Veteran nonprofits team up to promote PTSD Awareness Month

RIDGELAND, S.C. (WTOC) - Nonprofits from the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry are teaming and working together during PTSD Awareness Month.

Built for relaxation and a place for veterans to refocus, Operation Patriots FOB sits on over 260 acres in Ridgeland, S.C.

“Anything to get guys outdoors, back around each other and build that camaraderie is what we’re trying to do,” said Roy Brown Jr. CEO/Founder Operation Patriots FOB.

Even though this nonprofit is less than a year old, they have already served over 500 combat veterans and their families.

Visitors can use outdoor activities just as target shooting, fishing and riding side-by-sides to their advantage, services that JR wants veterans to know he is willing to provide to his fellow veterans not just during PTSD Awareness Month.

“Well, really, it shouldn’t be a month, it should be all year long, but we’ll take the month because every day throughout the entire year is when we’re dealing with veteran suicide,” said Brown Jr.

OPFOB not only provides their own services, but acts as a location to house other veteran nonprofits so they can all help spread the same message.

“We think that that’s huge as far as having battle buddies here, outside of the military or outside of your fire station or outside the police department because there’s such a stigmatism, with PTSD, that you’re not always wanting to talk about it to your co workers or to your place of business or anything like that,” said Amy Headrick, Outreach Coordinator Fight The War Within.

You can contact Fight The War Within by clicking here.

With every new conversation started about PTSD, these organizations are hoping to reduce the epidemic of losing 22 veterans a day to suicide.

“PTSD is real, it has a face and my face is one of them. You know, I deal with PTSD every day. And you know just I want guys to know that there are resources out there and just don’t make that god awful decision. I’ve lost close to 20 guys to suicide now and I would do anything I could to have any of them back,” said Brown Jr.

If you would like to contact Operation Patriots FOB, you can reach out to Roy here or visit their website.

If you or a veteran you know is in distress, they can receive confidential help by calling 1-800-273-8255, by texting 838255 or starting an online chat by clicking here.

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