2025. What a year.
It was a year of momentum, milestones, and movement—for our mission, for veteran mental health, and for access to breakthrough therapies that continue to transform lives.
In 2025, VETS showed up - on the legislative floor, in national headlines, on Netflix, and at the Torchbearer Ball. And you showed up with us. Together, we stood united by one mission: to end the veteran suicide epidemic and expand access to the most advanced, evidence-based therapies available. And for that, and so much more, we thank you.
Reflecting on this past year, one thing is clear to us: the tide is turning. The next wave of support for veteran healing is here, and it’s growing stronger every day.
Now, let’s take a look back at five defining moments that helped turn the tide in 2025.
#1 The Premiere of In Waves and War on Netflix
The highly anticipated documentary In Waves and War premiered on Netflix in November 2025, sharing the raw, honest journeys of three former Navy SEALs—VETS co-founder Marcus Capone, DJ Shipley, and Matty Roberts—who returned home carrying invisible wounds and found healing through psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Alongside them, their wives, Amber Capone and Patsy Shipley, offer powerful perspectives on love, loss, and what it means to fight for your family. Their courage and vulnerability helped spark the movement that became VETS.
Years in the making, the film blends deeply personal storytelling with awe-inspiring animation to illuminate the inner experiences of trauma, healing, and transformation. Directed by Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen and presented by Participant, it’s more than a documentary, it’s a tool for change.
In Waves and War is now being used to educate lawmakers, engage communities, and inspire legislative progress around psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans. Its impact is just beginning.
The film is currently streaming on Netflix.
#2 VETS Championed the Largest State Investment in Psychedelic Research
In the first half of the year, Texas made history with the passage of HB 3717/SB 2308, a bipartisan bill marking the largest state investment in psychedelic research in U.S. history.
VETS played a leading role in driving this legislation forward—sponsoring powerful film screenings, organizing a veteran-led lobby day, mobilizing our community, and delivering expert testimony to ensure the veteran voice was front and center.
The legislation allocates up to $50 million in public funds, matched by private investment, to study ibogaine-assisted therapy for veterans living with PTSD, TBI, substance use disorder, and other complex conditions.
This milestone was made possible through VETS’ leadership in advocacy, community engagement, and policy expertise. It sets a national precedent for veteran-focused psychedelic research; and brings us one step closer to opening pathways to the most advanced treatments for those who’ve served.
These efforts were powered by the lived experiences of veterans who continue to speak out, share their stories, and lead the charge toward healing.
#3 California Passed AB 1103, Transforming Research Policy
Following the landmark legislation in Texas, California added its voice to the national momentum for veteran mental health reform with the passage of AB 1103 —a bipartisan bill that removes costly delays in the state’s research approval process, unlocking critical studies using psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat veteran service-related conditions like PTSD, TBI, and more.
VETS sponsored the bill and played a key role in its passage—delivering expert testimony, mobilizing advocates, and working alongside Assemblymember Christopher Ward to ensure the legislation prioritized timely, responsible research for veterans.
This is real, measurable progress. It’s proof that when outdated systems are reformed, science can advance and access can follow.
#4 VETS Joined VALOR to Tackle Federal Barriers
Building on state-level momentum in Texas and California, VETS expanded its advocacy to the federal level and became a founding member of VALOR . The Veteran Alliance for Leadership, Outreach, and Recovery is a national coalition of veteran service organizations including the Navy SEAL Foundation, Green Beret Foundation, and Wounded Warrior Project. Together, VALOR is advancing federal policies that expand research and remove barriers to breakthrough psychedelic-assisted therapies.
To launch the coalition, VALOR hosted a press conference and met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to discuss the future of veteran mental health care and the urgent need for research into transformative treatments.
This moment marked a powerful shift: not just individual voices, but a unified front demanding national change—rooted in evidence, backed by community, and driven by the needs of our nation’s veterans.
#5 Together, We Carried the Torch for Healing
To close out the year, our community gathered in San Diego for a different kind of mission moment: the 4th Annual Torchbearer Ball.
The 2025 Torchbearer Ball was a powerful gathering of hearts committed to healing, hope, and action. We came together to honor those carrying the torch for change, the veterans who’ve walked through darkness, the families who’ve stood beside them, and the advocates who refuse to give up the fight.
Now in its fourth year, the gala served as a space for remembrance, celebration, and purpose—raising vital funds to expand healing access, advance research, and fuel advocacy that drives our vision: to give veterans access to the most advanced treatments available to heal from the mental and physical wounds of war.
It was a night that proved: healing is a shared fight, and no one walks it alone.
As 2025 came to a close, we were left with more than memories, we were left with momentum.
It was the kind of year that reminds us why this mission matters, and what’s possible when we pursue it together.
From the halls of Congress to living rooms around the world, we saw hearts open, minds change, and barriers begin to fall. It was transformational—and it was only possible because of you.
To every veteran, supporter, policymaker, and partner who stood with us: we see you, we thank you, and we’re just getting started.
Let’s carry this momentum into 2026. The next wave of change is already building.
Support the next wave of veteran healing through advocacy, awareness, and action.
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