Central Oregon ranch gives veterans purpose

Nineteen tranquil acres with Cascade Mountain views, the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch is a far cry from the combat zones the veterans who visit have seen.
It’s meant to restore purpose and spirit.

Founder Alison Perry has three family members who have served in the military, and she worked for six years as a VA trauma therapist. She said when she came to Central Oregon in 2007, she saw the need for more than just talking and medication for veterans struggling to re-engage with society.

I talked Thursday with Keith Long, a veteran on the ranch.

“It’s certainly more therapeutic than medications that anyone can come up with, in my opinion.” he said. “There’s something about being with other human beings with commonality of experience, being with animals, building that kind of trust.”

Another veteran, Eric Bramwell, was disabled in Iraq and now finds it hard to hold down a job.

“A lot of vets, they turn to homelessness, or they move out into the mountains, or they wind up going to jail because they just don’t have that support system that they need,” he said.

Bramwell’s new role is going out into the community and spreading the word of the ranch to other veterans.

“My biggest message that I want people to know is that other veterans — you’re not alone out there, and there are vets that care,” he said. “You know ,our whole goal is we just need to link up with each other.”

The ranch has several upcoming projects, including a greenhouse and and adult foster home to care for veterans who are terminally-ill or at the end of life. For more information or to make a donation, visit centraloregonveteransranch.org.