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Two Brothers, One Came Home. Now He Fights For Others Still In The Dark.

Raivadus Gill, Iraq combat Veteran, founder of Operation Battle Cry, tells their story to Vegas Veteran Voices, a Veteran-led nonprofit in Las Vegas.

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In this story: Raivadus Gill, Iraq combat Veteran, founder of Operation Battle Cry
Organization: Operation Battle Cry, Trigger Happiness
Resources: Operation Battle Cry: listed in our resource directory
Published: May 1, 2026
Running time: 1 hour (1:00:14)
Production: Filmed by Vegas Veteran Voices, a Veteran-led nonprofit in Las Vegas

“Find something that makes you smile that you can keep around you.”

Raivadus GillHear it at 57:42

About this story

Two brothers. Same darkness. Only one walked away.
Iraq combat Veteran Raivadus Gill came home from war running at 110mph while the world had slowed to 15. He thought he was good. Then one afternoon, alone in a house, a heaviness hit him that he still can't fully explain, and he walked to his brother's room and picked up a gun.
A flyer on a table is the only reason he's sitting in this chair.

A year later, that same weapon took his brothers life.

Raivadus has carried that question ever since, what made him pull it when I didn't? That question became two organizations. Operation Battle Cry, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit connecting Veterans to the benefits, housing, and mental health resources they've earned. And Trigger Happiness, a movement redefining mental health as mental medicine. Something you practice daily. Something you keep close so when the tunnel comes, the lights are already flickering.

STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW?
Text: 838255
Chat: veteranscrisisline.net

This episode is for anyone who's felt that heaviness and couldn't name it. Anyone who's lost someone and is still asking why. And anyone watching at 2am who needs to hear that the flicker in the dark is enough.

CONNECT WITH RAIVADUS GILL
Operation Battle Cry: https://obattlecry.org
Trigger Happiness: @gotriggerhappiness
OBC: @operationbattlecry

In their words

“Everybody has a purpose on this earth. You wouldn’t be born if you didn’t have a purpose.”

Raivadus GillHear it at 13:06

“Find your purpose, bottle it up, put it in your brain, and just think about it every day.”

Raivadus GillHear it at 58:16

“Just lock that happiness in somewhere. We lock negative stuff in all the time. Make happiness loud.”

Raivadus GillHear it at 58:36

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