Mar. 8—LIMA — Something about honoring people’s deaths made Richard “Butch” Brewer start appreciating his life more.
Brewer, a Vietnam veteran, followed the path of so many people in that war, returning home to little fanfare and suffered with the aftereffects of Agent Orange and post-traumatic stress disorder. Still, he kept living his life, “hiding the fact you’re a Vietnam vet.”
Then, after retiring, he decided to start volunteering with the burial detail with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as part of its honor guard.
“Just something about doing the burials helped me with my PTSD,” Brewer said. “My outlook on life kind of changed. Something to do with saying a final farewell was better, because in ‘Nam, you didn’t have that chance. Somebody went down, you never heard about them again.”
That put Brewer, one of the nine local winners of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, on a new path, dedicating his days to helping his fellow veterans. He helps as a mentor with the Allen County Veterans Court, aids veterans in getting the Veterans Administration benefits they deserve and served in the Allen County Veterans Service Commission. He’s also active with the VFW, Disabled American Veterans and Vietnam Veterans of America.
He’s really found his calling with his most recent project, Vets Helping Vets. Two groups, one for men and one for women, meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the basement of the 330 N. Elizabeth St., Lima.
There, he saw the PTSD issues he suffered through for years facing another generation of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. By talking to other servicemen who’ve been through it, they find a way to heal.
“We had one man here who sat right over there for six weeks, and he never said a word. We didn’t even know his name,” Brewer recalled. “One night after a meeting, he walked out in the hall and told me, ‘My wife and I are finally talking again.’ I didn’t even know they were having problems.
“Needless to say, from then on, he came out of his shell. It’s so neat, to see him start participating and helping the other guys work through their problems.”
He gets the same good feeling when he sees a graduate of Allen County Veterans Court, which guides traumatized veterans through a path of healing instead of incarcerating them following an outburst.
“These guys mostly aren’t criminals,” Brewer said. “Some of them are just in the middle of a flashback, interacting like they’re back in Afghanistan and standing guard.”
In both cases, people know they can trust Brewer because he’s walked their same path, said Tom Rees, a fellow veteran who nominated Brewer.
“We don’t want any of the younger guys having to go 30 or 40 years without any mental health help or having a place to safely go,” Rees said. “Whatever goes on in the room doesn’t go outside the room. So for the first time, they can actually share what’s going on.”
Rees marveled at Brewer’s dedication. It’s common for him to drive someone to the VA clinic in Dayton if needed, and he willingly helps people fill out paperwork correctly to get them the benefits they deserve.
“It’s very difficult to find volunteers anymore,” Rees said. “Then you find someone who does all this stuff. It’s crazy. It’s neat. He helps with just the little things, helping veterans navigate the VA system.”
Brewer deals with more than his share of issues, too. He blames Agent Orange for many of his issues, including a bout with cancer and heart issues, along with needing multiple surgeries. It just motivates him more to help.
“It’s a satisfying deal, knowing you’re able to help people in a different way,” Brewer said. “I look at it as a way for all of us to share our knowledge. We can help these young guys in a way we didn’t get help.”
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Reach David Trinko at 567-242-0467 or on Twitter @Lima_Trinko.
