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Army veteran Adam Alexander was on the phone with his superior officer when enemy bullets began to rain down on his remote firebase in Afghanistan. “Adam said, ‘Hey sir, I got to go, we’re getting attacked; got to head out,’” recalled retired Lt. Col. Mike Hert. “I said, you know, &lsqu...
Hypervigilance.  It’s a heightened state of awareness where one continually assesses potential threats to their well-being.  Al Silva is no stranger to potential threats. In 1981, he enlisted in the Marine Corps as an infantryman. His nearly three decades of service involved 10 different deplo...
From the time he was 6 years old, Scott Pitta had an eye on the clouds. More than anything, he wanted to fly helicopters. As he got older, making his way through high school and college, that dream only grew. Years later, Pitta attended his high school reunion. His former classmates asked him, “So what are you up to now?”&n...
On July 21, 2003, an ambush of rocket-propelled grenades thrust Army veteran Latoya Lucas and her platoon of Humvees in the air causing her severe polytrauma, including a shattered pelvis.
For U.S. Army veteran and retired Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Steve Lentge, DAV’s mission is personal.  Steve’s son is also a veteran and a C6 quadriplegic. While his son received care from the VA, Steve got an idea.  He’d inherited an older family van after his father had passed away. He used...
If you have a piece of land that’s not being utilized or a house that’s costing you money in maintenance or taxes, consider donating your real estate to DAV (Disabled American Veterans). Your property donation will help our nation’s veterans and relieve your burdens. For David H., a veteran himself, it was a way to re...
On November 26, 2003, Army veteran Centra “Ce-Ce” Mazyck’s spinal cord was damaged during a parachute jump while she was training for combat service. The hard landing left her paralyzed from the waist down.  “All I could think about was my son, and that I would never walk again,” said Ce-Ce, a single...
In 1993, while serving as a firefighter and infantryman in the Army Reserve, Bud was in a horrible vehicle accident and had to have his leg amputated. Bud’s life would never be the same. But he was determined to continue helping people and serving his country.  Bud became the first professional one-legged firefight...
Gary Nutt saw the world while serving as an aircraft electrical and environmental systems mechanic with the Air Force. But while stationed at an air base in Saudi Arabia, he began experiencing excruciating headaches.  The doctor believed Gary had a sinus infection, but the medication they offered provided no help. Moments of inten...
Medically retired Coast Guard rescue swimmer and quadruple amputee David W. Riley of Mobile, Alabama, was elected National Commander of the 1.3 million-member DAV (Disabled American Veterans) in 2016.  He became the first quadruple amputee and the first Coast Guard veteran to assume DAV’s highest post. Riley, who s...
Do you have a car, truck or boat that’s no longer being used? Donating your unwanted vehicle can save you money and make a big impact for a cause you care about — like helping our nation’s disabled veterans. But it’s critical to choose a reputa...
We all have times in life where we stumble and make mistakes. When these moments arise, it’s important to have a plan in place to help us through, especially when it comes to mental/behavioral health. What does it mean to plan? It means that as soon as you start observing symptoms, you will know how to act to get the help you need....
DAV (Disabled American Veterans) supports more than 1 million veterans every year with free, life-changing services. When you donate a vehicle to DAV, you’re empowering our nation’s heroes to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. Your DAV car donation will provide resources to he...
More and more people are using DAV’s Car Donation program to help disabled American veterans. Last year alone, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) helped improve the lives of more than 1 million veterans in life-changing ways. From outreach programs and job fairs to providing caregiver support and providing veterans with rides to me...
During his third deployment in Afghanistan, Matt Amos stepped on an IED and lost both of his legs. He encountered a challenging claims and recovery process. “I got prosthetics, but they weren’t working for me,” says Amos. During this trying time, Matt received help from DAV (Disabled American Veterans), an o...