Kansas City’s KC Cares: Mending Battle Scars One Laugh at a Time
In an innovative approach to veteran support and suicide prevention, Comedy Vets in Kansas City is leveraging humor to address the serious issue of isolation faced by many veterans in the community. The group of professional comedians, most of whom are veterans themselves, perform shows for veteran audiences and frequently raise funds to combat veteran suicide.
How Comedy Vets Works
Following their gigs, Comedy Vets noticed a positive change in the demeanor and interactions of the veterans attending their shows. Neighbors who previously kept to themselves began sharing jokes, playing games, and spending time together. This simple but impactful change offered a ray of light to people that often felt isolated and adrift.
Jeff Onyx, national commander of Comedy Vets and a former U.S. Army Chaplain, explained the phenomenon best. “When you’re in the military, you have a battle buddy you’re assigned to, somebody you go through things with. When you get out of the military, you don’t have a battle buddy anymore, and this is our way of trying to connect people together so they have a battle buddy,” he said.
Comedy Vets’ Impact on the Community
Comedy Vets not only performs for veterans but also holds gigs for non-military audiences in the wider community. The comedian’s veteran background allows them to forge a connection with their audience, often through humor and personal anecdotes that relate to military experiences.
Rick McKenna, post commander of VFW Post 7397 in Lenexa, acknowledged the positive impact of Comedy Vets’ work. McKenna relayed observing several attendees of the Comedy Vets show in November return to become members at the post.
Combatting Isolation and Suicide Prevention
Isolation proves to be a major challenge for many veterans, potentially leading to tragic consequences. Comedy Vets is actively working to counter this issue by encouraging camaraderie and connection through their comedy shows. Onyx is firm in his belief that “isolation will kill you. That’s the biggest threat to life, in most of the situations where people have committed suicide.”
Founded in 2016 following the suicide of Onyx’s friend, Comedy Vets has performed several shows and fundraised for suicide prevention charities, seeking to lift the morale of veterans and provide support through laughter and connection.
Looking Ahead
While the comedians themselves are primarily veterans, Comedy Vets sometimes collaborates with non-veteran comedians. They frequently perform at various locales and states from March through October. Volunteers are always needed at bigger events to handle their information booth and fund collection while they’re performing on stage. Information about these public events is posted on their Facebook page.
Despite some hurdles in promoting their cause due to Facebook’s algorithms, Onyx is positive about the impact Comedy Vets has had. He said, “The favorite memory was when I actually got to see that one guy everyone was saying, ‘He never talks to anyone. He never smiles, never laughs. He’s always angry and always hurt.’ Seeing that guy smile and laugh and talk to other people—that was the highlight of the whole thing.”
