Testimonials: What Others are Saying about Reunite the Fight

Reflecting back on this past weekend I want to say it was an honor to spend time with you. Not only did you serve the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, but you came home to serve those Veterans in need of help.

I'm humbled.

~ Ron G., Reunite the Fight Volunteer

Reunite the fight has helped me with a lot of my survivor guilt, depression, and many times suicide. Being able to reconnect with those that served with me has given me guidance, in unity. Being a part of such a community of great people also gives me self worth. Knowing that I might be one call away from someone to help talk me out of the downward spiral really is a Godsend.

Thanks for all that you do bro. Semper Fidelis.

~ Aaron H., Marine Veteran

This year was my first time attending a Reunite the Fight event. I was tentative to come in the first place because I thought it might stir up bad memories and create too many emotions related to PTSD, but when I saw that party bus pull into the restaurant and saw brothers that I hadn't seen in years it made my heart smile. Scott and the rest of the Reunite the Fight organization have done an amazing job at bringing service members back together. When you are a part of a brotherhood that has been through hell and back, you never know what is missing from your life until you are Reunited with your brother. Sometimes you don't feel like you are missing anything in your life but then you see a brother that you haven't seen in years and you feel completed.

When you talk to your brothers, for the first time in many years, a renewed sense of purpose and motivation comes to you. We always tried to make each other better versions of ourselves while in the military. This happened again after not seeing my brothers for 10+ year. We positively lifted each other up and praised each other's accomplishments. We also made sure to remember those that are no longer with us, as it falls on us to speak their names and spread the stories of brotherhood and bravery. This was not the easiest at times but we had each other to lean on.

Scott has also helped me finally get my VA benefits claim submitted this year. Over a decade ago I tried to tackle this process on my own and ended up giving up on it due to the frustration the VA caused at the time. But Scott made the process seem easy and he continues to guide me on this process.

These are the experiences I had this year and I can't wait to attend more functions. Thank you Scott and Reunite the Fight, keep up the amazing work.

~ Dana B., USMC Veteran

I was suffering in silence with PTSD, chronic pain, and issues from toxic exposure, among other items. After connecting with Reunite the Fight they encouraged me to not continue to suffer but to get the assistance that I so desperately needed. They walked hand-in-hand with me, guiding me through the daunting process of the VA disability application process. Without them I would not have tried, much less received the 80% rating. Now I have access to support for issues that I have carried on my own for the past 17 years. They have been a literal life saver.

~ Matt W., USMC Fallujah Veteran 2004

Scott Gatto and the Reunite The Fight organization were there at my deepest low when I got out of the Marine Corps. The transition into a civilian lifestyle changed from the highest point in my life to the lowest point of my life.

It was then that Scott reached out to me and brought me on the first hunting trip I had ever been on. It was a goose hunt guided by Honker Hangers with other vets I had never met before. The feeling of being reconnected with other like-minded people brought me up and got me addicted to the sport of hunting and reminded me that I was not alone in this life. Since then, I have been included in many other trips with the organization Including a pheasant hunt in Montana, a guided turkey hunt, and as backup for multiple goose hunts.

Not only have they helped me by taking me out to hunts, they got me my first job out of the military when I felt college wasn't working out, in the CNC world. They constantly would send me job opportunities to better myself in fields they knew I would thrive in.

I am currently working for Jeep as a maintenance supervisor all thanks to the connections Scott and RTF have given me. They are always a phone call, text, or email away if I had any questions about my benefits or anything else I needed, and always helped me.

I cannot possibly thank them enough for the things they have done to turn my life around and will always be indebted to them.

