+ veteran and service members. The number of individuals I have impacted in 16 years is unknown and does not really matter. I have a lot to share and things that people are talking about.

Some of the things I witnessed while working for state government and interacting with local VFW’s, American Legions, Local Vet Orgs, etc. 90% did not want to help at all. I am a great advocate. I always came prepared with all my notes, documents, and information. These organizations wanted to know what was in it for them and what kind of publicity they would get for it. I was shocked and disappointed at the behavior and character of fellow veterans. The same veterans that communities prompt up every year and donate money to. I asked for $200, to help a young Iraq War veteran get his occupational DL, so he can get to work and support his daughter. All VFW’s have an “Unmet Needs” fund. I asked them to help, they said no, because he was not a member, and he needs to learn discipline. (Unmet Needs fund does not require someone to be a member, which is what it is designed for). *

The veteran community is filled with a lot of bad veterans. Some of them were bad Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, and Coasties. But also, some become bad once they realize the attention and learn how to manipulate their communities. There are organizations run and operated by veterans that have zero prior experience helping veterans, service members, and families. Why is this bad? This is bad because those veterans are statistically reactionary and are putting others at risk. Veteran organizations are in consent competition with one another throughout the country. Some work great together, and some are oil and water. The public blindly donates money to the American Legion’s and VFWs, but they never publicly share their meeting minutes or agendas. Whenever a veteran creates a company, brand, nonprofit, etc. there is a lot of initial support but then when it becomes super successful fellow veterans find ways to stop supporting it. These are the same veterans that preach “22 A Day”. The veteran community is filled with hypocrisy. They want you to be happy but not that happy. Just a little happiness, which is all you get.

Veteran hate is real. When veterans see other veterans finding their version of success and some slight version of happiness, they will start bashing that person. Success is subjective and many do not understand that. I started my podcast almost 4 years ago and the number of haters that came out of the woodwork was mind-blowing. Apparently, podcasts are only reserved for SEALs, Delta Operators, CEOs, and Joe Rogan. Not a chubby National Guard Veteran, who enjoys listening to impactful stories from great people. Veterans are incredibly mean, spiteful, rude, and hateful towards other veterans. I have seen and witnessed it repeatedly. This type of information is not included in the yearly suicide numbers. Veteran- on- veteran bullying is a real thing. Veterans are surrounding themselves with the wrong friends and influences. That is another topic and issue that is not mentioned anywhere.

You see it every year and you do not ever realize it. You see more veterans at Applebee’s on Veterans Day, then you do at a local veteran charity/fundraising event throughout the year. This is bad for veterans and communities nationwide. The reason is because some veterans are in it just for themselves. They feel they are owed something, and they are better than everyone around them. Some veterans will sit and compare their deployments, badges, scares, tabs, mission, units, training, schools, etc. For many it's a daily competition.

The public is unaware of what goes on inside of many veteran organizations nationwide. There is over 50,000 in the United States. Most are phenomenal and do incredible things. But the minority of organizations are what really hurts local communities. Companies, businesses, and leaders need to start asking more questions and demand to be involved more. I do not support any organization that pushes self-defeating behaviors such as drinking and unhealthy environments like the American Legions and VFWs, who have attached themselves to bars across this country. Imagine if they would attach themselves to a gym or YMCA? Where would all those veterans be? Smaller local organizations need to do more for themselves and stop relying on companies and communities to always fundraise for them. I watch it all the time. The same repeat offenders. Organizations that never do their own events and prey on the hard work of local businesses and charity of others. They have become lazy and comfortable with doing nothing and just collecting money.

The sad reality is, the dark side of the veteran community is around us all the time, but no one talks about it because it might hurt funding, outreach, support, someone’s salary, re-election, etc. If you ask for transparency, you are not part of their problem, you are trying to make a difference. If they refuse to provide it, then that should be all the information you need to know about that veteran or that organization. It is either the individual is bad, or organization is bad, could be both.

Veterans face darkness as it, we all should be more educated on the who, what, where, when, why, and how to assist, mentor, and advocate for our veterans. Become more informed and educated on organizations. Ask real good questions and demand answers and results. Do not accepted anything less than surface level. Set the example and turn the Darkside into an oasis.