In 11 lessons, United States military veterans can learn the basics of playing guitar and begin jamming with other vets, with the ultimate goal of healing through the power of music.
According to Tom Lamog, a guitar instructor for the new chapter of Guitars for Vets in Newhall, he learned about the national nonprofit organization about two years ago from a Facebook post, and he got involved as an online instructor. He told The Signal in a recent phone call that he’s seen the effectiveness the program has on its participants.
“These are Afghanistan, Iraq veterans,” he said. “We’re talking about people who’ve been in wars, and they’ve come back with visible issues, whether it be PTSD or hand-eye coordination issues or just not being able to make certain movements. By the time I’m done — and these are face-to-face online — I can see the joy that the music has brought to these people.”
Ryan Kinslow, a 49-year-old Arizona man who served 20 years in the U.S. Army with two combat tours, two tours in Korea and a tour in Germany, said he just finished his 11th lesson in the Guitars for Vets online program. Lamog was his instructor.
“I initially got my guitar in Iraq in ’03,” Kinslow told The Signal during a phone call. “One of my NCOs played. It sounded like fun, so I bought a guitar. He (Kinslow’s NCO) ended up going back to Germany, and my guitar lessons stopped after about two of them.”
About 20 years later, Kinslow heard about Guitars for Vets and decided to try it out. After doing so, he said playing guitar is something he’ll now do the rest of his life, that it’s been something that’s been helping him cope with the post-traumatic stress he picked up while in Iraq.
“I’ve learned how to deal with the symptoms of PTS and work through them, being able to calm my central nervous system, think clearly, respond to things instead of reacting to them,” he said. “And all this is done through wellness practices like playing the guitar. I do it with intentionality, with a purpose, and it helps.”
Guitars for Vets, with over 100 chapters across the United States, started a chapter at the beginning of this month at the American Legion Post 507 building in Newhall next to the Old Town Newhall Library on Main Street. The group is looking for volunteer guitar instructors and veterans interested in participating in the program.
According to organization literature, Guitars for Vets provides veterans who are struggling with PTSD and other emotional distress with a “unique therapeutic alternative: free guitars and music instruction.”
The chapter’s administration team includes Guitars for Vets coordinator Bruce Geiger, who’s a United States Navy veteran, and Lamog, who, in addition to being a guitar instructor, is also a local songwriter and guitarist, and the son of a United States Marine Corps combat veteran.
“Guitars for Vets puts the healing power of music in the hands of heroes. Through our work,” Lamog said, “we help restore feelings of joy and purpose that veterans can lose after suffering traumatic experiences and help veterans productively reintegrate into their communities.”
For more information about Guitars for Vets, go to Guitars4Vets.org.
