About Us
Meet our Staffers!
Veterans Outdoor Ministries strives to make sure everyone feels like they have someone they can talk to. We have people from all kinds of backgrounds that are here to support you and your family, and to help you feel welcomed.
Justin
Justin is the president and one of the founders of Veterans Outdoor ministries. After serving 17 years as an 89B(ammuntion) and a 91B(wheeled vehicle mechanic) and going on two tours to Iraq during Iraqi Freedom, he found there were needs not being met in the veteran community. “… Ultimately it‘s just building community and comraderie and showing the veterans that are out there that there’s somebody like you that is struggling, ad you’re not alone, and there’s an ultimate power in Christ that is there to support you…” His passion for the outdoors and for the improvement of veterans’ lives is what drove him and his wife to begin Veterans Outdoor Ministries
Aprie
Aprie is the treasurer of Veterans Outdoor Ministries and co-founder with Justin. She served 14 years with the U.S. Army as a 88M(motor transport operator) and as a 92G(culinary specialist), and did one tour to Iraq during Iraqi Freedom. While she has a passion to help and serve all veterans, her heart particularly goes out to the often forgotten female veterans, “one of the passions I have is for female veterans, female veterans get forgotten about a lot. They always will come up and say, thank you to my husband, but then I'll be standing there or we'll go to an event and they'll thank the husbands and thank the wives for staying home. When some of the female veterans have went through just as much as some of the male veterans have as well. So, um. I just want them to know that they're not alone and that there is other people out there…” She also recognizes that kids are impacted by what we do as well, “…we have 5 kids, so our kids went through it with us. And there was times where our kids probably felt that they were alone too, that, you know, they don't have the only mom and dad that scream at them or do things that we do, um, because of our military background and when these families get together and the kids just instantly connect and they start to realize that they're not alone and they understand that other, other people that are in the military and run a military life go through the same things.”
Linda
Linda, also lovingly referred to as ”Mema”, is a volunteer staffer with Veterans Outdoor Ministries. She has a particularly touching connection with the military, as her dad served in the Navy, her husband, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter all served in the Army, and her grandson just enlisted in the Air Force. Even with all of these connections, her biggest movement into really investing into the veteran community was when her daughter, Aprie, went on her tour to Iraq. She tries to make an impact for the community so that caretakers and veterans know they are not alone, and its important to her to make sure that they have a safe space to open up. ‘… I just invite them in. I say hi, I make them feel as comfortable as they can. And uh, I think that's very important, if they don't feel safe, they're never going to come back, they're not going to share and open up.‘
Shara
Shara did 6 years in the US Army National Guard as an 88M(motor transport operator), following in her mom’s footsteps for her MOS. She volunteers as a staffer with Veterans Outdoor Ministries because she has a long family history with the military and has seen how the military can impact people. “I have a lot of family that has served in the military, but seeing how it affected my parents really drives it for me. I’ve had my own experiences that don’t really get talked about, and I want to be a part of helping veterans and their families heal from the trauma that they don’t talk about, especially those who feel they’re not ‘as deserving’ simply because they never deployed. Trauma happens, and it doesn’t matter where it came from, you deserve healing too.”
Ray
Ray is a Navy Veteran who volunteers with Veterans Outdoor Ministries as a staffer. Ray started as a participant in a hog hunt, fishing event, and family event, and found what he had been missing since leaving the service. “Camaraderie, big time. I’ve been missing that connection with my boys, and it’s been gone since I got out, and it’s on 100% when you get in. I love this company for that.” Finding the missing camaraderie pushed him to begin volunteering and helping others find that missing piece as well.
Alex
Alex, an Army veteran who was a 13B(artillery), served 4 years, and did one tour to Afghanistan during OEF, started as a participant who turned volunteer when he saw the positive impact Veterans Outdoor Ministries was having on veterans and their families. “…we hit it off. It was like brothers, like we knew each other from the military, and they talked about, you know, outdoor events, going fishing and hunting and within maybe two or three weeks of going to the first class, we went on our first fishing trip, and ever since then i was like ‘how can I help you guys? Because you guys definitely helped me a lot and I want to share that with others.’” He originally found Veterans Outdoor Ministries through church small groups and that is ultimately what pulled him into being a staffer.
Coy
Coy is an 11B(infantry) Army veteran who has done 3 tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He also started as a participant, coming from a small group led by Justin, and once he saw how beneficial the events were that Veterans Outdoor Ministries held, he decided to become more involved to give back to those who have given. “…it gives me pride, to give back to those also. Just a great feeling to be able to go out and pay back for what they’ve done and, the camaraderie between fellow soldiers.”
Brooke
Brooke has a personal touch with the military, as her dad served both in the Army and the Air Force, her husband served in the Army, and her son has enlisted in the Air Force. She does amazing working with the families of veterans, and gives them an opportunity to really open up and express the difficulties they face having a spouse, parent, or other family member struggling with the effects that the military can have on them.