Always on Duty
Around the world, around the clock, American Heroes are at work.
Vets' Retreat Virginia, Inc. honors, connects, and assists the men and women who serve America, past or present, at home or away.
Connect with us for camaraderie, health and wellness resources, activities and events, volunteer opportunities, and more.
Honoring American Heroes
Our Short-Term Goals
Build a strong foundation by growing relationships with the people, organizations, and communities who believe in our mission. We will continue to recognize and honor those who serve-and have served-in the military and emergency response professions while expanding awareness of the resources and opportunities available through Vets’ Retreat Virginia.
Our Medium-Term Goals
Turn those relationships into an active community. We will bring military members, Veterans, first responders, families, supporters, and partners together through camaraderie, morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) activities. We will also strengthen our network of trusted organizations so we can connect people with information, resources, and referrals when they need them.
Our Long-Term Goal
Establish and operate a 24-hour health, wellness, education, recreation, and community center in Virginia-a permanent home where military members, Veterans, first responders, and their families can connect, recharge, participate, find resources, and support one another.
Everything we build today-every relationship, partnership, program, volunteer, and contribution-moves us closer to that goal.
Our Why
The mission of our organization is to take action to confront and reduce persistent challenges in our Service community: depression, PTSD, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.
We aim to advance health and wellness through education, training, counseling, referrals, and many varieties of organized and free-form activities.
We offer a comprehensive network for professional development, military to civilian career transitions, and lifelong learning opportunities.
This Is What's At Stake
30 percent of active duty and reserve military personnel (previously) deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have a mental health condition requiring treatment – approximately 730,000 men and women, with many experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression.
Less than 50 percent of returning Veterans in need receive any mental health treatment.
The Veterans Administration reports that approximately 22 Veterans die by suicide every day (thenationalcouncil.org).
Public health and public safety workers experience a broad range of health and mental health consequences as a result of work-related exposures to natural or human-caused disasters (SAMHSA, 2018).
We must (also) focus on establishing solid and accessible peer-to-peer networks within communities, giving Veterans (and first responders) spaces to be open about their struggles. Experts will tell you social connections save lives (navytimes.com, 2022).
Vets’ Retreat Virginia, Inc. will continue to network and support initiatives that help the members of our community. Our objective is to make the right referral, to the right person, at the right time, any time that our services are requested or required.
Services and Eligibility
We do not require you to live or work in Virginia.
In April, 2024, we joined together with Halfwild Counseling, based in Ashland, VA, to offer licensed private counseling services. Services are provided in-person or by tele-health appointments within Virginia. We assist in cost-coverage on a partial to full basis, by referral, in cases where private health insurance is not available, accepted, or adequate to pay costs of care.
In June, 2026, we also entered into a referral partnership agreement with Mental Health Advocates, LLC, based in the Henrico, VA area. We will also assist in cost-coverage for our referrals on an as-needed basis.
When we are able to obtain sufficient funds, through donations, sponsorships, and/or grants, we will build or buy our dedicated health and wellness facility here in Virginia.
Our vision is to establish and operate a 24 hour health, wellness, education, and social/activity center, on at least 50 acres of land.
This is what makes us different, if not unprecedented: We welcome and serve Heroes of all branches, components, ranks, duty statuses; federal, state, or local levels. We do not discriminate based on time, length, or location of service; wounded in action or injury on duty status, nor disability rating.
We provide our services at no charge to the individual or family.