The Why

FOUNDER | PRESIDENT | CHAIRMAN
When I joined the military in 2007 and reenlisted in 2011 I stood in a room like many and raised my right hand. I solemnly swore to defend America against all enemies foreign and domestic. My oath was to the American people. to DEFEND them. Going into basic training I never realized that I would also take a silent oath to the men and women around me.

The relationships I developed, the idea of “Battle Buddies,” and the silent oath I never realized I would take to them was one I learned was as important as the oath I took to America. When I left the military those relationships would be instrumental in my well being. My leadership continued to ADVOCATE for me. These were relationships that no fence around an installation could separate.

As I began to navigate the civilian world again in 2015 I learned that accessing support however was going to be much more difficult than I could imagine. Veterans organizations that I reached out to for help had rigid requirements of who they would help. If I did not check some “box” I like many was refused. Finding these resources was as difficult as accessing them. I remember sitting in my car almost homeless and thinking how could this be possible. I felt abandoned.

As I began to navigate the V.A. system the frustration was only amplified. I began to learn that the system in its entirety had many holes and issues. I decided to keep a list of those “holes.” After denials, appeals, and much frustration with minimal representation I found one VSO who understood the bigger picture. I sat in a meeting with him stunned as he worked with me. I was inspired. He truly cared for veterans. As I gained my service connection and footing back into the civilian world I began formulating a plan to plug the holes and offer that same level of passion.

in 2018 I began working on the Longhorn Outpost. My mission was to bring all those resources to one place and take the guess work out of accessing them. With frustration with the V.A. mounting and a team helping me, we decided to also start advocating for veterans in the Veterans Affairs system. Our goal was to represent and EDUCATE them on how to get what they deserved.

Today Longhorn Outpost is a place I want veterans to feel welcome and at home. Our mission is to Defend, Advocate for, and Educate” veterans and their families so that we can change their lives without all the requirements. We as Americans owe them that. The Longhorn Outpost is about NO MAN LEFT BEHIND.

-Jenn