In summer 2013, CreatiVets was
launched out of central Illinois to take action against the invisible wounds veterans
experience after combat. In fact, the
organization was founded by a disabled Marine veteran, Richard Casper. Casper says, “Taking medication and talking
with counselors did not have a long-term effect on my psychological needs, so I
turned to art and music as an outlet. I want
to share this form of therapy with other veterans and change their lives for
the better.” Casper is a recent graduate
of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Casper also explains how
CreatiVets is unique in that it teaches veterans how to better deal with stress
creatively, so the healing can continue after participating in an art therapy
session. One veteran said about his
experience, “I felt better about
talking about myself and what happened to me in those few hours than I did
talking to a psychiatrist for a whole year. Now whenever I need to be calmed
down I can listen to or play the song we wrote, instead of sitting in an office
talking to someone who doesn’t understand.”
During the week of
December 9th, two veterans had the opportunities to be paired
with professional songwriters to create pieces that tell their stories. Warner/Chappell Production Music also
partnered with CreatiVets to professionally record three songs that were
written by veterans during past few months.
The artists who volunteered their time to record the music are Jeff Coplan, Jeff King, Steve Brewster, Jerry McPherson, Bruce
Bouton, Jimmy Nichols, Jeff Balding, Mark Lonsway, Lance Carpenter, Noll
Billings, and Matt Mason. The
songwriters who assisted the veterans are Lance Carpenter, Mark Irwin, Noll
Billins, Jeff Coplan, Rob Blackledge, Bob Regan, Joe Collins, Dave Pittenger, and
Matt Mason.
CreatiVets is a fast growing
organization that continues to serve our nation’s
veterans and will have an impact on the veteran suicide rate, which is
currently 22 per day. Without the help and
cooperation of the Armed Forces Foundation, the professional songwriters, the
musicians, APM Music, and Warner/Chappell Production Music the CreatiVets
therapy program would not be possible.