As the nation honored its heroes on Veterans Day Tuesday, one Michigan veteran says the best way to thank those who served is by helping them rediscover their sense of purpose long after the uniform has come off.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 6,400 veterans died by suicide in 2022 — about 17 every day. Joshua Parish is an Iraq War veteran and the CEO and co-founder of a nonprofit called VetLife.
“When you leave the military, you lose a sense of purpose, you lose a sense of identity, and you lose your tribe, really, is what it boils down to,” Parish said.
As of 2023, the unemployment rate for Michigan veterans was close to 3%, which is lower than the rate for non-veterans.
Parish says his organization has a free app called “Battle Buddy,” which connects veterans with 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 added that 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. He says that realization inspired him to create VetLife, which helps veterans before they reach a crisis point.
