OPERATION RUF
VETERAN MISSION
Mark Ruf, a proud Marine Corps Veteran, served honorably with the 6th Communications Battalion, Alpha Company, stationed on Long Island, New York. During his military career, Mark was deployed overseas in support of combat operations during the Iraq War.
Like many veterans of the Global War on Terror (GWOT), Mark hesitated to apply for the military benefits he had earned, believing that doing so might take resources away from others who were more in need. “I wasn’t wounded in combat, and I have all my limbs, unlike so many of my fellow veterans,” he explained.
“Veterans Rebuilding Life takes: ‘Leave no one behind’ to another level.”
It would take more than a decade after his honorable discharge before Mark reached out for help. “A Marine I had served with years ago kept encouraging me to contact Veterans Rebuilding Life for assistance. I’m so glad I finally did,” Mark shared.
When Mark arrived at Veterans Rebuilding Life’s (VRL) headquarters in Queens, NY, he was immediately connected with an accredited Veterans Service Officer, (VSO) who guided him through the process of filing a VA claim for healthcare and service-connected disabilities.
These included conditions related to his combat experiences, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), hearing loss (Tinnitus), tendonitis in his knees, and chronic back pain.
Thanks to the support and expertise of his VSO, Mark’s claim was successfully submitted and approved, granting him an 80% service-connected disability rating. This rating provided much-needed financial support for Mark and his family, which includes his wife and four children.
Veterans Rebuilding Life truly lives up to its motto: ‘Leave no one behind.’ I tell every veteran I know to contact Veterans Rebuilding Life for help,” Mark said.