As the nation honors its heroes this Veterans Day, one Michigan veteran said the best way to thank those who served is by helping them rediscover their sense of purpose long after the uniform comes off.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 6,400 veterans died by suicide in 2022, roughly 17 every day.
Joshua Parish, founder and CEO of the Brighton-based nonprofit Vet Life, and an Iraq War veteran, explained some of the challenges veterans face.
"When you leave the military, you lose a sense of purpose," Parish observed. "You lose a sense of identity and you lose your tribe, really, is what it boils down to."
Parish added when veterans lose their sense of purpose and identity, they often struggle to be the best version of themselves, leading to both mental and physical health challenges. The realization inspired him to create Vet Life, which helps veterans before they reach a crisis point.
As of 2023, the unemployment rate for Michigan veterans was close to 3%, which is lower than the rate for nonveterans. Parish noted his organization has a free app called "Battle Buddy," which connects veterans with vital benefits and services.
"It's been in existence for about, almost 10 months now, and we have over 300,000 downloads on the app," Parish reported.
When asked what he hopes people will do this Veterans Day, Parish offered a challenge, which flips the usual expression of gratitude.
"I'm not a huge fan of 'Thank you for your service.' It never resonated with me the way that people think it does," Parish added. "Go out and do something good for somebody, whether you're a veteran or whether you're not a veteran."