~ Nathan S., USMC Veteran

The United States Marines reminded me of three important values that have always been a part of my life before and after joining. Those three values are dear and true to my heart, not only when I was young or during my service, but to this day in the present and always will be in the future. Those three values are Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Growing up I was taught to honor first and foremost God, as well as my parents, and especially my country. I was also taught that once you commit you never quit. I would say my favorite and staple out of all three is Courage, because without that the other two would not exist. Courage is the mental fortitude, the physical strength, and the moral compass ingrained in each and every Marine. It carries myself and my brothers in arms, regardless of branch of the armed forces you are in, through the challenges of combat and helps us overcome what 98% of the US population will not commit and embrace...FEAR. Don't get me wrong though, just because I embrace it, does not mean I did not or do not have it.

One of the most fearful moments of my life was just getting back from Afghanistan in 2005. I remember flying into the Marine Corps Base Hawaii like it was yesterday. It was nice to be back in the States, but it was super hard to walk off the plane and hug the parents of the fallen brothers that did not make it back with us. I also remember the first inkling of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that night, not really knowing at the time what that weird feeling was. You see I went off base to get some laundry detergent with a couple of other Marines at the grocery store. As I separated from them and realized this was the first time that I was alone and without my rifle to protect myself, and I had this sinking feeling that something terrible was going to happen to me. I remember thinking to myself what the heck is going on and thought the civilians shopping around me wanted to kill me. It was the first time I felt fearful for my life just getting back from Afghanistan and it was the most sinking feeling of being alone and vulnerable.

Unfortunately, this feeling of being alone and vulnerable just seemed to get worse over the years. I am not sure if it is the loss of confidence or the loss of life around me that amplifies it, but to this day I cannot shake the feeling. There was a point in time where I thought I could do it alone. However, I was just fooling myself and have since found myself in some of the darkest places mentally and physically you could imagine. Luckily for me I had a brother that I served in the Marines with named Scott Gatto. Gatto is one of the reasons I got myself out of the dark hole I dug myself. He was the first brother to reach down and pull me out and he did this with the help of his nonprofit he founded Reunite the Fight or “RTF.”

RTF is one of the reasons I am an Accountant working on my CPA currently. Living to take care of my wife and three little boys. RTF gave me that sense of not being alone anymore and made me realize that I had brothers out there who feel the same way I do. Instead of feeling vulnerable I felt protected and part of something that is bigger than me again. RTF gave me a sense of purpose and just being around brothers in arms, regardless of branch of service, lifted me out of that darkness. Whether it was going down to Iowa with my buddy and Co-Founder Matt Catron to help raise money or going on a Turkey hunt with Gatto and Catron, or the countless trips and golf outings RTF has so generously gifted so many brothers, it always lifted not only my spirits, but honestly is one of the reasons I am not part of the statistic of 22 lost veterans dying a day. See if I had not found RTF I would most likely be in jail or six feet under. RTF save my life in the same sense a brother in Afghanistan saved mine by pulling me down as tracer rounds were flying just above my head. RTF pulled me out of the dark so I could find myself and my purpose. I respectfully ask you to consider approving this grant so RTF can save countless other Veterans that are still lost and just need a brother to lift them up.

~ James O., SGT USMC (Ret.)

My experience in reunite the fight has been amazing. I am a 12-year veteran as a Navy Seabee that made CM2, I did three tours in Iraq and one in Afghan, plus a few other deployments. I ended up with a seizure disorder and was forced into a medical separation. When I got out, life was very hard for me. I found myself being more and more separated from all the things and people that I love. I tried to get help through the VA (Veterans Affairs) but as anyone that has dealt with that organization will tell you, it's almost impossible to navigate through without help, so I gave up for many years. Life got really bad for me, so bad that I questioned my reason for life. In November of 2020 I made my second attempt to end my life. I couldn't get the nightmares from my deployment out of my head, everything and everyone (except my kids) was sending me into a deeper darker hole, more and more depressed and angry.

