Why Evan Mark Shelline founded The Veteran Muster
Evan Mark Shelline spent about a decade in the U.S. Navy, about six years of it with the SEAL Teams. In the years since, the thing he has heard most often from the families of older veterans is some version of the same sentence: Dad has never talked about it.
The Veteran Muster is his answer. In the military, a muster is the moment everyone falls in and is accounted for. Evan borrowed the word for a veteran-only gathering held in senior living communities, where veterans of every branch and era sit down together for an hour or so of fellowship, remembrance and stories, with no one required to speak.
What he has said about it
“I’m talking to him about things that he hasn’t talked to his family about. That peer-to-peer support is vital.”
“What everybody in the mental health space understands is that peer to peer support is the highest quality support you’re going to get.”
What happens at a Muster
- Veterans only. Any branch, any era, stateside or overseas, whether or not they live in the host community.
- Remembrance first. The group honors the fallen and those still missing.
- Stories, never pressure. Sharing is voluntary. Some veterans listen the whole time, and that is fine.
- Buddy Checks. Veterans agree to look in on one another, especially anyone who could not make it.
- Nothing for sale. A Muster is not counseling, not a benefits appointment and not a sales presentation. It is free to host and free to attend.
Musters held
Recaps of each Muster are posted here after the host community and the veterans who appear in photos have given permission.
Bring a Muster to your community
Senior living communities in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties can host. The community provides a room and helps invite its veterans; the VETTED Veteran Care team organizes and facilitates the gathering. Details and a request form are on the VETTED site, or reach Evan at evan@vettedvc.com or 248-794-9292.
If you are a veteran in crisis, or worried about one, call the Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1.