MS for Vets: Giving Back to Veterans

Ben Tidwell, Brister Bishop, John Allen Brown and LT Austin Lanteigne USN- four friends and classmates of the 2014-2015 Ole Miss MBA Program- started up an organization called MS for Vets close to a month ago. They brainstormed a way to make money for veterans and came across the Alpha Omega Veterans Services (AOVS) to give all of their proceeds to.

AOVS is a non-profit charitable organization located in Memphis, TN that was founded by a mother of 2 sons that returned from the Vietnam War suffering from PTSD. AOVS was the first independent organization in the United States that specialized in providing supportive services to military veterans. AOVS provides services which includes providing food, clothing, housing, transportation and assistance with rehabilitation to help veterans recover into their social and work lives.

“In an effort to support their cause,” Ben said, “MS for Vets will give 100% of net revenue to AOVS. In no way whatsoever will we profit from our sales. We all paid out of our own pockets to start MS for Vets and assist our men and women in uniform. We are selling koozies (beverage holders) in three different colors: red, navy and camouflage.”

AOVS provides intensive counseling on both an individual and group basis to deal with combat/services related conditions such as anger management, substance abuse, combat stress, PTSD and other mental health disorders. AOVS has served nearly 10 thousand veterans since the time it was founded and provides each veteran with a 30-day to 2-year program to help them regain healthy living.

“We just really wanted to help out our warriors who have given so much to us as a nation,” Ben said. “It’s not right that these brave men and women can fall into such hard times. We are so fortunate that we are able to work with AOVS and raise much needed money for them. It’s imperative that we, as U.S. citizens, take care of the people who volunteer and sacrifice their freedom for us.”

Brister Bishop and LT Austin Lanteigne are both alumni of the United States Naval Academy. LT Austin Lanteigne currently serves in the U.S. Navy as a NROTC instructor on the Ole Miss campus. John Allen Brown and Ben Tidwell are both alumni of the University of Mississippi.

To help, visit their website or go to their Facebook page.

Brittany Bugg is a HottyToddy.com staff writer and can be reached at brittany.bugg@hottytoddy.com.