When I was growing up I always felt called to serve our country and give back to all the Veterans who had given so much for our freedom. In 2005, I joined the Army as an Airborne Infantryman and was deployed to Iraq in 2007 during the Surge. I went on hundreds of Time Sensitive Target raids going after the most wanted insurgents in Baghdad at the time. On September 10th 2007, during a combat mission, seven of my brothers-in-arms were killed and eleven, including myself, were severely wounded.
I returned home medically retired from service after 10 long months recovering in an Army hospital. The decade that followed was extremely hard. I struggled physically and mentally battling service-connected diseases, PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and anger. I was most likely on track to becoming another Veteran statistic if it hadn’t been for the love and support of my amazing wife. She never gave up on me so I never gave up pursuing help and healing.
Though I have been the beneficiary of many helpful services and therapies, I still felt something was missing and often found myself depressed and empty. It felt like I took a wrong turn somewhere in life and missed my true calling or full purpose.
My grandfather had been a cattle rancher when I was young and as embarrassing as it sounded in my head, I always wanted to be a cowboy and a horseman. I tried to quiet those dreams and longings because they seemed silly and impossible. But then one day I found Saddles in Service…
I cannot describe it other than it feels like I have finally found my missing piece or what I was always supposed to do, which is work with horses. It has been the most incredible, healing, and natural feeling process I have ever experienced and I hope to be called a true horseman someday. Saddles in Service has been a dream come true. I never thought I would actually find something I enjoy this much and that fills my spirit up so completely.
I am so thankful for every horse at the ranch, for every Wrangler, Volunteer, and fellow Hero. Thank you so much for giving to Saddles in Service. You are not just saving lives, you are helping build lives that are fulfilled, meaningful, healed, and full of love.
