PTSD war veterans from the US are using their combat skills to protect the Rhino in Limpopo from poaching and are healing themselves in the process! VETPAW has shared a look into the lives of these veterans with a new short documentary.
US Army Veterans are finding peace in protecting South African Rhinos from poaching. The United States spends millions of dollars on training their soldiers in combat skills and when they get home from the war, there isn’t much for them to do. Most veterans come back to face high unemployment rates and often suffer from some form of PTSD or mental illness.
Ryan Tate saw a documentary on Rhino poaching which haunted him for days. He decided there was more to life than earning money and started the VETPAW programme.
“Everyone gets PTSD when they come back from war … you are never going to get the brotherhood, the intensity again … [There are] all these veterans with billions of dollars of training and the government doesn’t use them. I saw a need in two places and just put them together,” says Tate.
“After what I’ve done, I couldn’t just go and do a nine to five. I’ve never had nightmares or flashbacks or anything … [but] after years of doing what I’ve done, this is good for the soul,” says Kevin, the former Green Beret. “It’s in a good cause and you get to watch the African sunset.”
Many do not agree with US veterans being in South Africa, but Ryan Tate has set up a number of teams that protect over 200,000 hectares of land in Limpopo. Not only does their presence protect Rhino but it also discourages violent break-ins on farms within these area’s thus curbs the number of farm murders simultaneously.
The documentary follows the VETPAW team on their day-to-day activities and how they work to protect the Rhinos of South Africa. The short film has already won a number of awards including ‘Documentary Short – Hollywood International Independent Awards’ and ‘Documentary Short – MINDFIELD Film Festival- Albuquerque’. It was directed and produced by Billy Ward.
The documentary premiered today, the 19th of February. You can watch it below. For more information about VETPAW, check out their Facebook page here. Please note, the documentary does contain images that may upset sensitive viewers.
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