Fence Company Owner and Veteran Helps Other Veterans

Returning to civilian life after being in the military brings a new start, but too often, veterans have difficulty assimilating back into civilian life. The owner of a fencing company in Lake Charles, Louisiana is giving a helping hand to veterans by employing and mentoring them.

Bravo Company was founded by Benjamin Wild in 2015 after he experienced a rough transition from Army life to civilian life. Today, he helps other veterans going through similar experiences by giving them a job and being a mentor.

Wild served in the Army from 1999 - 2011 in Iraq and Afghanistan. During that time, he navigated through a wide variety of military experiences. With his background in nursing, he served as a combat medic. He retired due to combat injuries.

“I hit a roadside bomb in 2003, then later I was hit by a mortar. I spent eight weeks in a rehabilitation hospital and my memory was affected. I was no longer able to effectively lead troops in combat situations,” Wild explained.

Physical wounds are only one side of a soldier’s injuries. The psychological damages can be even more devastating and long term. “The Army does a great job of teaching you how to engage the enemy,” Wild says. “They don’t do such a great job at helping you know what to do when you get out of the military.”

Post-traumatic stress disorder is pervasive for veterans. They deal with nightmares and flashbacks. They struggle with employment, relationships, drug and alcohol addictions, gambling addictions, and other challenges. After returning from military service, they may find themselves unemployed or on the wrong side of the law.

Since September 11, 2001, over 30,000 veterans have died by suicide; four times more than the number of U.S. military personnel killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Approximately 22 American veterans commit suicide each day.

After returning home, Wild found civilian life difficult. “I had the skills and talent, but I didn’t know how to function at the time.” With the help of an employment manager who became a mentor, Wild got his life together. “I had the opportunity to have someone look out for me. He gave me a new job and I rose through the company quickly. I so easily could have become a statistic.”

Seven years ago, in 2015, Wild and his wife, Terry, decided to start their own fencing company. In an effort to be like that mentor who rescued him and to help fellow vets, Wild often hires veterans. He partners with a local veteran’s treatment court program in Lake Charles; most of the time, there are more veterans available who need employment than Wild has availability to hire.

Wild and his men work together to create, build, repair and install custom fences, custom wood privacy fences and farm fences as well as other construction jobs including pergolas, decks, gates, porches and privacy walls. “Our motto is to take pride in every job that we do through prompt, quality and professional work,” Wild explains. “We want every fence to be exactly what the customer wants.”

Wild offers these veterans more than a job. He provides them a safe, judgment-free environment, no questions asked, where they can freely share with other veterans who understand and care about them. “It’s like group therapy while they are working. It’s a fresh start,” he says.

For more information, visit www.bravocompanyllc.com or search Facebook for Bravo Company.