The Las Vegas Veteran

On January 20th, 2023, Merging Vets and Players (MVP) hosted its weekly Friday night meeting at the Xtreme Couture MMA gym in Las Vegas.

MVP is an organization that brings military combat veterans and former professional athletes together to heal through physical activities and group talks.

The non-profit was founded by sports reporter Jay Glazer and Army veteran and NFL player Nate Boyer. UFC champion Randy Couture allows the Las Vegas chapter of MVP to utilize his gym during their workouts.

MVP hopes to offer a safe place for combat veterans and professional athletes to work through their stressors, discover a community of like-minded people, and find a smooth transition in each chapter of their lives.

Lena Geronimo is a U.S. Marine who has been a member of the organization for several years and has bonded with her fellow veterans in the group. “Finding MVP, I was able to find that family and that support system that I needed,” Geronimo said.

While MVP mainly utilizes MMA-style workouts, they incorporate different exercises, such as yoga and breathing techniques as well. The non-profit aims to get veterans and athletes to use physical activity to ground themselves.

Physical activity has been shown to improve mental health and fight depression, a goal that can significantly enhance the lives of veterans in Las Vegas. As of 2019, Nevada had one of the highest veteran suicide rates in the nation, with over 100 veterans dying from suicide each year.

“We all have something in common [here], and that is that we’ve all been in combat, and that’s something in the civilian sector that doesn’t exist,” said Nicholas Mejia, an Army veteran and MVP member. “We can all relate to each other here.”

More information about how to donate, join, or get involved with the organization can be found on its website and social media outlets.