Our Mission
Founder Story
In 2015, Army veteran NCO Sgt. Richard Erschik helped organize an event honoring 47 WWII and Korean veterans. Sitting and talking with them, he watched something powerful happen. Familiar military memories came back. Faces lit up. Conversations deepened.
It became clear that recognition matters most when it is personal, timely, and sincere. That moment became the beginning of Veteran Visitor.
What The Visits Looked Like
Rich began personally visiting fellow veterans in his Army dress uniform. Sometimes in hospitals. Sometimes in retirement communities. Sometimes at home. Sometimes during special occasions.
He didn’t arrive as a speaker or an organizer. He arrived as one veteran visiting another. No speech. No agenda. Just shared military language, shared memories, and a sincere thank-you for service.
Visits ended with a gift of a custom Veteran Visitor challenge coin and a personalized certificate of appreciation. Small gestures. Lasting impressions.
Why The Mission Evolved
Today, personal visits are more limited. But the mission has not stopped.
Veteran Visitor now continues nationwide online so veterans and families can still preserve stories, share photographs, and receive recognition that honors a life of service — wherever they are, and whenever they are ready.
Why This Matter Now
Too often, military recognition comes when the veteran is no longer here to appreciate it.
Veteran Visitor exists to change that.
“Military Veterans share a bond that civilians often don’t fully understand. This recognition is peer-to-peer. One veteran honoring another. That’s what makes all the difference.”
Help Preserve Another Veteran's Story
If you are a veteran, or if you know a veteran whose story deserves to be remembered, we invite you to become part of this mission.