FROM OUR FOUNDER:

The moniker BATTALION 22 has a double meaning. A battalion is a large assemblage of military personnel, and the number thereafter could be a unit designator. For this reason it is a perfectly rational name for this organization. But the actual reason for the name choice is the double entendre, or the battle on twenty-two, with that number being the widely accepted amount of veterans that commit suicide in America each day. Our mission is to reduce that number. We are literally battling the darkness, the invisible enemy, that takes the lives of our great veterans.

I feel as if I should just apologize right here, up front. We’re going to offend some people. We’re going to hurt some feelings. We’re going to rub some the wrong way. It’s not that we’re trying to be offensive, it’s that we’re doing things differently than they’ve been done. At times we’re going to be loud and obnoxious about it. If suicide is the enemy that hides in the darkness, BATTALION 22 is going to be the organization that kicks down the doors, throws a few frag grenades, and charges in gun blazing.

Why?

Because the existing model of dealing with suicide simply doesn’t work. My brother and twenty-one other American service members that died on September 19th, 2023 is all the proof that you need to know that I’m right. These people, our siblings, our friends, our sons and daughters, they should and could still be with us if someone had reached them, listened to them, helped them, encouraged them, and held them accountable. That’s what friends are for. BATTALION 22 is the facilitator of those friendships and those conversations.

What we’re doing at BATTALION 22 has never been done before. We’ve taken the best parts of existing social entities and combined them into one organization that meets the needs of veterans like no other organization ever has. We offer community and camaraderie, we offer support and resources, we offer discipline and levity. We promote healthy means of perceiving and coping with issues. We promote learning, self mastery, and personal responsibility. And we do these things not as individuals but in the spirit of unity. We are in the fight together.

Every veteran, regardless of age or time in service or personal characteristics, should invest some effort in getting g to know what BATTALION 22 is all about. There is something to be learned or experienced or otherwise garnered for everyone, from shared experiences to personal growth and everything in between. If you’re a veterans in Orange County you owe it to yourself to get involved.

BOARD MEMBERS:

Mat Richter

Founder & President

mat.richter@battalion22.org

Open Position

Of Council

@battalion22.org

Open Position

Treasurer

@battalion22.org

Open Position

VP of Events

@battalion22.org

Open Position

VP of Membership

@battalion22.org

Brian Thom

VP of Awesome

brian.thom@battalion22.org

Nick Gonzalez

Master At Arms

nick.gonzalez@battalion22.org

OFFICERS:

Wayne Lavigne

Acquisitions

Javier Romero

Fitness

Open Position

Grants

Nico Chapman

Media

Brandon Hovind

Networking

Isaiah Wheeler

Public Relations

Open Position

Technology

OPPORTUNITIES:

BATTALION 22 is a relatively young organization that is growing steadily. As such we are looking for volunteers to fill a wide variety of positions for events, promotions, leadership, and serving on the Board.

EVENTS - (details to come)

PROMOTIONS - (details to come)

LEADERSHIP - (details to come)

BOARD - We are seeking highly educated veterans with specific expertise and/or abilities including those with legal, financial, and medical careers, also those with connections to local government and military/veteran leaders. We are not seeking mental healthcare professionals.

If you believe that you can bring value to BATTALION 22 in one of the above capacities, or even others that might not be on our radar at the moment, please come to some of our meetings and/or events and get to know what we do and how we operate. From there we can decide if we're a good fit.