I was going to live in a truly civilian community, and I wondered what I was going to do

with myself.” — Col. Michael Borders, USA (Ret)

are assigned mentors who act as bat- tle buddies, coaches, and guides until the court-ordered treatment program is completed. Col. Bill Olds, USA (Ret), is the

veteran mentor coordinator and wrote the guidelines mentors follow at the municipal veteran treatment court in Henderson. He also helped launch the veteran treatment court in Las Vegas. “I went to the veteran treatment court in Las Vegas numerous times in the beginning to give them moral support and answer questions,” Olds says. “I even mentored a Navy officer because they didn’t have any officers who were mentors yet.” Several Southern Nevada Chapter members also are veteran mentors, including Maj. Ross Bryant, USA (Ret). According to Bryant, director of Veteran Services at the University of Nevada — Las Vegas, some veterans go on to attend the university after completing the treatment program. “All of us learned as officers you

don’t leave a fallen soldier behind — no matter if that soldier has PTSD or something else,” says Bryant. “Getting these veterans the assis- tance they need through the veteran treatment court and providing them with a mentor means the world to

72 MILITARY OFFICER OCTOBER 2015

“I realized for the first time in my life,

them. It’s also been very re- warding for me.” In addition to serv-

ing as veteran mentors, Southern Nevada Chapter members provide financial support to area veteran treatment courts. To date, members have donated a total of $1,000, which was used to provide veterans with bus passes, temporary emergency housing, court- ordered counseling services not provided by the VA, and employment assistance. “The members of our chapter

have been very sensitive and open to helping the veteran treatment courts,” Olds says. “They want to help needy combat veterans who have given their all.”

Finding a new mission Col. Michael Borders, USA (Ret), was searching for military camara- derie when he moved to Sebring, Fla., last year with his wife, Diana. Borders had spent his entire life liv- ing or working on military bases. “I realized for the first time in my life, I was going to live in a truly civilian community, and I wondered what I was going to do with myself,” he says. Borders went to MOAA’s website and sent an email to the South Central Florida Chapter via the chapter loca- tor (www.moaa.org/chapterlocator); Florida Council of Chapters Vice President Lt. Col. Marc Oliveri, USAR (Ret), received the email. As it turned out, the South Central Florida Chap- ter hadn’t met in two years, so Oliveri asked Borders for help. Borders was surprised but accepted the mission to help revitalize the chapter. “After that, I made him acting chapter president, and the council and national MOAA supplied him with whatever help and resources we could,” Oliveri says.

National MOAA staff contacted members in the Sebring area and invited them to a chapter revital- ization meeting led by Council and Chapter Affairs Director Col. Barry Wright, USA (Ret). Oliveri, along with national MOAA board member Lt. Col. Jim Conner, USAF (Ret), and council area Vice President Col. Leonard Friedlander, USAF (Ret), also offered assistance. Then national MOAA members Capt. Ron Buckley, USN (Ret), and former Air Force 1st Lt. John Harbaugh vol- unteered to serve as vice president and treasurer, respectively. Twelve people joined the chap- ter at the revitalization meeting. Momentum grew as Capt. Ramon Ramos, ARNG, volunteered as secretary, former Army 2nd Lt. Ed Gadbois stepped up as the member- ship chair, and Col. Robert Brooks, USAF (Ret), offered to edit the chapter’s newsletter.

“The success of this chapter

has everything to do with the cali- ber of its members,” Borders says. “They’ve also made what could have been a difficult integration process a lot easier.” Less than a year later, the South

Central Florida Chapter has 45 members and a full slate of officers; members get together at monthly meetings, support six Junior ROTC programs, and work with Florida’s Highland County veterans council. The chapter also plans to start a flag etiquette program in area schools and collect toys for needy children during the holidays.

“I got into the chapter because I

was looking for camaraderie,” Borders says. “Through the chapter, I’ve found what Col. Barry Wright calls ‘camara- derie with a purpose.’ ”

MO

— Contributing Editor Kris Ann Hegle writes for Chapters in Action, page 44. Her last feature for Military Officer was “Lead- ing the Grassroots Effort,” October 2014.