Marine Veteran Uses Lessons From Military To Help Young People
(CBS) -- One Chicago veteran is taking the lessons he learned in the military and serving young people in tough neighborhoods.
Marine veteran Richard Rivera told CBS 2's Jim Williams that for him, helping young people isn't a job but a "calling."
Rivera survived the war in Afghanistan and is now helping young people such as 18-year-old Anderson Chavez survive danger on Chicago's streets.
"A lot of times when we're growing up in a rough neighborhood, we get this idea that being man is about being violent," said Chavez.
The tough Marine in the YMCA's Urban Warrior program tries to convince them it's better to walk away.
"You're a tougher guy if you walk away from the situation," Rivera said.
Rivera says several members of his family were in gangs. That separates him well-intentioned social workers, says Chavez.
"They're telling all this stuff, don't do this and don't do that, and they don't know anything about your life. They don't know what it is like growing up in a certain neighborhood," Chavez said.
Richard Rivera, a veteran whose service goes on.
"It feels like I'm doing something not only for my country, but for city, my community, you know. It makes me feel good," he said.
Richard Rivera has such an impact on Anderson Chavez, that the high school student says one day he'd like to do the same kind of work.
The YMCA has formed a partnership with the Adler School of Professional Psychology to create a program that helps war veterans and young people exposed to urban violence. Young Anderson is doing well, going to school and working part time.
Some of the teens in Urban Warriors have been referred by the justice system or by their schools. Others are recruited by the Y's violence intervention workers. But they all share exposure to trauma, including violence. Many of the teens are involved with gangs or know people in gangs. Anyone who is interested should email the Y's Youth Safety and Violence Prevention office at ysvp@ymcachicago.org.