Our Story

Why I Started Dungeons & Dogtags Co.

I started Dungeons & Dogtags because, as a veteran living with depression, I know what it feels like to come home and feel like you don’t belong. To carry the weight of service, of trauma, and of silence—and be met with systems that, despite their best intentions, fall short of real support.

There are warfighters out there who have it far worse than I do. Some are sleeping in their cars or on the streets. Some are trying to get through each day in complete isolation. And some… are no longer with us.

We hear numbers thrown around—22 veterans lost per day, 21, 20. But while those numbers echo in the halls of social media and statistics, the most accurate number today is 17. That’s 17 people a day who wore the uniform and swore to protect our country—now gone.

Seventeen is still too many. One is too many.

When we served, we stood side by side. We fought, trained, and bled together. We created bonds that were stronger than friendship—they were forged in hardship, laughter, and survival. But when your service ends, those connections are often lost overnight. One day you’re part of a team. The next, you’re on your own. And that sudden silence? It’s devastating.

Beyond the emotional toll, many of us carry visible and invisible wounds. Some are obvious—missing limbs, scars, long recoveries. Others are harder to see: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), Breacher’s Syndrome, chronic pain, and the lasting fog of PTSD. These traumas don’t disappear when the uniform comes off. They follow us home and settle in the quiet spaces no one else sees.

The truth is, once the military is finished with its warfighters, they’re often left to figure out the rest of life on their own. And while there are incredible people working inside systems like the VA, their hands are often tied by bureaucracy, overwhelmed case loads, and underfunded programs. Veterans are slipping through the cracks every single day.

Dungeons & Dogtags Co. exists to be a part of the solution.

We’re not here just to raise awareness—we’re here to take action. We’re building something that doesn’t look like traditional therapy. It doesn’t require sterile clinics or long waiting lists. Instead, it’s built around a table. A character sheet. A set of dice. And a group of people who understand.

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons aren’t just entertainment—they’re a bridge. A therapeutic tool that allows veterans and civilians alike to work through trauma, explore identity, and rebuild social connections in a safe, imaginative space. Through story, community, and collaboration, we create an environment where healing happens organically. Where people find themselves again—not as patients, but as heroes, adventurers, and storytellers.

While our focus is and always will be centered on the veteran community, we refuse to ignore the thousands of civilians struggling with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. This work is for them too.

We believe in meeting people where they are—not with another prescription, but with empathy, laughter, purpose, and a story that lets them fight back against the monsters in their own minds.

This nonprofit is a promise. A promise that no one should have to face their demons alone. That healing is possible. That community can be forged not just on the battlefield, but around the gaming table.

We're just getting started—but we’re building something real.
One table. One campaign. One life at a time.

Dungeons & Dogtags Co.
Founded by veterans. For everyone who needs a saving throw.