Never Forget

Rick Kreiberg vows to take care of fellow veterans

Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rick Kreiberg founded Veterans Affinity, a nonprofit that helps those who served before him get the care they need and the benefits they have earned.

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Sound of Freedom Executive Editor

hen Rick Kreiberg retired as an Army command sergeant major in 2018, he was met with a wealth of resources and a supportive community.

The Mesa resident acknowledges that there is a stark difference from the treatment of Vietnam veterans when they returned home.

“They remain in the shadows, and they’ve never had that same love and affection from the community that we have,” he says.

“I realized community services primarily focus on the post-9/11 generation. They don’t represent the pre-9/11 veteran population very well. I went to an event four years ago and everybody looked the same — anywhere from mid-20s to mid-40s. Nobody who attended, served before me.”

Vietnam veterans, he says, hesitate to get involved because of the poor treatment they have received in the past. To help them, Kreiberg founded Veterans Affinity. The nonprofit helps those who served before him get the care they need and the benefits they have earned.

Kreiberg is well versed in Vietnam veterans. When he enlisted in the Army in 1983 his leaders and mentors were Vietnam veterans. They paved the way for him — and others — to be better soldiers and leaders.

He spreads the message of Veterans Affinity every chance he gets.

“When I come across somebody appearing in their 70s in Starbucks, let’s say, chances are they served in the military, specifically Vietnam.

“I ask what branch they were in and eight times out of 10 they tell me with a puzzled look. They’ll tell me just enough. They don’t like to reveal too much. I realize most Vietnam veterans are not very trusting or proud of their service, possibly because society during that era expressed to them that they needed to be ashamed.”

Kreiberg says he “peels the onion,” asking open-ended questions, finding out if they

are enrolled in the VA and offers to share his knowledge and experiences.

“If they say no, I ask if I can help them enroll in the VA, initiate a claim, get them a hat, or connect them to whatever resources they may need. I will do whatever I can to show them that we have evolved as a society exceptionally on how we view our Vietnam veterans,” he says.

“A lot of times I will get that veteran to agree to enroll into the VA and alleviate some stress off of them by helping them make an appointment. In turn, I have them agree to allow me to buy them a Vietnam veteran hat, which is a big step for a lot of these veterans. They are so hesitant about wearing the Vietnam veteran hat.”

After Kreiberg helps acquire their military service records, he purchases pins related to their occupation, rank and unit. In some cases, he will also replace lost medals and decorations.

He gives them a proper welcome home and will recognize them with awards, hats and other military insignia in front of their loved ones, sharing their story of triumph, so they realize their family member is truly a hero.

“I tell them, ‘Because of you, sir, I joined the Army. As a kid, I wanted to be you. I saw you guys patrolling through the elephant grass and the helicopters hovering,’” he says. “They feel honored, if you will, that they have this protégé out there doing things because of them. Had it not been for them, those who served before me, my mission and passion behind why I started this organization and what Veterans Affinity entails would be an afterthought.”

For Kreiberg, the gesture is about more than a hat.

“It’s about taking care of those who served before me,” he says. “It’s getting them enrolled in the VA, getting them the health care they need, whether it’s through the VA or Medicare. I can help them move into transitional housing or assisted living. Once I get them situated and stable, I help them start working on their benefits.”

He emphatically suggests that veterans should enroll in the VA right away, even if they choose to use the service or not. If they don’t have a DD214, they need to order it now and make sure their spouse knows where to find it in a time of need.

“If a veteran doesn’t enroll, the VA may not have anything on the veteran. It’s almost like the veteran is nonexistent. The last two families I worked with neither veteran was enrolled in the VA,” Kreiberg says.

“These families had no idea what a DD214 was, no idea when their family member had served and trying to get an honor guard for their veteran who had passed was like pulling teeth.”

In some cases, Kreiberg acquired a flag, donned a uniform, and presented it to the widow.

Sharing stories

Kreiberg says it’s difficult to get veterans to open up as they’ve compartmentalized their challenges and experiences.

“There’s so much going on internally that they’ve put away these memories for years,” he says. “That’s the way they’re programmed. They’ve been compartmentalizing these challenges as PTSD or their own struggles like substance abuse.

“I say, ‘Hey brother, I can imagine how you feel. Yes, you’re old enough to be my father, but I too am a combat veteran.’ We had similar experiences. The main difference between us was the terrain: They were in a jungle. I was in the desert. Keep in mind, most combat veterans go through the same emotions. Isolation, depression, anxiety, regret, the same feelings. This is what makes us relatable and able to connect on a unique level.”

By introducing them to the VA, they get the resources they need, but also they may see a buddy wearing the same hat from the same division. The two could end up friends. That connection, Kreiberg says, will make them accepted and feel less isolated.

Kreiberg, as he says, relates and connects with most veterans, especially those who have served in harm’s way. He served in the Army for 35 years and “is honored to look out for his brothers and sisters in arms as a veteran himself.”

Serving veterans

Veterans Affinity covers the state from the Valley to Tucson, Prescott and Flagstaff.

Rick Kreiberg, second from left, welcomes home Army Sgt. Jack Jarzynka, who served as a combat engineer with the 1st Infantry Division; Navy Seaman 1st Class Bob Graham, a signalman; and Air Force Staff Sgt. Greg Gulick, who served in the security forces. They were honored in Gilbert with a Vietnam veteran hat, Vietnam veterans commemorative lapel pin and button, and other military insignia. (Rick Kreiberg/Submitted)

Kreiberg is willing to chat and consult over the phone, too.

“I had a contractor in Dubai send me a note on Facebook,” Kreiberg says. “I helped her get all her forms done. We submitted them and enrolled her in the VA while she was in Dubai. When she came back to the states, she was already in the system.”

Kreiberg will help when veterans are hospitalized, too. The facilities reach out to Kreiberg, who will explore if the veterans are enrolled in the VA. If they are, he will contact the VA and let them know the veteran is hospitalized to alleviate medical expenses. If they’re not enrolled, he tries to remedy that before they are discharged from the hospital and return home.

In some cases, veterans become terminally ill or die quickly.

“If and when they pass, trying to pull funeral arrangements together is a very difficult task,” Kreiberg says. “I say, ‘Let’s choose the funeral home so, when the day comes, the family doesn’t have to worry about whether they’ll get benefits from the VA, like reimbursements or having an honor guard present a flag at the funeral.

“A lot of patients I see bedside and I try my best to get everything worked out before they pass. They’re my No. 1 priority. I’m a soldier first. I take care of my soldiers and their families.

“I owe them everything. When I came in, that’s who my leaders were. They were hard yet fair. They showed me things I didn’t get back then. When it was my generation’s turn to go into war, a lot of the things they taught me came into play.”

Rick Kreiberg also helps when veterans are hospitalized and takes care of soldiers and their families.

Veterans Affinity 714-402-9866 veteransaffinity.org rick@veteransaffinity.org

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