[00:00:00] Scott DeLuzio: Thanks for tuning into the Drive On Podcast where we’re focused on giving hope and strength to the entire military community. Whether you’re a veteran active duty guard reserve or family member, this podcast will share inspirational stories and resources that are useful to you. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio.

[00:00:18] Scott DeLuzio: And now let’s get on with the show.

[00:00:21] Scott DeLuzio: Welcome back to the Drive On Podcast. Today, my guest is J.R. Smith. J.R. Is the vice-president of The Veterans Ranch, where they provide healing workshops for veterans through the use of horses. J.R. Joins us today to discuss the work that The Veterans Ranch does and how it’s been helping veterans and how it can help the listeners or your loved ones if they’re in need of this type of service.

[00:00:49] Scott DeLuzio: So without further ado, welcome to the show J.R.. And glad to have you here. Thank

[00:00:53] J.R. Smith: you so much. Pleasure to be here and welcome to everybody out there. Watching and listening to.

[00:00:59] Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, absolutely. [00:01:00] So why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, a little bit about who you are just for the listeners who may not be familiar.

[00:01:08] J.R. Smith: Yeah, absolutely. We’ll again, I’m J.R.. Originally Midwestern boy, born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri moved to Florida in 1999. Met my lovely wife of now 22 years. I heard native Floridians were hard to come by. So I found one. I liked it, plucked her out of the pack, but been in and around.

[00:01:27] J.R. Smith: Country living my whole life. I was, it was always funny. I was the country boy that grew up in the county, right in the eighties and St. Louis. How almost anywhere in the eighties, unless you lived in that climate boots, buckles and hats, wasn’t really the thing, right? You were looked at funny. Now, certain cities I walk into, I still get looked at funny, but definitely did in the eighties.

[00:01:50] J.R. Smith: But I was always more comfortable out in the woods, more comfortable on boy scout trips, hunting trips, and all that kind of stuff. Love where I grew up. Don’t get me wrong, but was always more [00:02:00] comfortable with my head in the. So when we moved down here in 1999, my family, my mom and dad, and everything moved shortly right behind me.

[00:02:09] J.R. Smith: And my dad’s a Vietnam that his dad was a world war II vet. My dad’s brother was in the Navy Vietnam era. His, just his ship. Didn’t go back to Vietnam at the time. So I’m a gen X-er that was raised by Vietnam parents who had world war II, parents who had post-depression parents. Essentially what you always hear about gen X-ers are, this is when you’re born is when your die.

[00:02:35] J.R. Smith: We don’t care about your feelings. Go make a difference in that dash, you know? And that’s our legacy. That’s what The Veterans Ranches does. That’s our dash. We got. For a long time, we’ve been sick and tired of being sick and tired of seeing how our veterans were treated when they got back.

[00:02:52] J.R. Smith: Yes. There’s a thank you for your service by a cup of coffee, those kinds of things. But the, honestly, how certain [00:03:00] organizations treat them deny until you die. Here’s another pill. My dad’s been fighting certain things since 2013 and still trying to get improvements on things, but, slow the drip wear...