Arkansas Army vet uses past experiences to help veterans move forward

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The mental health struggles of veterans are well documented, with homelessness, substance abuse, and suicide as a byproduct of how tough it can be to stop fighting after they’ve fought for their country.

Thee are numerous organizations that try to tackle all that, but some experts have been figuring out that there is often something that is lacking.

“I know what it feels like to feel alone after coming from the military, where it’s all about that camaraderie and brotherhood,” said Jared Eakin, the director of Scars And Stripes, LLC. “It seemed like there was always like something a little bit more that could be done where a veteran may be falling through the cracks.”

Eakin started Scars And Stripes with help from his wife, Tayler, after having gone through similar troubles. A counselor by trade after his time in the Army, the native of Smackover has decided to put together what he’s learned about social work and lived through as a disabled vet to form the non-profit.

“I was struggling with mental health, as a lot of veterans do, and the resources didn’t seem like they were there, or I couldn’t find any,” he said. “It caused me to go down a lot of hard roads at that time.”

However, an encounter with a vet in his drug counseling work made him realize he could help others turn the corner on those hard roads.

“I realized it while working with a veteran specifically, that we just clicked,” Eakin described. “And it all came together for him and his life, and all it really was, for me, was just being there. I really didn’t do that that much, in my eyes, but it was everything to them.”

Eakin explained how it kept that vet from a suicide attempt.

Now, he works on helping veterans overcome the separate stressors that block the way to getting better. 

He also works with the local unemployment office to help them find jobs while getting health care, and helps them find a car to get to their job.

Importantly, Eakin also works to help them fight loneliness and keeps his clients from the demons that come when they’re alone, even in that new apartment that an organization graciously facilitated, but didn’t furnish.

“A person will change hands a lot of different times between organizations,” Eakin said of the path that could go from the V.A. to the rehab to the social service providers. “I try to really stay with them through that process and let them know that I’m in their corner.”

The stocky counselor looks like he could come charging out of that corner to protect his guy if he had to.

“When I’m advocating, and I know that they’re eligible for a service and they’re not getting that service right then,” Eakin said. “It kind of almost sparks me, wanting to take on that fight for them.”

So far, no punches have been thrown. For now, he’s a strong presence that has been providing back-up.

“We don’t make anything off this, just the support, and we push forward to help veterans in the community,” he added.