For military veterans, getting back to a normal life after service can be challenging. The mental toll can add up after years of sacrifice and the job opportunities are scarce. That’s why one Grand Bay family is using their experience and skills to get veterans back in the saddle.
Jeremy and Heather Clark know a thing or two about the cattle business. After Jeremy returned from Syria on his last deployment, the couple purchased four cows. The purchase was out of necessity after their son experienced health issues. That was in 2022 and in just a few years, the farm has grown to a 140-acre beef, lamb and pork operation known as C-4 Cattle Company. They have learned everything from other farmers and now Jeremy Clark said they want to pass on their knowledge to those who need it most.
“I had a lot of veterans that I worked with and a lot of veteran programs we helped and a lot of vets were like, ‘Hey man, I want to come have a day on the farm. I want to go with you and work cows and I want to see where my food comes from,” Clark told 1819 News. “So, we just started picking people up and taking them with us.”
More and more veterans began to reach out for help getting their farms up and running. It has become a way for veterans to feed their families and give them a purpose. The Clarks formed Vets to Cowboys after realizing just how great the need was.
“We're taking them to do cowboy stuff but we're also showing them, ‘Hey, this can be your new way of life. You can start raising cows and make money and feed your family while at the same time it's helping the state and the country with our food safety and food security,” Clark said. “We’re losing numbers of farms and we've trusted vets to do what they had to do for the last 20-something years in the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism), why not take a guy coming out of GWOT and put him into agriculture?”
Clark said being a farmer can give combat veterans just the right balance of stress and purpose.
“Agriculture can be tough and stressful but it's not ‘Ranger Regiment’ tough,” he said. “It's not infantry tough. It's not Afghanistan tough. It's first-world problems tough. You're more able to adapt to be able to take care of something like this if you've been able to adapt to taking care of yourself, a team, a squad, a platoon, a company, all the way up the line in a war zone. Cattle to me and the cowboy way of life is replacing a lot of that and I think it can help a lot of people.”
Clark said Vets to Cowboys is different from other veterans’ programs because it is designed to kickstart new farms and help first-generation farmers like himself.
“In Alabama, there are a lot of folks wanting to get into cattle and livestock, but they don't know where to start,” said Clark. “So, everything we've learned the hard way over the last three years, we’re creating a cheat sheet to new and beginning veteran farmers that want to get started. On top of our cheat sheet and helpful tips, we're building a schoolhouse where they can come to us and get hands-on experience, where they can take it back to their operation and be more successful.”
Clark said his wife, Heather, has been working to establish the non-profit. She has used her experience as a vet tech and her extensive education to turn the idea into a reality.
For Clark, the mission has gone from fighting terrorism to fighting for veterans. Those missions are improving mental health, food safety and security, SkillBridge (workforce development) and replenishing the declining numbers of farms.
The couple is now trying to get the word out and raise awareness to help more people.
“We want to help people,” Clark said. “Whether it's a one-time deal for mental health, or we can help people several times with getting a new job, or testing the waters on agriculture. Or we can help people not go through the hard way of becoming a farmer with no help and we're going to get them pointed in the right direction and then always be a resource to work together and do teamwork, just like we did in service.”
The bond between brothers in arms is one of the strongest known to man. Now, Clark said he wants to cultivate that bond into a lifeline for those who gave so much.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning or become a member to gain access to exclusive content and 1819 News merch.
