How Stack Up unites veterans with the power of gaming and weed

A nonprofit nonprofit organization believes video games can be a therapeutic haven for veterans. Founded in 2015 by Army Veteran Stephen Machuga, Stack Up aims to harness the power of video games to help U.S. and Allied military personnel and veterans struggling with the stresses of service or reintegration into civilian life.

Brian Skatch Snyder, Director of Communications at Stack Up, said, “Our goal is to end the suicide of veterans. We know this is a lofty goal, but we picked it. ”According to the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report, there were an average of 17.2 veteran suicides per day in 2019, up 4.5% since 2001.

Stack Up combats these statistics through four unique services.

The Stack Up Overwatch (StOP) program

StOP provides 24/7 peer-to-peer mental health support for veterans and civilians through the organization’s Discord platform. This team of crisis management volunteers is trained and certified with the help of PsychArmor, a nonprofit that serves the same community.

Supply boxes

Supply crates function as what Snyder likes to refer to as “preventive medicine”.

Stack Up Care is shipping packets of the latest games and consoles to active duty members across the country and abroad in hopes of boosting morale while on the job.

Air strikes

Stack Up’s Air Assaults are fully paid trips for veterans to attend gaming conventions or others like the Penny Arcade Expo and Comic-Con. “We’re showing them this whole world of culture out there that is ready to embrace it. Veterans often have a hard time connecting with the civilian world. It also allows them to reconnect with veterans in a way they haven’t done in a long time, ”said Snyder.

The stacks

As the “local boots of the organization,” The Stacks are made up of local volunteers who use games and other activities to create meaningful connections with veterans in their communities. Volunteers host a variety of events, from pizza game nights to community improvement projects.

Cannabis, gaming and healing

When asked how the idea of ​​supporting veterans through games came to fruition, Snyder said, “We as civilians have it in mind that it’s still like World War II and we have to send socks and toothpaste and stuff. And while that is appreciated, our troops are also provided much better care than they used to be … what they lack are things that distract them. ”

While all types of games are welcome at Stack Up, the most requested are shooters, sports games, and RPGs. “Everything with multiplayer,” said Snyder. “Because you can maintain that connection, gaming is such a social experience these days.”

However, socializing can be difficult for veterans struggling with feelings of isolation, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress. Snyder stated that many of the veterans taking the Air Assault trips had long been out of a group. “I have a story about a veteran who went to Walmart in the weeks leading up to the trip just to immerse himself in people. And one way to overcome this social fear was to ingest a little cannabis. “

Open about his own cannabis use, Snyder took part in a series of Air Assault trips where veterans asked to pit stops for weed to deal with a variety of ailments from insomnia to phantom pain. “A lot of what I hear from these people is anecdotal, but if it makes a difference, it makes a difference,” he said. When some of the veterans were on a trip in 2016 looking for the nearest pharmacy, he directed them to Weedmaps, to which they reacted in complete disbelief that cannabis could be so accessible. “I get a call from my program director and he says, ‘Come on, stop fooling me. Weedmaps are not a real thing. ‘”

For many veterans, cannabis is still a stigma because it is federally illegal. However, it would only make sense for video games and cannabis to go hand in hand for veterans looking to take a break from reality and make connections with like-minded people. Snyder is optimistic that as more states legalize and educate more people about the plant, the barriers to entry for veterans will be lifted.

Like many companies facing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Stack Up had to make some adjustments over the past year. The Air Assaults program had to be put on hold, but the team took it as an opportunity to improve in other areas. “We shifted the funds we would have spent on it and increased our supply crates from four crates per month to 12 crates per month. We were also able to increase our fundraising and make it a permanent addition. ”Snyder also found that Stack Up’s digital community exploded completely and that their virtual game evenings developed a life of their own. “People are hungry for this connection,” he added.

Fortunately, the organization is preparing to ramp up its Air Assaults program again next year and hopes to expand its other programs to other locations around the world.

To learn more about how you can get involved with Stack Up, visit www.stackup.org.

Ashlee Nolan

Ashlee Nolan is a NYC-based freelance journalist who enjoys writing about cannabis, culture, and politics. If you’re not writing, you will likely find her curled up on the couch with coffee, a book, and her cat, Wednesday.