VANCEBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — A local nonprofit dedicated to reuniting veterans is preparing to welcome a new team next month at the Warrior Ridge Retreat. This unique program creates a space for those who have served to reconnect with the comrades who stood by their side during their most challenging moments.
Navy Corpsman Jonathan Buss was recently nominated to attend the retreat.
“Just being around each other again and bringing back that brotherhood that was there, especially during the deployments, is a bond you have to be part of to understand,” Buss said.
Buss served in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011 as a Greenside Corpsman, providing medical support to Marines. He and several of his teammates will reunite at Warrior Ridge this summer.
“The time we spent together holds a lot of memories,” he said. “With over a decade since most of us have been together, a lot of that brotherhood gets lost over time and distance. This opportunity to reconnect and have this reunion really helps bring everyone back in touch.”
However, the journey of reconnecting comes with its challenges. Since returning home, Buss and his team have tragically lost eight members to suicide.
Landon Bentley, Founder and Executive Director of Warrior Ridge, highlighted the critical need for community support among veterans.
“I think a lot of veteran suicides stem from loneliness. When these individuals leave the service, they often find themselves surrounded by people who have never experienced the extremes of combat,” he said.
Bentley, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2007, understands firsthand the importance of these connections.
“These guys take care of each other. We’ve had several instances since we started Warrior Ridge where teammates would drive throughout the night across the country to help someone in need, often without knowing they were hurting until they reconnected," Bentley said.
The retreat aims to foster these invaluable connections not just once, but every year moving forward, with all expenses covered by the program.
“This gives these guys something to look forward to every year. If that’s what they need to keep pressing forward, knowing that in a couple of months they’ll have their next reunion is crucial,” he said.
Warrior Ridge Retreat provides a healing environment for veterans to reflect and reconnect with those who will forever be considered family.
Anyone interested in supporting this important mission through donations or sponsorship can visit warriorridge.org, where every dollar goes directly toward aiding their journeys of healing and reconnection.
