Veteran's Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG)

A lot of movement recently related to Veteran Outdoor Recreation Therapy. Ms. Jen Kiggans Military and Veterans in Parks Act passes House. https://lnkd.in/gv4dupdq EXPLORE Act passes House https://lnkd.in/gT5RqNeY In September Veteran's Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG) and its partners will present recommendations to Congress which will focus on improving Veteran access to outdoor recreation therapy and public lands. ———————— “He walked along the road feeling the ache from the pull of the heavy pack. The road climbed steadily. It was hard work walking up-hill. His muscles ached and the day was hot, but Nick felt happy. He felt he had left everything behind, the need for thinking, the need to write, other needs, It was all back of him.” From Big Two Hearted River

Ben Davis has an exceptional talent for putting powerful words behind the most important Veteran issues & I’m grateful to know him! I originally met Ben as I started the In The Name of Service Podcast last year. He was kind enough to share his story with me and since that time, it’s been encouraging and motivating to watch his work develop and reach the masses. I highly recommend his transition series (https://lnkd.in/e3CmEh9V) and also encourage you to check out the incredible progress the Veteran's Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG) has made to support adjunctive outdoor therapy.

🎊 🎉 WYOMING'S PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF! Today Governor Mark Gordon officially completed the new Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund by signing a law to create its governance structure. The Fund will provide $6 million every two years for outdoor recreation infrastructure, planning, and access with a goal of $200 million in total. Congratulations to all the Wyoming advocates who worked hard to make this day possible, including ORR member Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation. Here's what we're celebrating: https://lnkd.in/gsWS3Mc7 Patrick Harrington Jessi Johnson

“Outdoor participation is growing. The latest numbers show that outdoor recreation contributes two and a half times as much as oil and gas development does to the U.S. economy. With so much demand for the outdoors, it is past time for Congress to pass legislation that looks to protect and expand outdoor recreation experiences.” - Adam Cramer, CEO at Outdoor Alliance The EXPLORE Act is a bipartisan package of outdoor recreation policy that could serve as a companion to a similar package in the Senate, America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA). It includes many key bills that Outdoor Alliance and our partners have helped develop. This recreation package could be one of the few pieces of bipartisan legislation we see succeed in the coming months, and you could be a part of turning it into law! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/geZqNYy4

Chance to use your voice.

A question every #veteran amidst transition should ask themselves is: To what extent am I willing to reinvent myself? Leaving the #military causes income uncertainty. You have options to solve for this and lots of them, all of which fall somewhere on a spectrum of reinvention. Many will gravitate toward status quo, pursuing roles that look strikingly similar to their work on active duty. Others will traverse the spectrum, become founders in far off sectors and occupy time in complete contrast to whatever job they did in the military. Nothing wrong with either approach. What you might consider, however, is what's possible when we pursue the middle ground. Early in career, Gary Maxworthy, aspired to join the Peace Corps after hearing JFK's call to serve. However, after starting a family, the need to provide stability and distractions turned into a three decade career in food distribution. When he lost his wife to cancer, he was determined to make more of his life and decided to leave his corporate job. He decided to join VISTA, a partner-organization to the Peace Corps, and found himself managing a San Francisco food bank. It was in that food bank that he noticed all food being distributed was canned or non-perishable. Because of his previous work experience, he knew cosmetically damaged food, seen as undesirable by grocery stores could be brought to food banks, vice being thrown away, and he knew he had the distribution know-how to make it happen. He started Farm to Family, which did exactly that, eventually helping support 600,000 families a week. There's no right or wrong answer. But it's a conversation worth having with yourself. ------- If you're interested in thoughts like this, consider subscribing to my Substack. Thoughts on Veteran Transition, Workplace Culture, and Mental Health. https://lnkd.in/gW2vP5pw

I credit the outdoors with saving my life during my military transition. Since then, I have advocated for veterans to get outside on a daily basis. However, that healing isn’t just for veterans, it is for everyone. The below video, is a short cut out from the documentary “Rising Trails” that I am currently producing. This film is the first in a series of short original films that we are creating with vvildwood. The below interview is Kailey's testimony to how the outdoors have healed her and how they continue to do so. From multiple abusive relationships and young motherhood, to finding healing on the trail, the outdoors is where she is "wild and free." I want to share a quote from Florence Williams book, The Nature Fix. The below quote is something that people like Kailey and myself have figured out, now it's our mission to share it with more and more people. “We don’t experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies also show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage with the world and with each other. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization.” ― Florence Williams, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative This project means a great deal to me and I cannot wait to share it with the world in the coming months. Get outside and do hard things. #veteranshelpingveterans #getoutside #filmmaker

Urge your Congressional Representatives and Senators to pass the bipartisan Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE Act), a crucial piece of legislation that recognizes the therapeutic benefits of outdoor recreation for military veterans like me. While time outside is not a cure all, routine time outside raises the floor of mental health and shines a light on important doorways and paths one can take towards long term healing. In other words, it was, if you read my post yesterday, what allowed me to walk away from someone else's war I had been fighting longer after than I ever did in person. Veteran or not, you can get involved. Most of us have trauma, and the only way through is together. If you're seeking more information on this legislation and other important outdoor recreation and conservation legislation, follow Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and #votetheoutdoors #conservation #veteran #natureheals