A few years after Gulf War 1 and Operation Gothic Serpent Rob Moreno enlisted in the United States Army and set off on his 23-year career. Starting off an M1 Abrams crewman with the invasion of Iraq, he made his way into the Special Operations Community with the 75th Ranger Regiment where he eventually retired. Like many other Veterans jaded by multiple deployments, he struggled to find his way back to a life with a sense of fulfillment.
“I had a great career, but as I came to terms with my inevitable departure, I did find myself lost. I had spent over half my life surrounded by the best, bravest, and most honorable men in the world. I had unfortunately also witnessed the worst of humanity: death, pain, loss, grief, and a lot of hatred. This is how I left the service. I was broken physically, mentally, & spiritually.”
With the support of his family, he found his way back! It was an unexpected trip to Disneyland of all places that he let his guard down. You would think being surrounded by large crowds and expensive… well everything it would be last place he would want to be.
“It was honestly the most bizarre feeling. I was in the middle of thousands of people, but they were all happy. They were all there to enjoy the atmosphere, the parks and each other. After two decades of war, my faith in humanity started to correct itself if that makes sense. It’s really hard to explain, but I am a different person now when I visit places like Disney, which is a good thing.”
It is because of this experience, and his ability find his way back, that we are now on a mission to help other Vets with their struggles back into society. Whether it’s a trip to Disney, a weekend out in the country, or just a visit of support to get through hard times, we are determined to do what we can to help our brothers and sisters of war.
