25/12/2023
Merry Christmas!!! - Today we have a special treat to share, which is the continuation and core of our IG post from yesterday. One of our Holiday Gift Guide entries, originated by the priceless Tiffany Sondergaard - is Battle Borne, a community organization founded by Chris Yarnell that helps guide local US Veterans towards recovery with a well rounded and unique approach for every individual's specific needs.
About a month ago Valerie Bittner and other members of the Zine Team visited Chris Yarnell, the founder of BATTLE BORNE who shared with us their long-term plans and mission for helping Veterans living in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. It was truly eye-opening yet inspiring at the same to hear just how much more can and should be done for helping US Veterans, since so many elements go into it, like Vets that do need help and don't ask, Vets that may ask once and not get the help they need so never ask again, or even Vets that think they don't need help but find that they actually did after all or even ended up helping others. It is a community that spans across a broad diversity of people that deserve to enjoy a higher quality of life than is often lived, and Battle Borne will do everything in their power to either provide the help, or guide an individual or family towards the help they need if Battle Borne can not physically do it themselves.
The following section is written by Valerie Bittner based on her visit to Battle Borne and interview with Chris Yarnell at their Allentown office.
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Battle Borne & it’s founder Chris Yarnell are a unique resource for United States military veterans and their families. Their mission is to connect veterans with the resources needed to recover from mental, emotional and physical trauma so they can restore their lives and reintegrate into society. They achieve this through a collaborative effort of like-minded individuals and organizations, by leveraging both internal and external resources to assist veterans in our community.
But they are so much more.
To understand Battle Borne is to learn the story of its founder, Chris’s complex journey & his need to continue to serve. I need to point out here, Chris was adamant to say when he says, “Guys” he is referring to men, women as well as the LBGTQIA+ community in military service.
Chris Yarnell struggled after an injury stopped what he had hoped would be a career in the military. He stated there was a lot of depression & a feeling that he had failed. Without therapy or counseling, it’s not something Chris processed easily. Chris didn’t go to the VA, which is very common. According to Chris, “There are so many misconceptions for Veterans because they feel they do not qualify, didn’t serve in combat or they’ll say they didn’t need it. Veterans & First Responders have a severe difficulty asking for help.”
Every Veteran who has had an honorable discharge can use the VA.
Chris continued, “There are a lot of guys like me who didn’t feel worthy of going to the VA.” Chris was injured in 1994 & was given an honorable discharge with a 20% disability. In 2003, he went to the VA with a cold to seek treatment & was told he would have to register for eligibility. “He (the doctor) laid me down, bent & twisted my knee & wrote something down. It was like 10 minutes.” 4 months later, Chris received a letter that said the VA deemed him rehabilitated & he didn’t qualify for VA benefits. Chris said, “OK.”
6 years later, a chance meeting with a fellow Vet changed his life. Kevin’s dad was a service officer for benefits. “Did you go to the VA?” Kevin asked. Chris told him the story. Kevin said, “Go back to the VA, you are eligible.” Chris went back. The doctor, a marine, examined Chris and upon closing his file said, “Mr. Yarnell, I’d like to apologize to you on behalf of the United States Government. We owe you an apology.”
Fast forward, by 2015 Chris was volunteering with the VA in Lebanon, PA and runs into Kevin. He told him, “I would not be here had you not given me that advice.” Chris continued, “That’s when I saw the value of how to help veterans with the things I didn’t know because someone did it for me.”
A pastor at his Aunt’s church asked Chris if he wanted to go with him to a homeless camp. Chris had struggled with depression & feared going would trigger him. Instead, Chris said, “That day changed my life. I was blown away that we have people living like this. Most of us signed up because we wanted to serve & help people. When I came home from the military, that component was gone. When I left the camp that day, my sense of purpose was reignited which ultimately leads to me helping myself.”
Soon a support group is formed in Allentown and Chris was invited to join. The first meeting was Chris, the founder & the treasurer, but Chris would say, “I got a lot out of it.” Chris invites a buddy to the group next week. And then the next week he invites another guy. In a few months, Chris had invited 14 people to the group. The founder asked Chris to be their outreach guy, “I don’t know where you’re finding these people,” he said. Chris added, “One guy I found in the supermarket check out line. I would tell them come & if you don’t like it don’t come back. Or just be an ear for the next guy.”
Chris soon discovered that many Veteran’s organizations lacked vital services. “A homeless vet doesn’t just need housing. Are we addressing the substance abuse? Are we addressing the financial? Does he have income? Does he have a job? Does he have a criminal record? Can’t we work on getting him on the job training? I started watching veterans get, sorry, we don’t do that so I asked why aren’t we sending them to so-n-so & I was told, that’s not our mission.”
Chris began compiling business cards of community organizations. “I have every family & community resource, every halfway house, every recovery house, every veteran support group. I have military shared food programs. I have built up a resource bank for anyone who walks in. I don’t have to tell them the same thing I saw other veterans hear at other organizations, “Sorry, we don’t do that.” Chris added, “We (at Battle Borne) can say, we don’t do that but I can take you to someone who does.”
Battle Borne is a peer-to-peer organization who focuses on Vets individual cases. They also a offer Vet to Vet support group, a Families of Vets support group, Trauma Yoga with a certified instructor and have partnered with Second Harvest for a monthly food drive. They keep food, hygiene products & clothing onsite for those in need. Or maybe a Vet would just like to drop in, grab a cup of coffee & use the computer to fill out a job application. No matter what the need, Battle Borne finds a way to help.
How can you help Battle Borne help Veterans? Volunteer for one of their many events on the wearebattleborne.com and click Get Involved or fill out the contact form. Join the Battle Borne Events & Opportunities page to see what they have coming up. Do you work from home? How about working from one of Battle Borne’s 3 locations a day or two a week? Battle Borne would love area businesses to commit to a $100 monthly sponsorship or a corporate sponsorship of $1000 a year for one of their programs, transportation, utility bills or buy more food to hand out.
Chris Yarnell is an inspiring individual and Battle Borne is a vital link to area Veteran services. When I asked Chris why he created Battle Borne he said, “The pay stinks but the benefits are great.”
------ Written by Valerie Bittner
Please visit all of their social media platforms including right here on FB!! There you will find all the contact info and resources you need to get involved! Thank you once again to Valerie Bittner for setting up this interview and writing this, it was an extreme pleasure and wish nothing but the best for this incredible organization!!!
Merry Christmas once again!!!!!
