Formerly homeless veteran Reggie Howard encourages a Grand Rapids veterans stand down attendee during the city’s outreach event in 2022. Howard said he attended a Veterans Affairs substance abuse program in 2007 and began working for the department in 2008. Nowadays he’s a peer specialist, with a mandate to help vets with everything from attending meetings to arranging housing and transportation. “I’ve been on both sides of it,” Howard said. “It’s so great to be able to see veterans and cheer them on and give them a positive outlook. When they see me, they remember me and they’re like ‘hey, if that guy can do it, I can do it.’”