Green Valor was started by Raymond “Ray” Shinohara, a veteran of the marine corps. Raymond not only started Green Valor but he was also its first client. He had served in combat zones throughout his military career and that left him with scars. Physical, emotional and mental scars that seemed to have no hope of healing. A suicide attempt is what started Raymond down the path to helping others. The path was not easy and let to more than a few failures but after returning to his roots on Guam, Raymond’s project evolved. “Marines are some of the toughest in the world and they don’t go down easy. I survived myself, killing myself.” Raymond said. His story could have ended like so many other combat veterans but he chose to harness his skills and put them toward helping his fellow veterans.

Green Valor, unlike many organizations such as The Wounded Warrior Project or Veterans of Foreign Wars, Green Valor does not accept donations. They instead rely on volunteers who are willing to devote their time. “Sometimes its feeding the homeless or sometimes its finding homeless vets.” A current project that Green Valor is working on replacing needy veteran’s roof and floor most impressive considering that it is being done with only donated materials and time. Raymond believes that everyone has job to do and helping people is his job. Helping connect people to gardening as a way to cope with PTSD and other afflictions has many added bonuses. Learning to grow your own food can save money, and add to your overall health.

The program is unique in the fact that good standing with the armed forces is not required. In order to receive any sort of benefit a veteran must usually have an honorable discharge, but with Green Valor it doesn’t matter.  “I don’t care if you have a dishonorable discharge, we will find a way to help you.” Said a member of Green Valor.

One of the most impressive aspects about Green Valor is the speed in which they operate. There are no fancy websites or town hall meetings, there is a WhatsApp group. This instant message service is put to quick and efficient use. Members will message the group if they hear of a vet that needs help, within minutes someone is tasked to retrieve the vet clothes or essentials. The lack of a middle man is Green Valor’s biggest strength, there is no red tape to cut through, no bureaucrats to placate, only the fighting spirit of its members.

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Since coming back to Guam Ray has since started Green Valor, a none profit organization that seeks to help veterans by utilizing other veterans. Unlike many organizations such as The Wounded Warrior Project or Veterans of Foreign Wars, Green Valor does not accept donations. They instead rely on volunteers who are willing to devote their time. “Sometimes its feeding the homeless or sometimes its finding homeless vets.” A current project that Green Valor is working on replacing needy veteran’s roof and floor most impressive considering that it is being done with only donated materials and time.

Ray’s dedication doesn’t just extend to honorably discharged vets, like most traditional veteran organizations. “I don’t care if you have a dishonorable discharge, I will find a way to help you.”

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Green Valor originally started as a way to connect vets to agricultural related jobs.

“Green Valor originally started as a farming program.”  Says Ray. No stranger to farming Ray was asked to recruit twenty veterans for an agricultural program but exceeded expectations exceptionally. “When I took control of it, I got eighty-three people to sign up.”

through the use of garden therapy, he hopes to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder which is common among combat veterans and is also the leading cause of suicide in the veteran community. Ray himself suffers from PTSD and complications due to a traumatic brain injury, so he understands that sometimes you just need someone to talk to. When asked about what part the average person can do to help Ray says “That everyone has a job they can do” for more information contact Ray at Greenvalor22@gmail.com

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