Lt. Col. Jim Snow, USA (Ret), has made it his goal to make Tyler, Texas, veteran friendly. He’s ensuring the military and veterans communities there have access to the services and resources they need.

Snow, who has served as president of the Rose Capital Chapter since 2008, started by helping to establish a veterans court in 2010 to provide substance abuse or mental health treatment as an alternative to incarceration for nonviolent veterans in the program.

From there, he helped establish the city’s Veterans and Community Roundtable and the Chamber of Commerce’s Veterans Committee, of which Snow is co-chair.

In 2017, he worked with the VA to establish a Community Veterans Engagement Board in Tyler to connect veterans to resources and assistance. That led to the creation of Camp V (Community Assisting Military Personnel and Veterans), which Snow founded with Susan Campbell.

Located on a 20-acre campus, Camp V is a one-stop-shop for veterans in East Texas that includes a resource center for assistance regarding benefits, the VA, employment, education, and mental health; a dedicated women veterans center; and a recreation center. A fitness center will soon be complete, and future plans include building a chapel and an activity center.

Camp V assists more than 300 veterans a month from 14 counties in Texas.

“Just because we take the uniform off doesn’t mean we don’t still serve,” said Snow, who served nearly three decades in the Army, including as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. “I want to help grow the capabilities of veterans in our area.”

He also wants Tyler to be designated a “veteran friendly” city.

“I want to increase awareness of Tyler to veterans outside of the area … let people know who we are and what we do,” he said. “I think … the East Texas Area is a great place to retire. [Being veteran-friendly] provides opportunities for the military community and benefits the local economy.”

'Just because we take the uniform off doesn’t mean we don’t still serve. I want to help grow the capabilities of veterans in our area.'