Baton Rouge Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressmen Garret Graves (Louisiana) and Seth Moulton (Massachusetts) have introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate June 10th, 2023 as “Veterans Get Outside Day.”

“Veterans Get Outside Day encourages Veterans to experience the outdoors and engage in recreational activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting, and ultimately promote a passion for the outdoors. The scientific community has been unanimous in demonstrating how spending time in natural environments, such as parks or forests, is associated with a reduction in stress, improved mood, and increased cognitive function. I’m proud to join Congressman Moulton in introducing this resolution to support our Veterans,” Graves said.

The goal of Veterans Get Outside Day is to connect former service members with free outdoor recreational opportunities both in their communities and in partnership with U.S. National Parks and Forests. U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA), Kevin Cramer (ND), and Angus King (ME) introduced the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

“Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and many face unique, lifelong health challenges as a result of their service. As a Marine veteran, I know firsthand how healing simply spending time outdoors can be. The moments where I can go on a long run or spend time on the water are sacred,” Moulton said. “I’m proud to partner with my House and Senate colleagues to designate Vets Get Outside Day. This is a great way to remind every veteran to do something healing for themselves; and it’s another important step toward destigmatizing the national conversation around mental health. We are all in this together, and together we can build a community that leads the way on changing how we talk about mental health.”

“We owe it to the men and women who traveled oceans to protect us to address the veteran suicide crisis,” Dr. Cassidy said. “Vets Get Outside Day is a positive step towards ensuring veterans know they have the help they need available to them.”

“Fresh air and nature are often the best medicine, and there’s no better place to take advantage of outdoor opportunities than North Dakota. To combat veteran suicides, our resolution recognizes the positive impacts nature therapies can have on our veterans,” Cramer said.

“From beach walks to fishing trips to simply hearing a refreshing breeze in the forest, America’s extraordinary outdoor spaces can bring moments of calm during the most difficult times,” King said. “I hope that ‘Vets Get Outside Day’ this year will encourage our veterans to find a relaxing outdoor space near them. It’s a simple way to promote the great outdoors and help these brave men and women who may be struggling with mental health conditions.”

“Military-Veterans Advocacy (MVA) wants to thank Congressman Garret Graves and Senator Bill Cassidy for introducing this important resolution. Over 6000 veterans a year die by their own hand. Often this is caused by Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Stress, anxiety, and depression. Veterans Get Outside Day is an avenue to help veterans appreciate the beauties of nature and the wonders of life. Thank you also to Rachel Ware of the Canadian o2 Project for reaching out to us and allowing us to share their therapeutic idea,” Commander John B Wells, (USN, Ret) Chairman of Military-Veterans Advocacy said.

“We are very grateful to Congressman Garret Graves and Senator Bill Cassidy for their support of this resolution. We need to provide more resources, help, and hope to those suffering from a mental health crisis. We at the Benjamin Ware Legacy Fund – o2 Project believe Wilderness Therapy can help. Getting outside and reconnecting with nature has been proven to reduce blood pressure, stress, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve our overall well-being.  We are also immensely thankful to Commander John B Wells (USN, Ret) and all our friends at the Military-Veterans Advocacy for providing a platform for our initiative to help reach veterans and introduce them to an alternative therapeutic option for healing. Please join us on June 10th, Anytime – Anywhere, Just Get Outside!” Rachel Ware, o2 Project said.

“At REI Co-op, we believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived.  We know that time in nature can heal and restore, which is especially important for our veterans who have sacrificed so much through their service.  REI applauds this bipartisan resolution to create a Veterans Get Outside Day to encourage more veterans to spend time in the great outdoors," Taldi Harrison, Head of Government Affairs, REI Co-op said.

To read more statistics about nature-based therapy, click here. On June 10, 2023, MVA will sponsor the first Veterans Get Outside Day in the United States at the USS Kidd Museum in Baton Rouge Louisiana. The event is from 9:30am to 3:30pm.

Original source can be found here.