Monday marks a big day for a local non-profit organization that helps veterans transition into civilian life as the Wounded Warrior Homes celebrates its eighth anniversary. To honor the occasion, one U.S. Marine veteran is sharing his experience with the service, for which he now volunteers for.
Thousands of veterans have been helped by the organization since it opened to provide transitional housing and services to post-9/11 veterans with traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Many of our veterans are homeless in one way or another," said Mia Roseberry, Co-Founder of Wounded Warrior Homes. "They’re couch surfing, living in their car, coming to use Wounded Warrior Homes from other programs that they’ve transitioned out of, inpatient programs, and they don’t have anywhere to go.”
A perfect example of this is veteran Robert Caudill, who joined the Marine Corps in 2004. Caudill was deployed to Iraq in 2005; and ended up doing four tours, all in the Middle East before he was medically discharged in 2012.
Struggling with anxiety and PTSD, Caudill had quickly burned through his savings staying at hotels with his service dog, Bravo.
He was on his way to a homeless shelter when he got the call from Wounded Warrior Homes. From there, he stayed in the transitional housing for about four months, and that was enough time to help get him get back on his feet.
“You’re supposed to be this big, tough Marine; now I was considered this recovering servicemember , and then I was a civilian and I had to really adjust to that. It was hard,” Caudill said.
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Caudill is now a spokesperson for Wounded Warrior Homes and volunteers for several non-profits that help other veterans transition into civilian life.
Wounded Warrior Homes is always looking for volunteers. To learn more about volunteering opportunities, or more on the services offered, click here.
