NASHVILLE (NewsNation) — In the heart of Music City, the love for country and rock ‘n’ roll came together last month when one nonprofit organization held its “21 Guitar Salute,” honoring 21 veterans who say strumming away on their guitars eases their PTSD symptoms.
Guitars For Vets helps veterans suffering from PTSD cope with their symptoms by offering guitar lessons and a sense of community with other vets who have a deep appreciation for music.
“Music soothes the soul, and then I found out about this Guitars For Vets program. Man, I was hitting the VA right there,” veteran Darrell Wells said.
The nonprofit welcomed its recent program graduates to Nashville to enjoy a night of comradery and musical performances.
The veterans even walked away with a special gift — their own brand-new Taylor Guitar.
At the event, Wells said his daughter pulled him aside and told him she was proud of him. He said that she knows what Guitars For Vets means to him.
Guitars For Vets has been around for more than a decade and plans to officially expand to all 50 states by early next year.
They’ve even gone global in countries like Australia and Canada.
The organization’s co-founder, Patrick Nettesheim, said he’s seen countless lives changed through the guitar lessons they provide.
“He said, as a tear rolled down his face, ‘This is the first time I felt peace in years.’ And then as the tears came, he looked down, he kept playing and he kept playing. My hair stands up just talking about it,” Nettesheim said.
Any veteran across America can join, they just need a referral from a medical professional. They are then matched with a local chapter in their area to begin private lessons with an instructor.
The organization operates entirely on donations, from the spaces they host practice sessions to the guitars they are able to gift participants upon graduation.
“Since 2007, we’re proud to say we’ve helped over 7,000 grads. We’ve graduated 7,000 vets that have not only graduated but then gone on to unlimited group lessons, build community and reintegrate into society,” Nettesheim said.
But one graduate stands out: Scotty Hasting.
“The best part about Guitars For Vets was that I have a disability in my hand and the guy that I was paired with, I thought I was going to just basically get the boot because I had a disability. But no, the guy, the instructor was like, ‘Let’s get to work,’” Hasting said.
Hasting is a rising star in Nashville, just signing his own record deal. He performs almost nightly in Music City.
The vet suffered extensive nerve damage from one of his injuries while serving in the military.
“I was shot 10 times: five times in the shoulder, four times in the hip, and once in the thigh,” Hasting said.
He uses a special guitar pick that is strapped with his hand in order to pursue his passion for music.
“I went through a long time of feeling sorry for myself,” Hasting said.
Hasting explained there were many times when he questioned how he was going to live and what he was going to do.
Now, he’s on his way to becoming a successful musician.
“He’s a professional musician as a result of being able to tap into the energy of our program, but also as a result of that warrior spirit of his,” Nettesheim said.