Guitars for Vets strums up success for veterans’ mental health

EATON RAPIDS, Mich. (WILX) - Veterans often face silent struggles beyond the battlefield long after their military service has ended.

From post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, to feelings of loneliness, many veterans find it hard to heal with their mental health.

As part of WILX’s You’re Not Alone Campaign, we are spotlighting a very special non-profit that works to heal these wounds through music.

It’s called Guitars for Vets and it’s strumming up success with veterans right here in Mid-Michigan.

“This is a feeder program and it gets you hooked up with a guitarist and you can really learn,” said Eric Reichstetter, a veteran and recent graduate of the Guitars for Vet program. “It’s actually a little bit easier than I thought, you know? You get out what you put in.”

Eric puts in more than just music, he also brings his military past. Eric not only lived at the VFW National Home in Eaton Rapids as a kid, but also served in the Army.

Like for most veterans, the transition between the battlefield to civilian life can be tough. Many struggle both physically and mentally, dealing with PTSD, depression, anxiety and anger which is why executive director for the VFW National Home wanted to bring the Guitars for Vets program to Mid-Michigan.

“I saw a flyer where the VFW partners with Guitars for Vets to teach veterans how to play guitar and I was like that program is coming to the national home. That’s going to be one of the first things we do,” said Mike Wilson, the executive director for the VFW National Home.

The program kicked off in 2023 and since then has been a six string success.

“It’s growing in popularity,” explained Mike. “They do 10 weeks of lessons. They start out right away and are told practice, practice, practice in between lessons. By the time that they finish their 10th lesson, they’re ready to do a recital song and prepare to graduate and then they graduate and we send them off into the world with their guitar.”

Eric graduated from the program last year and shares that he learned much more than a song and chords.

“It takes you more of the out of the analytical brain side and instead of destroying yourself mentally, you get to like be more creative and put more creativity out in the world.”

Eric is one of 8,000 people from across the country who have gone throw this life changing program. Guitars for Vets says that nearly 30% of veterans have seen a decrease in related symptoms of depression.

“It’s short accomplishments. You can show somebody a new chord and they may not get it right the first time, but the more they play it, it comes and it comes and it comes. And then in a matter of three chords, you’re playing entire songs,” explained Mike. “It’s also relaxing, it’s a self accomplishment. You’re not accomplishing for someone else, you’re doing it all for yourself and in music in itself is just soothing.”

“Mentally it gets you out of the house, so you’re not dwelling in your own mind,” said Eric. “You get to instead of suffering in silence, we all get to suffer in music.”

Emphasis on we.

Both Mike and Eric say that learning the guitar with other veterans plays a major chord.

“It’s like camaraderie and you become new friends with them and become each other’s battle buddies in the long run.”

The community continues to back up this program too. In the past two years, they are literally working to get physical guitars in the hands of heroes.

“People start hearing about the program and we get donated guitars,” said Mike. “We now have about 14 guitars all together that just been donated from different places and they’re of different sizes, shapes, neck widths, all different things and that way the veteran can kind of figure out what guitar fits and best. What size suits their body, what size neck suits their hand and just gives us more opportunities for them to learn different things.”

This year’s session just kicked off and is open for all veterans in Mid-Michigan so no one feels alone.

“That’s a nice thing about the guitar is you’re never alone.”

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