SPC Colton Bird

Project Santaquin

veTcave is proud to have selected SPC Colton Bird for a veTcave Project

Project Santaquin will occur over several weeks, starting mid-October and concluding on November 21st, 2020.

Colton Bird joined the U.S. Army National Guard at the young age of 17, shipping off to boot camp the summer between his junior and senior years of high school.

SPC Bird is serving as a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter Repairer (15T).

SPC Bird returned home from a year-long deployment in Iraq in the Spring of 2019. Since then, both he and his family noticed him suffering from symptoms of anxiety and depression, leading to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by the Veterans Health Administration. Aided by prescription medication, therapy, and the love and support of family and friends, Colton is on a positive treatment path.

With a love for dogs, Colton has developed a passion for breeding, raising, and training them. Colton and Jessica have raised and trained a service dog for Jessica, who also suffers from PTSD. This opened Colton’s eyes that it was something he would like to focus more attention on, and hopes to develop his passion into a business. His plan is to contract with local K9 units, the military, and Veteran Affairs to provide professionally trained dogs specifically for the needs of such organizations.

Donations for Construction of the Inaugural veTcave

61%

Goal: $8000

Thank you for helping veTcave’s efforts to support SPC Bird in his healing and entrepreneurial endeavors!

Project Details:

Colton’s “veTcave” project will include a structure/space that is approximately 170-220 square feet, with an attached dog run and kennel that will meet his Dog Training Program and K9 Training for the local Sheriff’s Department.

The objective of the veTcave is two fold:

1) Provide the veteran with a place to recover, while not far from his or her home, minimizing the impact of PTSD triggers and negative behaviors directly upon the family members and provide a safe space for the veteran to recover.

2) It is also intended to be a creative and entrepreneurial space, with the help of corporate sponsors, community mentors and our team of experts, we aid veterans in developing their business idea and run their own startup out of the veTcave.