Join the Shields & Stripes Mission
Restoring the lives of veterans and first responders
They Raised Their Hand and Pledged to Protect You.
Now, They Need Your Help.
Our nation’s Military Veterans and First Responders have a 5 x higher risk of experiencing mental health problems due to constant exposure to death and destruction.
Sadly, the current mental health system in America was unprepared for this reality, and today, those brave men and women need help to survive life.
Our Military Veterans and First Responders Secretly Fight Their Own Battles.
Did You Know?
Between 17 and 44 veterans die by suicide daily?
The previous report of 17.2 a day reporting doesn’t account for accidents, undetermined, reported self-harm, or overdoses, resulting in undercounting errors.
In One Year, We Lost…
Firefighters
POLICE OFFICERS
VETERANS
Data reporting is conducted with the intent to raise awareness and has sourced several agencies to capture the most accurate data to reflect the problem we are trying help fix. If you feel the data does not reflect the current situation, please contact: contact@shieldsandstripes.org
Shields & Stripes Is Helping Our Heroes!
With a top-tier, 3-month intensive program led by the finest doctors, therapists, nutritionists, and trainers, Shields & Stripes is now providing the care our brave warriors, protectors, and servants deserve.
ZERO
Cost to attendees!
Trauma Focused Psychological Therapy
Physical
Therapy
Occupational
Therapy
Nutrition
Education
Meditation
and Yoga
You can help Shields & Stripes continue their mission of saving our brave men and women and getting them on the road to a healthy, peaceful life.
How Your Donations Make a Difference
Your contribution enables attendees, referred to as athletes, to benefit from comprehensive care, starting with 3 weeks of personalized in-person support, followed by 9 weeks of telehealth.
81.5%
Program Services
15.9%
Fundraising
2.5%
System Management
Could You Handle This Over, and Over, and Over?…
What one police officer with military service experiences in their career…
- NViolent or tragic death of children
- NTraumatic suicides and homicides
- NExplosions and gunfire
- NAmbushes and unplanned attacks
- NViolent physical assaults
- NDeaths of co-workers
- NHigh-speed traffic collisions
- NEntry into burning buildings and vehicles
- NChild abuse, neglect, poverty
- NJob-related injuries
- NPolitical and administrative assaults
- NDestruction of family























Team Member Spotlight
Dr. Heidi Anderson
Meet Dr. Heidi Anderson, the lead mental health consultant for Shields & Stripes.
Besides her work with Shields & Stripes, she is the founder of The Healing Impact, which helps people with trauma, and she has spoken nationally about healing from trauma.
The Latest From Shields & Stripes
SPONSORS
We’re grateful for our amazing sponsors who care about our first responders and veterans as much as we do!
Follow @ShieldsandStripes on Instagram
@shieldsandstripes team members are working tirelessly to prepare for our next program in March, providing life-changing care for Veterans and First Responders.
We want to take a moment to thank one of our sponsors, Black Rifle Coffee Company Fund, and Dean Goble for their generous support! @brccfund @deangoblejr @blackriflecoffee
Their sponsorship will not only change the life of a program participant but also bring hope and relief to their family. We are incredibly grateful and honored to have BRCC’s backing.
If your business is interested in sponsoring and supporting the Shields & Stripes program, DM me for ways to get involved!
#shieldsandstripes #blackriflecoffee

We would like to honor the Green Beret Foundation @greenberetfoundation for supporting our March 2025 program!
We are grateful for GBF’s support and to be part of their resource ecosystem as they serve Green Berets, past present and future.
They have been an avid partner since our beginning and we look forward to jointly continuing to change the lives of those who have given so much to our nation!
As always - If you’re looking for a way to truly impact the heroes of our nation AND actually SEE the impact, consider sponsoring or contributing to Shields & Stripes mission.
🔗 Link in bio or visit www.shieldsandstripes.org
Second photo @trexler_media

Our clinical and operations team is working hard to ensure every detail is in place for the athletes who will soon embark on this life-changing journey in March. We can’t be more excited to welcome this new group to the @shieldsandstripes at program - they are a diverse group with military and first responder experiences from across the country.
🚨This work is critical, and it is only possible because of generous supporters like you. Please consider donating to help us continue providing this support at no cost to those who need it most. Every single dollar makes a difference.
Join us in this mission. Donate today.
🔗 in bio or visit www.shieldsandstripes.org
Cover photo by @trexler_media
#ShieldsAndStripes #veteransupport #firstresponders

Last week, our very own Brian Dean represented @shieldsandstripes at the @1st_responder_conferences event in Mesa, AZ.
While there, a powerful connection came full circle between S&S and @alphastim
Pictured with our resident viking is Brian Burke, President of Alpha-Stim, who within 24 hours, ensured their incredible products reached S&S’ Barbara Thompson @barb.r.thompson during the Hurricane Helene aftermath.
She then delivered them to first responders in Western North Carolina, aiding those performing heroic work during the recovery efforts.
It was an honor to thank him in person.
If you work in a high-stress field, whether in public service, the military, high-tempo business, professional sports, or beyond, we encourage you to explore Alpha-Stim.
This remarkable tool helps regulate the fight-or-flight response and promotes restful sleep without invasive procedures or pharmaceuticals.
A special thanks to Shawn Thomas of @1st_responder_conferences for organizing this event!
#shieldsandstripes #firstrespondersupport

“And I knew it wasn’t PTSD.” In this powerful podcast, our Vice President and co-founder, Dr. Jenn Byrne, Air Force veteran and occupational therapist, challenges the way we think about brain health for our nation’s heroes.
She shares her personal journey, from military service to pioneering a new approach to care, redefining how we treat those who have sacrificed so much.
Too often, PTSD is the default diagnosis for veterans and first responders. We acknowledge that PTSD is a very real and serious condition that affects many.
However, what if we looked deeper? Dr. Byrne explains how many mental health providers aren’t trained to screen for traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can present with symptoms that mimic PTSD. Research shows that in many cases, the root cause of PTSD symptoms is actually a brain injury.
This clip says it all…Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words.
📢 Be part of the mission: donate now at the link in our bio and consider a small monthly donation.
🔗 Full episode in our bio or https://open.spotify.com/episode/65qEdur8Fr5XEReMYNXosf?si=kDICf8KFQ4yVkWOMToCLlQ
Cover photo by @trexler_media
#shieldsandstripes #firstresponders #veterans #supportourheroes
