Fairways for Warriors serves our nation’s combat veterans from all conflicts through golf. The organization uses golf outings, instruction, and therapy to assist combat vets in addressing post traumatic stress injury (PTSD) recovery. It also assists combat vets in the general assimilation back into civilian life.
Every single day 22 of our veterans of the armed services commit suicide. The US lost 58,000 lives during the Vietnam War, but over 60,000 lives through suicide since 2010.
What is PTSD. From Psychiatry.org
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury.
Many in authority are today challenging the notion that PTSD is a disorder. Instead, they argue that it’s an injury suffered as a result of a tragic, unimaginable event. An injury definition elevates the condition to one that can be resolved vs. a disorder which may continue indefinitely. It seems clear that “injury” is a proper classification since there are promising new therapeutic strategies that are making great strides in curing this injury. Many of these same approaches Fairways for Warriors has been providing for its members for over 10 years.
As a society, most of us are far removed from war as well as those who have fought those wars and served our country. A Fairways for Warriors volunteer hosted a couple of 20 year combat vets at The Masters this year. As they toured the golf course he’d regale them with where many of the iconic shots over the years had taken place. Phil Mickelson’s shot from the pine straw on 13; Bubba Watson’s snap hook wedge around the trees to win in sudden death; Fred Couples ball hanging up on #12’s slope, etc.
As he pointed out these areas and described the shots and their implications, he was met by blank stares. Was this most significant of all golf tournaments of no meaning or consequence to these guys, were they bored with his storytelling, or were they just not up to or care enough about the history of the game??? Later, while pausing and reconsidering their responses, he came to this conclusion. While he was lounging comfortably in an easy chair sipping a glass of wine or beer enjoying watching golf tournaments, these gents have been in the Gates of Hell’s risking their lives for our country. What say you?
Fairways is a 501-3c charitable organization with an extremely light administrative cost below 10% and is recognized as Top Rated by Great Non Profits. The funds are utilized to hold instruction clinics, golf outings, and provide therapy to effectively deal with and resolve PTSD and assist in the general acclimation from military to civilian life.
How can you help? Fairways has chapters in Orlando, Jacksonville, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, San Antonio, and Phoenix, Tampa, and Tidewater. Generally, they hold several golf tournament/fund raising events per year in each chapter. There are numerous sponsorship opportunities from purchasing a tee box sign to becoming a major sponsor.
You can also put a threesome together and be paired with a combat vet which tends to be therapeutic for all involved. You can find their various chapters though their main website link or from their Facebook page. Also, if you’re a combat veteran, you can join the organization here and participate in the free clinics, golf, and therapy while enjoying the fellowship of other combat veterans.
There’s also many other fine organizations out there to assist with our veterans. K9s for Warriors provides service dogs for combat veterans. The Wounded Warrior Project has recovered nicely from their top-heavy administrative cost debacle to help all wounded combat vets and advocate on their behalf. The Gary Sinise Foundation provides programs and services to wounded service members and is one of the highest rated charities devoted to veterans. The Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships for military families. There’s are literally hundreds of organizations out there, here’s a list of those vetted by Charity Navigator.