The adjustment for veterans to go back to civilian life is a battle that is often unseen. Helping veterans is the mission of Jason Zaideman, the founder of Operation Combat Bikesaver, which is a 501 (c)(3) headquartered in Crown Point. Operation Combat Bikesaver has helped many veterans build their own motorcycles. Zaideman, an army veteran, and his team at Operation Combat Bikesaver have been teaching veterans how to build motorcycles since 2015. Zaideman’s mission is to lower the suicide rate of veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, and depression through a therapeutic motorcycle workshop.
CompressAir, in conjunction with Sullair, donated a brand new Sullair ShopTek air compressor with a dryer mounted on a tank to Zaideman’s group to help keep their motorcycle builds as efficient as possible.
“To not have to wait for the compressor to fill up with air and keep the guys’ tools working is huge for us,” Zaideman said. “The maintenance of our equipment will be cut down as well with the new compressor.”
Zaideman, who has been building motorcycles and hot rods since he was young, wanted to help veterans who struggle with mental illness once they return to civilian life. “Hot rod therapy,” as Zaideman refers to it, is a way for veterans to take pride in building something that is uniquely theirs. The veterans breathe life into an old, tarnished bike to create an entirely custom motorcycle.
“We’ve all known people who served and struggled once their time in combat is done,” Zaideman said. “We give these guys a ‘big brother’ to help them readjust and they get to build some cool stuff in the process.”
Operation Combat Bikesaver provides a safe haven for veterans. Zaideman and his team teach veterans how to build motorcycles, and when the building process is complete, the veteran gets to keep the bike at no cost to them.
The group prides themselves on providing useful skills, comradery, and teamwork to build amazing pieces of mechanical art. Through these creative projects, participants will get to see that there is more to life than the darkness that often surrounds the nation’s veterans.
The new compressor has greatly benefitted Operation Combat Bikesaver’s cause since its donation in late October. The compressor comes at a time of year when giving back is on many people’s minds.
“This compressor will help us be able to start more projects and help us continue teaching vets how to build bikes,” Zaideman said.
To learn about Operation Combat Bikesaver or to donate, go to https://www.combatbikesaver.org/.
To learn more about CompressAir and the services they provide, go to https://compressair.net/.
