One McLean County veterans group aims to connect vets and first responders with each other and the great outdoors through hiking, fishing and hunting trips.
Outdoor Veterans started in 2018 and officially became a nonprofit in 2022.
The organization started on a whim when Matthew Tribley, president and founder of Outdoor Veterans, noticed a friend finding peace through being outside.
“He started seeing me going outdoors with him, hunting and fishing and camping. We did some hikes, and that's what kind of brought me back to the idea that, the outdoors is where it's peaceful, kind of gives me a sense of purpose. That's kind of what the Outdoor Veteran's motto is,” Tribley said.
Tribley has a background as both a Marine and is currently a police officer, as well as continuing to be a mental health advocate.
The group aims to connect members through activities like hunting, fishing, beekeeping and more. Tribley said it helps give members a sense of comradery and purpose.
“We need this done for this reason, and it just kind of like all encompasses itself into the mental health aspect of what we are trying to drive into the community,” Tribley said, adding he hopes efforts like this will help reduce suicide rates.
“The veteran community and in the first-responder community, there's a high suicide rate, and that's what we're trying to target. We don't want that to be as high as it is. Twenty-two people a day is way too many, especially veterans. Too many veterans a day kill themselves because of the war in their head,” Tribley said.
Tribely told WGLT when the group started with around 20 of his close friends, but in 2025 the group has nearly 350 members from across the country.
“Every year it's only getting bigger, we've actually partnered with the Fallen Outdoors. They're a nationwide organization, and they've came to our trips. They give us resources on how to grow, they give us things to look at, to possibly look for funding and for grant money and stuff like that,” Tribley said.
Vice President Patrick Schmid plans one of the group's larger annual events, called Fall in Fishing. Schmid said they plan to keep it annually and add another event in the spring.
One of the newest programs Outdoor Veterans has taken on is beekeeping. The group started out with two hives but have recently been gifted 15 more.
“People are seeing the impact, and I'm advocating for it, because I'm actually seeing the impact that I'm getting from it,” Tribley said. “The property, which is wheelchair accessible, is easy for us to get vets up to the front of it, and it's very accessible from the road, and it's intriguing to see how that's already grown so far.”
Outdoor Veterans plans to continue to expand to other states and be able to provide resources for mental health within their own organization.
“We don't do therapy in a room, we do connection in the field,” Tribley said. “We're trying to bring in more of that mental health aspect, but at the same time, if we need to help pay for someone's therapy session, if the insurance is not going to pay for it, the VA is not going to pay for it and it's an emergency situation, we're more than willing to talk about it and figure out a plan of action.”
The group is focused now on trying to get more funding to offer more opportunities for those involved, and get a more permanent meeting place for its members.
