<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article> \u201cI lost my wife about four years ago now, and I started my therapy journey before she passed away. And it just kind of made me realize how important it is,\u201d Davey said. \u201cAnd there are just a lot of people in the military that don\u2019t seek that avenue. It\u2019s this kind of social stigma that really exists in the military.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While therapy was a saving grace for Davey, building connections with fellow veterans who shared similar experiences also helped. He could talk to them about sensitive topics that even close family members didn\u2019t know about.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never told my wife anything about being in Iraq, but you will tell a complete stranger sitting at the bar stool next to you everything about it,\u201d Davey said. \u201cThere\u2019s just a certain rapport and trust that you have with somebody else that\u2019s been through the same thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Talking to other veterans led Davey to Chet Pierson, who served in the Army. Both veterans realized they loved music and could play instruments. Three years ago, they developed Vet Jams.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMe and Jason Davey, we were sitting right here, talking about mental health. He\u2019s like, I play guitar. I play harmonica,\u201d Pierson said. \u201cHe\u2019s like, I got a great idea. Let\u2019s form a band and start talking about mental health for veterans,\u201d Pierson said.<\/p>\n <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article> Pierson, an Operation Desert Storm<\/a> veteran, discovered he had post-traumatic stress disorder in 1992. Both he and Davey realized that when it comes to therapy for veterans, it\u2019s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Vet Jams works to meet veterans wherever they are in their mental health journeys.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pierson pointed to the eye-opening statistics of 22 veterans and a 6,000 per year suicide rate that held steady for two decades. In recent years, while the rate has dipped slightly, recent data<\/a> showed that from 2022 to 2023 the rate of veteran suicides ticked down a fraction, from 17.6 per day to 17.5. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd more veterans kill themselves than we have in combat,\u201d Pierson said. \u201cYou know, that\u2019s a staggering number.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While Davey and Pierson make up the core of the band, Vet Jams\u2019 lineup isn\u2019t set in stone. The duo welcomes veterans from around New Orleans to play with them, featuring a rotating unit of 20 musicians who have jammed with the band in recent years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Performing the music they\u2019re passionate about and sharing stories with veterans has made an impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTogetherness can save lives. Music saves lives. Camaraderie saves lives,\u201d Pierson said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nVeterans Finding Connection Through Music\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images04.military.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/full\/public\/2026-02\/band_3_.png.jpg?itok=XLIuUcHw\")
<\/p>\nBand Promotes Suicide Awareness \u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n