Page 455 - Total War on PTSD

bit of a lifesaver.” Photography was always something I had wanted to do and now I had a way to build my skills.
Photography has served me in a lot of ways. I grab the camera and it gets me out of the house and the group events get me engaged. “Like the old firehouses, I am used to the bell going off and all of that adrenaline – I gotta do something for someone else.” So it’s important for me to serve others. Photography gets me out of the house and working with other people.
After I completed the photography training, I started working with Veterans’ organization and Task Force: ISO partner River Deep Alliance as an event photographer. It was eye-opening seeing Veterans’ faces when they first get to an event and then seeing the changes in their faces over the course of the day. It is awesome seeing what happens when Veterans are engaged in an event. And then there’s the families — you see in their eyes that they are seeing hope they haven’t seen in so long. “Seeing Veterans and their families enjoying themselves in an activity like catching fish is a wonderful thing.”
“The photos allow vets to see themselves and have this permanent reminder that they enjoyed themselves. I just love seeing everyone’s face and watching them experience the outdoors and the idea that they are appreciated.”
My mind runs on two tracks — it’s always working on something else — “cycling” while I am doing something. Taking photos — especially landscapes — is calming. And, working with Veterans is a good outlet and “pushes” me as a photographer. I have even been a teacher’s assistant at the classes.
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