Veterans Breakthrough: How Jiu-Jitsu and Community Are Saving Lives – GOALS 2025 Interview

By David Hoang “Johnny Winn” ( Founder, Lead Creator )

At GOALS 2025 in Knoxville, TN, we sat down with David from Veterans Breakthrough, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans through jiu-jitsu scholarships, community-building, and mental health resources.

Founded with the mission to help address the heartbreaking statistic of 22 veteran suicides per day, Veterans Breakthrough is the only nonprofit of its kind offering jiu-jitsu scholarships to veterans regardless of disability rating. Their goal is simple but powerful: give veterans a place to train, a team to belong to, and a structured path toward healing and growth.

But their impact goes far beyond the mats. Veterans Breakthrough also provides:

• mental health support

• retreats and wellness programs

• a nationwide community where veterans uplift, support, and hold each other accountable

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David shared how this combination of physical training, community connection, and emotional support has changed lives — and in many cases, saved them.

If you care about veteran support, mental health, or the transformative power of training and community, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.