Featured image taken by William DeVore
As a former United States Army combat engineer, overcoming obstacles was a big part of Jason Zaideman’s job. Now, he dedicates his time to aiding fellow veterans in overcoming mental obstacles due to trauma experienced while serving.
Growing up, Zaideman looked up to his dad, a Vietnam veteran. He found inspiration in his upbringing to follow in his father’s footsteps and serve his country.
Zaideman served as a combat engineer in the 70th Engineer Battalion from 1996 to 2000. He was stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas.
“As an engineer, my job in the military was basically problem solving,” said Zaideman. “We had to either set up parameters or breach them. We had to find different, innovative ways to accomplish missions.”
After serving, Zaideman tried out several different trades and learned a lot of new things, but he always came back to his love of working on vehicles. He enjoyed doing automotive airbrushing and painting as well as fixing up motorcycles and cars. It became an outlet for him, keeping his mind away from trauma he experienced in the army.
Through the years, Zaideman continued to hear more and more about veteran suicides and homelessness. He was saddened by the pain they endured and wanted to do something to help them.
Upon realizing the positive impact of working on motorcycles and cars on his own mental health, Zaideman decided to share this hobby with other veterans, aiming to provide them with a similar therapeutic avenue.
"One day, after I hadn’t worked out in the garage for a couple weeks, my wife noticed a change in me. I had recently completed a project and hadn’t started anything new yet, and I became kind of unpleasant to be around. My wife said, ‘You need to get back out in the garage and build something.’ Then I had an epiphany – I realized that’s the solution,” Zaideman said.
In 2015, Zaideman founded a nonprofit called Charlie Bravo. Based out of Crown Point, the organization’s mission is to create support for local veterans by offering activities and resources that benefit their well-being and happiness.
Charlie Bravo started out in Zaideman’s shed, where he would teach other veterans how to build motorcycles. Now, as Charlie Bravo has expanded, sessions are held in a 15,000 square foot facility, and Charlie Bravo can offer seven different programs.
“We're addressing very specific problems in veterans’ lives with these programs,” Zaideman said. “Through assessments, we identify the struggles veterans face and strive to improve their circumstances. Whether it's facilitating connections to other resources or offering support directly, our aim is to make their lives better.”
Through Charlie Bravo, Zaideman enjoys being able to create an environment of development and personal growth.
“My favorite part of helping fellow veterans is watching their perspective change. Seeing the glow in their eyes come back as they discover new skills is the best,” said Zaideman. “When they get to see their finished product after learning these new trades, it's awesome to see them pass their knowledge on to others. It's like a snowball effect, and that's what I love most — watching them grow and help others, creating a ripple of positivity.”
In his spare time, Zaideman works on some of his own projects. Currently, he is working on several, including fixing up three motorcycles as well as a 1978 camper that he's turning into a bike hauler.
“My biggest motto is: impact or die trying. I love making a positive impact in life,” Zaideman said.