Daniel Cummings is an Army Veteran, having served four years as a Specialist in the 2-16 Infantry. His military service was a defining chapter in his life, but it was also during this time that he began to understand the profound role music would play in his healing process. Diagnosed with PTSD, Danny discovered that music, particularly guitar, became a crucial outlet for managing his trauma, offering a healthy space for creative expression, emotional release, and community connection. 

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Growing up in a family deeply immersed in music, Danny was surrounded by a musical influence that shaped his identity from an early age. His father was a member of the popular local band 3D & Company, and his mother always played music and attended concerts, fostering a family culture centered around music. At 12 years old, he started attending punk shows with his brother, and by 14, he was booking shows and learning to play guitar and bass. Self-taught, he quickly immersed himself in the raw energy of punk, hardcore, and thrash, eventually becoming a founding member of local punk and hardcore bands such as The Foot Clan, I Object!, and xOur Revengex. 

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Music served as a lifeline throughout his military service, as well as through personal tragedies, including the loss of his brother and mother. It became an essential tool for coping with grief and trauma, guiding him through the toughest times. One of the defining moments of his music career was when he co-wrote the song "Let Go of the Pain" with renowned singer-songwriter Danny Myrick at a SongwritingWith: Soldiers retreat. This experience, along with mentorship from VMC Fund Advisors Scott and Jake, inspired Danny to deepen his commitment to helping other Veterans through music. 

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Today, Danny is a co-founder of Veterans Music Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Veterans through creative outlets like music. He currently plays guitar and writes for a doom metal project called Echoes, alongside fellow VMC cofounder Jake. Danny is passionate about using his platform to help others navigate the challenges of PTSD, trauma, and reintegration, and he continues to believe in the transformative power of music as a tool for healing and connection. 

Scott Warner served five years in the United States Marine Corps as a Corporal in the Infantry as an Anti-Tank Assaultman (0351) with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion 4th Marines - "The Magnificent Bastards." His time in service included a deployment during Operation Desert Storm and assignments in Okinawa, Japan and in the Mediteranean Sea.

 

After the military, Scott turned more deeply toward a lifelong companion: music. Inspired early on by his father’s acoustic rendition of “House of the Rising Sun,” he picked up the guitar and never put it down. For over 35 years, he’s been writing, playing, and living through music — primarily in a folk-acoustic, singer-songwriter style shaped by artists like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

 

Music has been far more than a hobby — it's been a lifeline. For more than a decade, Scott has been in treatment for PTSD. In his words, “Being inside of a song for three minutes at a time is not a bad place to be. Trauma is ongoing — but songs help me face what I must to live a more normal, safe, and fulfilling life.” Music, for him, is therapy in motion — a refuge and a tool for healing.

 

Through the Veterans Music Coalition, Scott hopes to help create a space where veterans can find the same kind of peace, connection, and restoration that music has given him — an outlet for pain, a source of purpose, and a path to healing.

Jacob Helie is a Retired U.S. Army Veteran with 12 years of service, where he held the rank of Sergeant and served as a 25U Signal Support Specialist. During his time in the military, he completed four combat tours to Iraq with the 2-14 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. Through the challenges of service and the lingering effects of PTSD, music became more than just a passion—it became a lifeline.

 

He picked up the guitar at age 12 and taught himself to play, gravitating toward the raw intensity of metal and hardcore. While deployed, he co-wrote music with a fellow Soldier under the name Eleven11, creating songs that gave voice to their experiences. Today, he continues to channel his journey through a new project called Echoes with fellow Co-Founder Danny, a doom/stoner metal endeavor that reflects both his roots and resilience.

 

For him, music is more than sound—it’s a means of survival, healing, and connection. Through creative expression, he’s found a powerful outlet to process trauma, build community, and support others walking similar paths.