Vets H.E.R.D. – short for Helping to Empower Returning and Disabled Veterans – is an organization made up of local veterans. They recently built an addition to the home of the parents of Marine Staff Sgt. John Stanz, after he returned from a military hospital in Germany.
More than 20 local contractors and suppliers donated their time and materials to help build a bedroom, bath and living area for John, to help him with his recovery. Vets H.E.R.D. also organized a four-day vacation for the family while the addition was being finished.
“John to me is my brother,” said their vice president Jordan Strong. “When family is in need, you help them out.” John is part of MARSOC – the top one percent of the Marine Corps serving in special operations. Strong continued, “They do the missions no one knows about. They take the risk that no one knows about, to ensure our freedoms, to keep our country safe. We owe it to them to help them. He’s helped and protected us in ways we can’t begin to understand.”
John suffered a catastrophic head injury, his second combat injury, while serving in Afghanistan. He had received his first Purple Heart after being wounded in Iraq.
Vets H.E.R.D., located in western New York, is a group of veterans and their families and friends whose mission is to raise awareness of the lack of veterans’ resources in their local community while ensuring that no veteran or service member is forgotten upon their return to civilian life.
If you are currently looking for assistance within New York, visit the Warrior Gateway’s directory. If you know of similar organizations not already in our directory please add them here!
To view the Buffalo News original article, “A heartfelt home for a hero,” click here.
