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It’s no secret that rural areas are appealing for veterans to choose to reside in. The draw to rural areas is simple – it is typically quiet, has a lower cost of living, and plenty of open space for recreation. Most rural communities are tight-knit, creating a sense of belonging, but have the room to retain a certain level of privacy if desired. 

While rural living comes with many advantages, geographic isolation can make accessing healthcare and veteran-specific resources more difficult. If this affected only a handful of individuals, it might not warrant broader attention. But this is a significant veteran population that is too often overlooked. According to the Office of Rural Health, there are 2.7 million rural and highly rural veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Many rural Veterans enrolled in VA’s health care system are at an advanced age, with 54% being age 65 or older.

What makes a veteran rural?  

To label a veteran as rural, the Department of Veterans Affairs uses the rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes system to define rurality. The RUCA codes system takes into account population density as well as how closely a community is linked socio-economically to larger urban centers. 

Empowering Rural Veterans, Building Thriving Communities 

Shedding a light on a large community of veterans who have limited access to resources and healthcare is something Operation Honor: Rural Salute (OHRS)  doesn’t just believe in – they act on it with every gathering, event, and podcast they host.

OHRS was born out of personal experience and a deep commitment to serving those who have served us. Founders Michelle and Chris Lang, after Chris’s eight years of active duty in the Army, faced the challenges of civilian life head-on when they returned to their home state of Pennsylvania in 2019. Amidst the struggles of transitioning and health issues, they discovered a frustrating truth: while many resources existed to help veterans, they were often difficult to find, especially for those in rural areas. 

Determined to change this, Michelle and Chris envisioned an organization that would not only connect veterans to the resources they needed but also build a community where they felt supported, valued, and empowered. 

Reaching and Connecting Rural Veterans 

OHRS provides rural veterans with an Interactive Map that helps connect them with other veterans close to their proximity to assist in building a sense of community. OHRS also hosts events to bring veterans together, with a focus on rural communities. Their most recent event was a two-day celebration filled with excitement, entertainment, and most importantly, support for the heroes who’ve served our country. 

Check out their full list of resources: www.ohruralsalute.org/resources

Get Involved 

Support should not depend on where someone resides. Nearly 25% of veterans live in rural America, and those veterans deserve access to basic healthcare and resources as much as the other 75%. While connection and raising awareness are key, donations and volunteering are just as helpful in making this group of veterans and their families feel supported.

This June, as we shine a light on rural veterans, we proudly stand with organizations like Operation Honor’s Rural Salute (OHRS), which provide vital support to these often-overlooked heroes every day. Amplifying the voices of rural veterans remains central to Mission Roll Call’s purpose, and partnerships with organizations like OHRS help bring that mission to life.

Learn more about OHRS and how you can support their work at www.ohruralsalute.org. To join us in advocating for rural veterans and ensuring their voices are heard, visit www.missionrollcall.org. 

 

 

The wildfires came fast. 

Fanned by dry winds and fed by brittle brush, the flames moved like a predator across Pacific Palisades. Smoke billowed through the canyons, blurring sightlines and choking the air. Residents scrambled to evacuate as emergency alerts pierced the quiet calm of the coastal neighborhood. For many, there was only enough time to grab what they could and flee. 

Army veteran Jim Cragg stood his ground. He had a plan. 


Years earlier, a brush fire had crept within 500 yards of his Pacific Palisades home while he was stationed at Fort Bragg. The close call was enough to change how he thought about fire readiness. “I decided when I got back, I would come up with a plan,” he said. 

That plan was simple but strategic. He purchased multiple heavy-duty garden hoses, sprinklers, and a tube of fire retardant. When the flames approached this time, he was ready. “My wife came home, she took care of the animals and valuables. My job was to take care of the perimeter,” he explained. “I got on the roof and pulled those three sprinklers up, set them, and sprayed down the side of the house.” 

Water arced over the home, soaking the roof and siding. The line it created stopped the fire in its tracks. From his vantage point, Jim could see the damage below—14 homes down the hillside, all lost. Two of them belonged to friends. “There was no guarantee it would work,” he said. “But it worked.” 

A few blocks away, the American Legion Post 283 building also withstood the onslaught. Though smoke-stained and surrounded by scorched trees, the structure remained intact. Tattered but still waving, an American flag clung to its pole outside the Legion hall—partially burned at the edges but unbroken. It became a symbol in the days to come: of survival, of strength, and of what it means to rise after destruction. 


What happened next turned a moment of crisis into a mission of community. 

Under Jim’s leadership, Post 283 quickly transformed into the Palisades Wildfires Community Support Center. Veterans rallied. They brought the same skills they’d learned in military training—logistics, coordination, calm under pressure—to the neighborhoods they had sworn to protect, even long after taking off the uniform. The Legion hall became a beacon amid the ash. It was a place to get supplies, ask questions, or simply find steady ground. 

Jim, a Past Commander of the Post, mobilized volunteers. People knew they could count on the veterans. When disaster hits, you don’t want chaos—you want a chain of command. That’s what Post 283 offered. 

This wasn’t the first time Jim answered the call. A longtime advocate for veterans and national security, he’s spent years working across both military and civilian sectors. But the fires made his mission personal. It went beyond protecting property. It was about stitching together a shaken community and showing that service doesn’t end with a DD-214. 

That commitment soon caught national attention. 

On June 2, Jim Cragg received a special award from Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The honor recognizes his leadership in promoting a combined Army-veteran response to the Pacific Palisades wildfires. The ceremony was held at the Legion Hall—the same place that served as a lifeline for the community and continues to do so today. 

This summer, Post 283 has a full calendar of outreach and celebration that reflects its renewed purpose and commitment to the community: 

Today, that burned flag still flies outside Post 283. 


Its edges are curled, its colors dimmed—but it hasn’t been replaced. Not yet. Not because they can’t afford a new one, but because that flag tells the truth of what happened here. It survived. So did they. 

Just like that flag, the veterans of Post 283 continue to stand tall as defenders of the country and as builders of community. 

The fire may be out. But the mission has just begun. 

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