17/12/2025
This is a long one, but I believe tonight was formidable.
Tonight exceeded every notion and expectation I had, and that is honestly an understatement.
This whole thing started in the most ordinary way. Walking the dogs on Veterans Day, I ran into Toby and asked a simple question. Why isn’t there a Legion here. Toby, a veteran himself and a well-respected local business owner and employer, explained that this had already been something they were working toward. That there were veterans he knew, documents that would matter, numbers that would need to come together, and the possibility that something real could exist here if the right pieces aligned.
Before moving forward, on Veterans Day, Toby made sure it was okay to connect me with Chris and that it made sense for me to start putting the call out. He sent me Chris’s number. From there, this unfolded exactly as it was meant to.
It was immediately clear this was already Chris and Heather’s vision. Their endeavor. Their heart. Their work. I simply asked if I could help. They said yes. I feel incredibly lucky that they trusted me to run with their idea and help gather people while they juggle everything else they do. All credit belongs to them. I’m grateful to be part of it.
Fast forward from that sidewalk conversation to tonight. Sitting at Toby’s bar. Stories flowing. Laughter everywhere. And a room full of people who instantly understood one another.
Camaraderie was immediate, effortless.
It wasn’t like walking into a typical social event where you feel your way around the room and make small talk. This was connection from the first moment. Real connection. Laughter. Reminiscing. Learning. Pride. And underneath it all, a deep respect you can feel but can’t quite put into words.
It didn’t matter where anyone was from. Different countries. Different generations. Different wars. Different life paths. What mattered was the shared understanding. Veterans carry experiences that only other veterans can truly relate to. Unique situations. Unique trauma. A unique brotherhood and sisterhood. As a civilian, I can listen, learn, and be grateful, but I will never fully know it the way they do. And you feel that difference in a room like this.
One important moment happened before tonight, online. An early post used the word allies. A veteran reach out on Facebook and questioned the wording on my initial poster, which I am not versed in war or how it works or what the hell has gone down in its entirety, but I had the word “allies”on my poster, he did not intend to attack, but to challenge it. I told him he didn’t need to admonish me, but he was welcome to educate me. And he did.
He explained that in many countries, when you are born into a nation and trained for service, you don’t get to choose a side. You fight because it is your job. Soldiers across the world are often placed opposite one another without personal choice or personal hatred. They are doing what they were trained and ordered to do. That perspective mattered, and I thanked him. Because of that conversation, this page and this community will remain neutral.
Standing on the sidewalk afterward tonight, the learning continued. Conversations about how things are done in the UK. In Australia. About daily moments of silence. About traditions, remembrance, Japan, the Geneva Convention, and why customs exist in different cultures. It was constant learning, and it was effortless.
This community is not meant to mimic one Legion, one club, or one country’s way of doing things. Every bit of input is welcome. Every perspective matters. We are learning from many models and building something that fits here, in Los Cabos, with the people who show up.
Veterans of Los Cabos is meant to be a hub. Whether you live here, are visiting, passing through, or simply connected to this place. Whether your service was recent or decades ago. Whether your story is loud or quiet. You are welcome here.
This is not just about getting together for a drink. It’s about creating space for stories that only come out when the right people are in the room, and support and relatability for something that I am blessed to not have to know the depths of. 
Tonight was a perfect first gathering. Eleven incredible human beings. The place buzzing. The energy undeniable. And without question, one of the best nights I’ve had in years.
With Christmas right around the corner, we’ll gather again in the new year. I’ll address everyone separately for Christmas and New Year’s, but for now here’s what we know. Our meetups will rotate between Sancho’s on the marina, run by two absolutely amazing women entrepreneurs, and The Porch at Mar Vida.
More is coming. Much more.
If you have something you’d like shared or posted, please read the guidelines. As long as it stays respectful and in lane, it is welcome. Veterans with businesses are encouraged to share and support one another.
I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful to Toby, Chris Morris, and Heather Elizabeth Prat for leading this with such intention. What they are building matters. And I cannot wait to hear the stories you’re willing to share, learn about who you are, learn about us, and learn about the world we live in and how we got here.
This is Veterans of Los Cabos.
