Thank you for taking the time to listen.

I am about the same age as the first wave of Iraq and Afghanistan military veterans. I have felt gratitude and discomfort about the disproportionately large burden that military service members carry in our society, and I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best way to “support the troops” with real action instead of platitudes.

This foundation is the culmination of eight years of research, conversations with veterans, and pilot work.

I have loved participating in the scientific approach to veterans’ health. It feels real and permanent and lasting. It is deliberate and meticulous, and it pushes progress in remarkable ways. I have been tremendously moved by the stories of veterans, often times with nothing more in common than powerful connections to one another by way of an almost reflexive instinct to serve.

I think few reasonable people would argue that we have an obligation to long term health of these men and women. And Heart and Armor will certainly do its part in meeting those obligations.

But I also hope this foundation helps people look a little closer; we can all do a better job of sharing the burden. Listening. Exploring. Risking. Participating. Serving one another, even when it’s inconvenient and tedious. Not getting overwhelmed or discouraged by our differences. Solving problems that we may not have had a hand in causing. Keeping our sense of humor while taking it all seriously.

I look forward to better understanding and sharing their journey, and to giving you a window into their worlds. I am so grateful to veterans for carrying so much of our burden, and I hope you join me in trying to share a little of theirs.

With love,

John Mayer