My name is Chris Bratton and I am excited to be here. I served in the Marine Corp as an M1A1 Abrams tank mechanic and was injured during my service. I, like many others, had a difficult time with my transition back into civilian life. After the long process of jumping through hoops for the VA, I was given pills, and lots of them, I think I was even given a pill for my pills at one point . I used my G.I. Bill and went back to school after the military and obtained 2 associate degrees in the automotive industry (mechanic)…how I passed while on all the medications I was on I will never know. I gained employment right after graduating. 6 months after I was employed I collapsed on the job and ended up having to undergo surgery. That surgery helped tremedously, but I was still on a lot of prescription medications. I gained enough clarity to realize I had to do something about it.

After my surgery, the doctors told me I could not stay in my chosen field of work without risking having the same surgery multiple times throughout my life. So back to school I went. This time I obtained a bachelors degree in business administration. While going through school, I started researching business ideas while also looking for alternative medicines. Cannabis really caught my eye, and the more I dug, the more I realized how little I knew about it. I learned that I could have substituted many of the drugs I was prescribed with cannabis.

The reason I’m doing this is I want to help stop the stigma surrounding cannabis. As a war vet and disabled vet, I wish I had other options when I got out. I want to help anyone who can benefit from cannabis, especially vets, and I want to promote good science and practice to start to be able to understand its medical and wellness benefits. I would also like to see hemp products gain momentum as it has so many uses in our society. The more I learn about this industry and community, the more gravity I feel to it.

My dream is to one day be wealthy enough and knowledgeable enough to help our struggling vets get back on their feet. Help them to create and achieve their own dreams. I want to help them by providing not only financial support, but also with mentoring, guidance, and connections to ensure their success. The 2 biggest factors that have been hardest for me in all of my endeavors has been money and knowing the right people.