The Beginning of
Battle Buddy Response Team®
The Battle Buddy Response Team® (BBRT) was founded by Samuel Rock, a U.S. Army veteran who turned personal pain into purpose. His mission was simple — to make sure no veteran ever faces their darkest moments alone.
It all began in 2015 with one knock on a door.
A close friend named Peter didn’t show up to his regular VA class — something that was completely unlike him. Samuel felt something was wrong and decided to drive to Peter’s home to check on him. When he arrived, he saw that Peter was there. He knocked on the door, not realizing that Peter was inside holding a weapon to his head, ready to end his life.
That knock saved him.
For the next three months, Samuel continued to show up for Peter, helping him take the steps needed to get professional treatment for PTSD. When Peter finally entered a treatment facility, Samuel stood by him every step of the way — not as a soldier, not as a counselor, but as a battle buddy.
After Peter completed treatment, he called and said the words that would change everything:
“That first day you knocked on my door, I was going to end it. You saved my life.”
That moment became the turning point — and the true birth of the Battle Buddy Response Team®.
At the time, in 2015, there were very few organizations directly visiting veterans in crisis. The only groups actively responding were law enforcement, Mission 22, and the VA. Police were often the ones knocking on doors, but there was no dedicated veteran-led team responding with compassion and understanding. Samuel saw the need for something different — a mission built by veterans, for veterans.
By 2019, that vision became a reality. The Battle Buddy Response Team® officially launched as a nationwide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission: to respond to veterans and their families in crisis, prevent suicide before it happens, and restore hope to those who feel forgotten.
Every response is different, every call unique — but one thing never changes: BBRT shows up.
Today, the organization operates across the United States with a team of dedicated volunteers who personally travel to check on veterans in need. The long-term goal is to build a network of full-time paid responders, allowing BBRT to reach more communities and continue expanding its lifesaving mission.
From one knock on a door in 2015 to a nationwide movement today, the Battle Buddy Response Team® stands as a promise:
To show up before it’s too late.
To serve with compassion and courage.
To make sure no veteran ever feels forgotten again.
