Sounds like you had a unique perspective that we in America didn’t get from the evening news! Thank you so much for your service!
Thanks for yours, and to anyone else that served! Peacetime, wartime, it takes a military to keep this country safe!

Amen to that! So what prompted racing? You came back to the USA, and what happened?
Everything was different. I’m not sure that I can explain it. I’ve always been a sports fan. I had season tickets to WVU football games, went to Steelers football games, Penguins hockey, but when I came back, I found that I couldn’t enjoy those events. I couldn’t relax at the games. It always felt like the crowds were pressing in on me, it was suffocating. Classic signs of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I just quit going. In 2011, I was working for the Department of Veteran Affairs and a co-worker asked me to come to an off-road race here in Taylor County West Virginia and watch his son race ATVs. I told him no but he assured me that the crowds weren’t in a confined space, they were spread out and so I agreed to go. I had an absolute blast! Two weeks later, I bought my first ATV in years. I started riding again, then started attending local races and competing. It was liberating, actually!

So what brought you to GNCC?
Some friends and I decided to come to Powerline Park in 2012. I live in West Virginia not far from Racer Productions. So, the drive wasn’t bad and it was a national level race, I had the best time! I immediately recognized the family atmosphere, the friendliness of everyone out there. The track was demanding, but fun. In short, I felt right at home.

So, I know you as “The guy who set up Vigilant Vet Racing!” How did that come about?
We incorporated in the state of West Virginia as a non-profit organization on May 1, 2013. This racing thing had worked so well for me. I felt like this was the best kept secret and wanted to involve other veterans who struggled with PTSD. There were already several other vets racing, and it wasn’t just the “letting loose” and having fun that was helpful. The weeks in between races, the prep, anticipation, it gave me something to look forward to. Racing is therapeutic. Crowds aren’t a problem for me anymore.

I can certainly attest to that! You were part of the GNCC school visit program last week and there were over 300 kids yelling and screaming, they were fired up! I had no idea that you once struggled with crowds. There you were, IN FRONT of a crowd, talking to them about GNCC Racing!
I love that school visit program. Our youth are so important, and the message that we take to them about teamwork and respecting one another, it’s a privilege to be a part of it. Yes! A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to do that.

So what exactly does Vigilant Vet Racing do?
Our mission is to raise awareness of PTSD and veteran suicide, which sadly claims 22 vets per day. We want our brothers-in-arms to know that there is hope for them. This worked for me, every person is different, maybe it doesn’t help someone, but we have 20 vets on our team right now. Sam Lamp and Richard Little are VVR's Team Captain and Assistant Team Captain, respectively. VVR is strictly a not-for-profit organization. Every penny that we raise goes toward our mission. For example, our main focus right now is creating a better display for our location on Vendor's Row that provides information about PTSD, Veteran Suicide, Team VVR and our organization.