As we enter PTSD Awareness Month this June, one non-profit organization is dedicated to supporting veterans with the strings of a guitar.
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Guitars for Vets (G4V) was founded in 2007 to serve veterans who suffer from PSTD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other mental distress caused by war. Through free, one-on-one lessons taught by Veterans Administration (V.A.) volunteers, military men and women heal.
Now with chapters in over 25 states and more than 20,000 lessons fulfilled, co-founder Patrick Nettesheim has seen the tremendous effects G4V has had on its students: “Through the G4V program, we let our veterans know that there is more right with [them] than wrong . . . PTSD is not a life sentence, it is a manageable disorder.”
G4V keeps its lessons personal and tailored to the individual student, allowing veterans to progress at their own pace and stay motivated to achieve individual goals. Upon graduation from their guitar lessons, each participating veteran receives a free guitar and accessory kit donated by G4V sponsors.
Graduates are invited to participate in regular group classes to develop their guitar-playing skills. This offers a supportive environment while also providing moments of joy and serenity. Carlos Berumen, a G4V graduate and Air Force Staff Sergeant (SSgt) E-5, brings G4V’s powerful effect to life when he says:
Learning to play guitar has helped me through the mental challenge of processing my thoughts and accepting the change in my life since I returned from service. Being able to open up and talk to someone who says, ‘It’s okay,’ has been a huge help in my healing journey. Playing the guitar has influenced me to be more open, in all aspects of my life. Before I was shut down and with Guitars for Vets, I can honestly say I am happier, much happier.
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Upon returning from nearly 10 years in the United States Air Force, Berumen found difficulty in transitioning back into civilian life and processing his thoughts about his time overseas. Through G4V, he not only found a supportive community who understood him but also discovered the tools needed to begin healing.
Berumen is just one example of the outstanding impact the G4V community has on its members. Through the efforts of music instruction, G4V is helping people who are suffering as a result of war take a step in preventing it at its root cause. To volunteer or donate to Guitars for Vets, please visit http://www.guitars4vets.org.
Connect with Guitars for Vets on their Page on Facebook.
Photo credit: Flickr/Fort George G. Meade Public Affairs Office