Regiment is a strong community made up of the best people on Earth; Veterans, Service Members and all of those that support them, families and friends included.
But one thing that the Regiment excels at is supporting every single one of those groups and their members with ways to keep them involved in the community.
That word right there is what it is all about; community.
The community of Regiment has recently created yet another amazing opportunity to not only support its own endeavors but to teach its members an entirely new skillset.
That new opportunity is the Regiment Photography Team.
This new team, led by Rob, aka @Elevated, is an opportunity for Regiment’s community to come together and work on even more creative projects that can help with stress relief, creativity and even help build the impact of this community to even greater heights.
Rob, an Army Veteran, who currently resides in Germany with his family, has been taking photos for more than eight years. He really didn’t get into it until COVID hit and he was stuck in the house with nothing to do.
Rob, that is a lie, you have a daughter, who surely keeps you busy.
“I have always loved creating things and photography allows me to capture the beauty of the world that is already there, I don't need to paint anything or be good at drawing to create an image that tells a story, I just have to be more observant of the world around me and that is what I love about it,” Rob said.
According to Rob, photography forces you to be mindful of everything around you, which is definitely a good skill for a parent to have.
Using his GI Bill, Rob is preparing to finish his Undergrad Certificate in Digital Photography. Who better to take the lead of Regiment's photo team?
“I wanted to share with the rest of the Veteran Community that either don't know where to begin, or don't know even if photography is something they like,” said Rob. “I wanted to give people a place to come together and work together to unlock their creative side! It has helped me immensely with getting out of the house and hanging out with my family and really has given me a sense of purpose. One of my only regrets is that I traveled the world with the Military and I never really documented that experience, so I am hoping that with [Regiment] - veterans and service members will be able to create art and memories that will last a lifetime!”
The staff of Regiment is already hosting photography tournaments with a variety of prizes to entice members to participate in the contests and try something new that needs very little equipment other than even an iPhone, and just the desire to try.
“I hope to see an active group of individuals who have come a long way,” Rob continued. “Our goals are to have each member look back on their first month in the Photography team every 3 or 4 months and see just how far they have come since the beginning! I myself look back on photos I took even this year and I think, wow I can't believe what I have learned - and I hope to share that feeling with everyone!”
When asked about advice for anyone wanting to try out one of Regiment's photo contests, Rob said, “If you are scared, don't worry! You can sit around and learn, you are not obligated to share your work until you feel comfortable doing so - but you can still benefit from the lessons and the conversations!”
Regiment is continuing to grow in staff and opportunities for Veterans, Service Members and many more groups to learn and support the people within this amazing community, so if you have the desire to join, or even an idea to start your own, reach out to a staff member today, and bring the action!
Lastly, I wanted to end this story with a big congratulations to Rob, also known as @Elevated, on he and his wife welcoming their second child and first boy to the family! One more Regiment member is always better!