In 2021, a family friend told me about this group and gave me a direct contact to Scott-RTF. At this point in my life I had given up and thought there was no help, but RTF was very persistent on not giving up on me. I did a trip with RTF to Florida in the summer of 2021 and it was unbelievable. Just being with brothers that had the same mental and physical scars as myself and looked at life in a much brighter lite than I did at the start, and that helped my mental status. Like all things, the trip had to come to an end, and I was headed right back to feeling all by myself, so I thought. But I was incredibly wrong. RTF was now my family and team to keep me on the right path. RTF stayed in contact with me weekly. Scott (RTF) help me navigate my way through the VA system to get me the help I needed. For example mental help, helped me fight for a proper rating for my disabilities I incurred while serving to our great country and help educate on the benefits available to me.

Since the first call I made to Scott with RTF, my life has become enjoyable again. I have made huge steps forward in my career and I look forward to the days to come. I recently met up with RTF again and participated in a golf outing that was incredible experience. I have at least one more outing this year with the group, and hopefully one a year for years to come.

In closing, RTF and its team is an amazing organization that all vets need to know about. What they did for me was life-changing and to be honest life -aving for myself. Yes as a vet with PTSD I still have bad days but now I have a large family that goes through the same thing as I do that are only a phone call away and are always there to talk it out with me. I am truly blessed by being a part of this organization-family known as RTF (Reunite the Fight).

~ Matther B. US Navy Veteran

I was fortunate enough to be selected for an Reunite the Fight fishing trip to Ft. Myers, Florida. Scott and his team of fellow veterans and locals made this trip truly memorable. There wasn't an aspect of the trip not taken into account, from travel plans, transportation, food and entertainment. It was so well thought out it left no option for us veterans but to have the time of our lives! Stress free, quality bonding time and making life long friends were just a few take-aways from the trip.

What Scott and his team do for the Veteran community is invaluable for those suffering from transition difficulties, PTSD and other forms of mental health issues. Sharing valuable stories amongst ourselves, getting outdoors, experiencing things I'd not have otherwise and enjoying time with each other, no stresses, just making pure, great memories!

Thank you RTF for the experience of a lifetime! I'll continue to show my support to RTF with monthly donations to help serve your cause!

~ Dayne C. US Navy Veteran

Reuniting with men you served with is a cathartic experience. It's as if your body is deficient in camaraderie but you don't realize by how much until you experience it again. No matter how long it has been, you pick up right where you left off, almost as if no time has passed. It's also a place where you can be honest and not feel judged when you talk about struggling with PTSD.

The VA process is a mess and is intentionally difficult to navigate. Why else do so many organizations exist to help veterans complete the VA process. One organization that helped me out a ton, and who I've recommended to many of my brothers, is REE Medical. Scott Gatto is actually the one who introduced them to me and they were instrumental in me completing my VA claims.

~ Chris B., Military Veteran

To whom it may concern,

I had the distinct honor and privilege to be selected as a guest with Reunite the Fight (RTF). I was struggling daily with PTSD and anxiety. It was difficult to cope day in and day out because the people around me just didn't understand it. RTF was there for me when I needed it the most, they set up a surprise reunion with my buddies from the Marine Corps that I hadn't seen in over a decade, and they also included my entire family. RTF brought us together during a time of need allowing me to not be fearful of what the next step might be.

RTF and their staff brought us together; they showed us compassion and understanding as we talked to each other throughout the days to come. The environment was safe and secure, the stories were true and bold, the laughs and tears were real. I felt a sense of relief and calmness throughout the amazing trip to the WWI museum and Arrowhead Stadium. I was in a state of euphoria that I had never been in my life. My father laying there on the 50-yard line at Arrowhead Stadium stated, "This is the best day of my life, I could die here."

The help didn't stop there, RTF connected me with additional services to help with my daily struggles of PTSD and anxiety. REE Medical was determinantal in finding ways for me to cope. The benefits received are everlasting and the services provided were unmatched.

I want to thank everyone at RTF and especially Scott Gatto and his family. This man is selfless and has built an organization many wouldn't dare try. I can promise you; RTF is the greatest networking environment for veterans, and it has changed my life forever.

~ Damon T., Marine Corps Veteran