Steve Downey

Case Manager, Steve Downey, served six years in the Army on active duty as a Combat Medic with the 10th Mountain Division and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC.

Steve deployed to Iraq in 2007 with 1-89 CAV (RSTA) where he received his Combat Medical Badge. During his time at WRAMC, he served in the Organ Transplant and Nephrology Clinic, aiding Veterans in need of dialysis and kidney transplants.

“I know what it is like to deal with the VA without proper support, it sucks. Being a Veteran Advocate means I get to be the fire support for veterans in that battle.”

After his military service, Steve attended University of Akron in Ohio, where he helped establish American Legion Post 808. He made it his mission to facilitate connections between student veterans and veteran alumni for job placement and career guidance.

In 2016, Steve and a group of Veterans brought relief supplies to remote Nepali villages that were devastated by earthquakes. A member from their team summited Mount Everest carrying a flag with the names of their brothers who had committed suicide – bringing Veteran Suicide awareness to the highest peak in the world.

Because Steve has already spent much of his life helping his fellow Veterans, he has a deep understanding of what it truly means to be a Veteran Advocate. Steve feels a deep sense of responsibility to provide Veterans with the assistance and direction they not only require, but also justly deserve.