This Is My Brave to Host Free Virtual Show Featuring Veterans

October 20, 2022

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2.1 million veterans received mental health treatment from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in the five year period from 2006 through 2010. A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that only 50 percent of returning vets who need veteran mental health treatment will receive these services.

This Is My Brave recognizes not every service member goes to Iraq/Afghanistan, and not every veteran goes into combat. Furthermore, we know trauma can be caused by events experienced outside of combat, or even duty, and any enlistment or commission in the United States Armed Forces involves a level of risk that is not seen by most civilians.

In an effort to open up conversations for veterans, peers, partners, parents, and family members, This Is My Brave is proud to offer our {virtual} stage to storytellers who are ready to speak openly and honestly about veteran experiences in order to let other veterans and active service members know they are not alone.

This Is My Brave is here to shine a light on mental health stories from veterans that will inspire, educate, offer hope, and let other veterans know they are not alone.

“Honestly, I had a great enlistment. I had a fantastic, unique experience aboard my submarine and I got to work with and meet a lot of quality humans. That’s not to say my entire life during that time was peaches and unicorns, though. A long battle with addiction and alcoholism would start during this time, and I didn’t really get it under control and start my true recovery until I sought therapy for it. And therapy only works if you share your story openly and really face it.”
Marlon Deleon, This Is My Brave Program Coordinator and disabled Navy veteran, Nuclear Electrician’s Mate,
Petty Officer Second Class, Submarines Qualified, 1999-2004.

This Is My Brave – Stories from the Veteran Community is a virtual show premiering Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 8pm ET | 7pm CT | 6pm MT | 5pm PT. We seek to inspire hope and healing for veterans, their families, friends, and caregivers everywhere.

If you have any questions, please contact Marlon Deleon, This Is My Brave’s Program Coordinator.

Contact
Marlon Deleon
Program Coordinator
marlondeleon@thisismybrave.org
574-302-2333

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About This Is My Brave
This Is My Brave debuted its first ever live show in May 2014 in Arlington, VA, at the Spectrum Theatre to a sold-out crowd of nearly 400. Over the past eight years, the nonprofit organization has hosted 82 performances across the United States and in Australia. This Is My Brave has been featured in The Washington Post, O, The Oprah Magazine, Stage-Directions Magazine, as well as on the TODAY Show’s Mind Matters with Carson Daly. For more information, visit thisismybrave.org. Follow This Is My Brave on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube.

Resources

If you or someone you know needs help, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting STORY to 741741.

For additional help, please visit our resource page.