Robert Henne wasn’t a veteran, but because of his wife’s career in the Air Force, he was able to get treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
“I noticed I was the only one in the waiting room with two arms and two legs. … I noticed a tear rolling down my cheek,” Henne said. “It was at that point I realized I wasn’t doing enough.”
It was this experience that inspired Henne to start the nonprofit Warrior Cry Music Project, which aims to donate musical equipment to Veteran Affairs hospitals across the country as well as organize volunteer instructors.
Henne used to play guitar, bass and drums and said, “I remembered how music helped me after my injuries, and I thought about how music could really help them.”
Warrior Cry teamed up with Tee Shirts 4 Troops to supply The Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center with five guitars, harmonicas, and setup volunteer lessons for the veterans.
Erma Jackson III, chief of volunteer service at the Jackson VA, explained the music therapy will be particularly beneficial for patients dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and chemical dependency.
“This is just our first donation of many into a hopefully growing program that can grow into something special here,” Henne said.
