Airpower Foundation spotlights veterans carrying service beyond the military

The Airpower Foundation is marking Veterans Day by highlighting four veterans whose work in therapy, suicide prevention, history, and family support extends their service into civilian life. The effort underscores why honoring veterans means building year-round support for jobs, healing, and connection.

Why it matters: - Veterans Day recognition matters most when it leads to practical support for veterans and military families. - The Airpower Foundation is pushing communities to move beyond a one-day thank-you and back year-round needs like employment, healing, peer support, and family stability. - The foundation says military service affects spouses, children, and parents too, not just the service member.

What happened: - The Airpower Foundation highlighted four veterans whose post-service work continues their commitment to others. - The veterans featured are Courtney Phillips, Roland Ruiz, Douglas Petersen, and retired Navy Capt. Beau Hufstetler. - The message arrives ahead of Veterans Day on Nov. 11, when Americans typically honor those who served. - The foundation encouraged communities to learn a veteran’s story, volunteer with military-family organizations, support employment pathways, and stay connected throughout the year.

The details: - Courtney Phillips, an Army veteran and equine professional, works with the Airpower Foundation and the American Paint Horse Foundation to connect veterans and military families with equine therapy. - Phillips said caring for a horse can help restore responsibility, routine, and purpose for veterans adjusting to civilian life. - Roland Ruiz, a Marine Corps veteran, supports Marine Leathernecks MC Dallas Chapter Two and its “Ride to Remember: Ending Veteran Suicide One Mile at a Time.” - Ruiz said veterans need to be willing to say when they are struggling and ask for help. - Douglas Petersen, a decorated Vietnam veteran and former Army helicopter pilot, preserves military history through writing, speaking, and volunteer work. - Petersen flew medical evacuation missions under the call sign DUSTOFF 34, where he and his crew rescued wounded soldiers and civilians. - Petersen’s book, Call Sign: DUSTOFF 34 – Hovering Between Life and Death, recounts those missions and honors the men who served alongside him. - Petersen said writing gave him a chance to share memories he had rarely discussed, including with his family. - Beau Hufstetler, a retired Navy captain, highlighted 25 years of service and his recent command of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. - Hufstetler also pointed to the foundation’s role in supporting active-duty service members, veterans, and families in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, home to 400,000 veterans. - The foundation says it helps bridge resource gaps, strengthen families during deployments, and prepare families for life after service.

Between the lines: - The four stories frame service as a lifelong commitment, not something that ends when military duty does. - The Airpower Foundation is using Veterans Day to widen the conversation from gratitude to action. - The emphasis on equine therapy, suicide prevention, storytelling, and family support shows the range of needs veterans may face after service.

What's next: - The Airpower Foundation wants more people to volunteer, donate, and support organizations that serve military families throughout the year. - The foundation is urging Americans to keep building connections with veterans beyond Nov. 11. - The broader goal is to help military and veteran families find stability, purpose, and belonging through community support.