The equine-human bond underpins U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jake LaRue’s own healing journey. Working with horses and other veterans “is what keeps me sane,” he says.
![Jake LaRue](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/manwithahorse1-330x220.png)
The equine-human bond underpins U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jake LaRue’s own healing journey. Working with horses and other veterans “is what keeps me sane,” he says.
A songwriting retreat with the nonprofit Freedom Sings USA helped U.S. Air Force veteran Michelle Dolan process memories about an injured Afghan child named Zahara.
“What female veterans have in common with male veterans is they were part of a tribe, a larger family with a greater purpose. And when they’re released from the military, [there’s] a significant sense of loss … of no longer being a part of this greater purpose,” says the Rev. Scott Rogers, executive director of ABCCM.
The Veterans Healing Farm is seeking to raise $5 million to purchase a new location and expand its offerings year-round.
The Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court debuted “Voices of Recovery,” a podcast hosted by program director, licensed clinical social worker and Marine Corps veteran Kevin Rumley. The podcast addresses mental health treatment and recovery from substance misuse as alternatives to incarceration. The Veterans Treatment Court, a voluntary program for U.S. veterans who are facing certain […]
This summer, Kevin Mahoney decided to return to Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, which he co-founded and where he will focus on educating the younger generation of peer support specialists.
While military enlistment has long been considered a patriotic and meaningful means of employment and education, national reports indicate that all branches of the military have experienced declining enlistment in recent years.
Local veterans discuss how their military service helped inspire the breweries they operate today.
Some veterans find it difficult to adjust after military service. They might lack skills that lead to civilian jobs, and in some cases, that leads to homelessness. Recognizing those challenges, A-B Tech and the nonprofit Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry partnered to put classrooms right where they’re needed: in two transitional shelters. “To my knowledge, […]
“WCC’s program is special in that it utilizes area veterans to help train service dogs for their fellow warriors.”
The Veteran Medical Transport ambulance for Charles George VA Medical Center will provide transportation between facilities and after hospitalization.
Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, local outposts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars have stayed active in the community, providing a social outlet for those who have served while continuing a variety of charitable works.
Asheville can feel as if dogs have the run of the place. They are seemingly in every brewery and restaurant and on every trail. Nearly all of these animals are pets that might occasionally earn their keep by barking at a black bear in the trash or chasing a gopher from the tomato patch. But […]
“Asheville has a very large number of homeless vets, and if you don’t believe this, just ask the VA or BeLoved Asheville and the rescue mission.”
Patti Best describes her youngest son, Jared Best, as thoughtful, talented and highly intelligent. Following his older brother into the Army, Jared served with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan before returning home to Haywood County in 2014. However, the toll of combat and the physical harm caused by close contact with explosive devices left Jared with […]
The 20 years that Kevin Mahoney served in the U.S. Air Force might sound like a dream deployment for some. Mahoney, who lives in Asheville, joined at 24 and trained as a cryptolinguist in Arabic and Farsi. The Air Force deployed him to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. He was able to travel […]
“Veterans have earned the care the Charles George affords them, but how much better would it be if we pursued peace and didn’t ask our citizens to participate in military actions the world over?”
By Irene Olds
“Thank you to letter writer Betty Sharpless for making this vet aware of the plight of women vets in our state and area and of the Aura Home Women Vets nonprofit to help them.”
“To all veterans, I want to say thank you on behalf of our entire organization for your service to our country and for all that you and your loved ones have done to guarantee our freedom and way of life.”
“Aura Home Women Vets is helping homeless women veterans in Western North Carolina and many adjacent states. They can help with rental deposits, connecting women with available resources and have transitional housing to help women get back on their feet.”