This nonprofit organization founded by veterinarians “fishes” for healing

Healing the scars of war can take many forms. Some veterans found peace through music or golf — and others, like Air Force veteran Jim Dolan, found it through kayak fishing.

Dolan, a giant-sized man with an even bigger heart, was an Air Force major who sought to help veterans heal through kayak fishing. His passion coupled with that of others ultimately led to the creation of Heroes on the Water, long after his passing.

Seventeen years after Heroes on the Water was founded in 2007, the nonprofit organization has served more than 61,000 veterans, first responders and their families.

“Enthusiastic, like-minded people wanted to share their love of kayak fishing,” said Faeda Elliott, spokesperson for Heroes on the Water. “Our founder thought this might be a good way to help our veterans get off the couch and into nature.”

After Dolan and his volunteers first took soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio on a kayak fishing trip, he realized he had a program that could make a difference in the lives of veterans who were looking for ways to deal with problems like the post. -traumatic stress disorder and other challenges veterans commonly encounter as they transition to civilian life.

One of those veterans is Pat Cochrane, who served 12 years as a logistics officer in the Army, both on active duty and in the National Guard. His nine years of active duty included three deployments and direct ground combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2006 to 2008.

Cochrane suffered from the psychological and emotional effects of combat stress and survivors’ guilt, as well as the transitional stress of finding employment after the military. He is currently Senior Director of Operations and Routing Capabilities at PepsiCo, based in Plano, Texas. He is also a member of PepsiCo’s VALOR employee resource group which assists employees and their spouses who are leaving the military.

“I know firsthand the stressors military members and their families experience, from personal loss to multiple deployments to training rotations and more,” Cochrane said. “Throughout military service, there is very little downtime to process how you feel and what you sacrifice. During my own transition, it was important for me to find moments where I could quiet my mind and reflect on my own experiences.

Through the VALOR group, Cochrane founded the Heroes on the Water program. Headquartered in Allen, Texas, Heroes on the Water has 53 active chapters and five active therapy programs in 24 states.

VALOR and Heroes on the Water have been partners for 10 years, and in September they celebrated that relationship with an event in Plano with Frito Lay (part of PepsiCo), on the company’s 300-acre private lake, to more than 40 veterans from the region.

Cochrane is not a big fan of fishing, but he attended the event to support other veterans who came to campus to experience it.

“Starting in the morning, our visitors had the chance to enjoy several hours of kayak fishing on our Frito Lake,” Cochrane said. “It’s beautiful, peaceful and filled with catfish and bass. We host these events multiple times, but each event we have supported has been a truly unique and rewarding experience for our associates.

PepsiCo and Frito Lay launched VALOR Group a decade ago with the goal of becoming a premier career destination for veterans. It has 16 chapters across the country and works with veterans, their families and first responders.

One of VALOR’s signature events is the annual “Rolling Remembrance,” a 14,000-mile American flag relay that last year brought together 62 truck drivers who are military veterans from across the country until Memorial Day.

“The most important service we provide is a safe, judgment-free space where military spouses, veterans and advocates can come together and feel supported,” said John Flesher, co-chair of the Employee Resource Group. VALOR. “We have a shared mission: to provide healing and companionship to veterans, making our organizational relationship a perfect partnership. Together, we are able to shine a light on this important mission, support challenges facing veterans, and provide opportunities for wellness.