The All Star Vets (ASV) organization joined Live Well San Diego as a Recognized Partner on May 5, 2018. Since its establishment in 2016, ASV’s mission has been to empower veterans, active military personnel and their families through the use of community-based sports and team-building activities that promote mental and physical fitness, patriotism and comradery. As a community collaborative, ASV also links with other Veterans Service Organizations and Government partners (VA) to bring greater attention to the physical and mental health aspects of military and veterans’ care.
Athletic participation can be a powerful vehicle for recovery and rehabilitation. ASV engages veterans with and without disabilities, active-duty personnel and civilians alike in a variety of sports and recreational activities. In their short time as an organization, over 1,500 Veterans and Active Duty members have participated in activities such as: softball, kickball, hiking, basketball, golf, biking, surfing, flag football, bowling, soccer, yoga, table tennis, fishing, rowing, ultimate Frisbee, foot golf and many more. This inclusive approach has helped to bridge the gap between veterans and civilians and promoted a sense of belonging and overall well-being among veterans. Their efforts have also been instrumental in fostering a safe and positive environment where issues of wellness and mental health can be organically discussed. Through such wellness activities, ASV aims to reduce the rates of suicide, homelessness and negative mental health symptoms among veterans in our region.
As an advocate for Veterans’ health, ASV also actively seeks out opportunities to champion holistic healing models to help Veterans and their families not just survive, but thrive. Some of their initiatives include conducting collaborative research on Post-Traumatic Growth with the Naval Research Center and California State University, San Marcos’ Kinesiology Department; spearheading the Physical & Emotional Health Committee of the San Diego Veterans Coalition; and supporting the revival of American Legion Baseball in San Diego County.
Strongly grounded on shared values of loyalty, duty and respect, ASV is committed to developing the San Diego region into the most robust Veterans Wellness Network in the country. They will continue to integrate the principles of the Live Well San Diego vision into their activities and efforts and work collaboratively with the County of San Diego to foster a healthier, safer, and thriving region.
