I am a Veterans Advocate for a Veteran Nonprofit Organization called Honor Courage Commitment, Inc. HCC's mission is to train and position military veterans into becoming successful entrepreneurs, business and community leaders. Additionally, HCC empowers veterans through education, mentorship and community service programs and opportunities. Being a veteran founded, Plano based nonprofit organization, HCC, Inc. has strategic partners, such as The SMU Cox School of Business and the Caruth Center of Entrepreneurship that forwards veterans the opportunity to participate in programs like 22Fellows Program, Operational Job Placement, Internships, Unconventional Team Building and 22KILL. HCC, Inc. strives to eliminate the negative stigmas and connotations directed at the veteran community by building our communities with today’s heroes. 

HCC, Inc. has started a campaign called 22KILL which raises awareness to veteran suicide and shows ongoing support for the U.S. Military and the veterans who have served. As a member of 22KILL, during our public events we reach out to community members and veterans to let them know who we are, what we do and how they can help us just as we can help them. A lot of times, a person may see our group doing 22 pushups and stop us wondering what we are doing. By doing 22 pushups, we are remembering, honoring and respecting the 22 veterans from each and every generation and war that commit suicide on a daily basis. This epidemic equates to 1 veteran every 65 minutes or 8,030 veterans each year. Equally as important, by doing 22 pushups, each person earns the right to wear the coveted black HONOR RING which is worn on each person’s trigger finger as a silent salute to the men and women who have and are serving our country. 22KILL has a Veterans Advocate Virtual Map on their website and is working on the app for cell phones that enables veterans in need to be able to filter through registered Veteran Advocates with 22KILL, allowing them to locate someone that they can receive help from, vent to or to be able to link up with fellow veterans.  

Another amazing program HCC has started is called White Star Mothers of America. This campaign allows mothers of veterans that have committed suicide to apply for adoption by another 22KILL Veteran Advocate or any other qualifying individual. By adopting a mother or a 22mom, each adopter not only opens their heart but opens their home as well to the grieving mothers of our hero’s.  After all when a veteran takes his or her own life, there is still a veteran family that needs support as well. This is a program in which I have been fortunate enough to be one of the first veterans to be paired up with a mother. Sadly on October 25, 2014, just 4 months after being Honorably Discharged from the USMC, Cpl. Bradley Coy committed suicide leaving his mother, Brandi Coy to grieve all by herself. I have adopted Brandi as my 22mom and have now began one of my life missions of honoring Brandi, her son Bradley and the journey in when she has embarked upon.  For Brandi, not only did her biological parents not want her but neither did her foster parents and with no other siblings or children, Brandi is grieving by herself. There are so many families that are still torn just like Brandi and can use some help.  

Lastly, there is an initiative called Ranger Rolls. Ranger Rolls was started by homeless veteran Nick Nagel, that HCC, Inc. discovered, saved and empowered from the streets of Dallas, Texas after being medically discharged for breaking his neck in a training exercise. Nick’s vision was to supply the approximately 5,500 homeless veterans that live in Texas with much needed personal hygiene and survival supplies to make it through the winter months. With the help of HCC, 22Kill and community supporters, Nick was able to reach out to 668 homeless veterans in the DFW area just last year. Ranger Rolls consist of a wool blanket that is rolled with the supplies up inside of them, hence the name Ranger Rolls. While Nick has some supplies to be able to operate again this fall/winter, he is in desperate need of mesh bags, poncho’s, wool blankets and personal hygiene products that he can distribute during the summer and winter months.

Giving you this slight overview, it is my hopes that your organization will come out to the Rockwall Soulmans BBQ (original one next to Chili’s) on August 10th from 5-9pm for a fundraiser/awareness event hosted by 22KILL, HCC, White Star Mothers of America and Ranger Rolls. Please help Nick raise the funds and supplies he needs in order to reach out to homeless veterans, while raising awareness to HCC, White Star Mothers of America, 22KILL and the epidemic of veteran suicide. Being a Nonprofit Organization, we operate on a very limited budget and only accomplish our mission with the help of communities. As veterans we may not be on the battlefields in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea or Vietnam, but we still continue to fight every single day here at home. Please join us in this fight!

Nathan Raulston
Vetting Specialist and Mentor, White Star Mothers of America
22KILL Veterans Advocate
nathan.raulston@veteran.me
972-754-9117 Cell
