Simply put, Boone Cutler was one of the most influential veterans of the post 9/11 era.
His recent passing comes too soon, but reminds us to remember the alarms he sounded for improving Veterans Affairs care and properly addressing mental health. Cutler called out Congress, the Defense Department, and the Department of Veterans Affairs for overloading vets with prescription meds while holding an outdated stance on cannabis. He worked to save countless veterans from the suicide epidemic by creating The Spartan Pledge.
But I remember him best as a friend who would always take your call. His sharp mind and charismatic quotes always made me smile and his views (on any issue) left me with something to think about. After hearing the news, I pored through interviews we recorded in 2019 for the podcast "To War and Back."
We discussed his life, memories of combat in Sadr City, Iraq, the fascinating role Psy Ops (Psychological Operations) played in the Global War on Terrorism, and the gripping origin story of his advocacy.
We began at a saloon in Nevada, where Boone shared his family’s rich military tradition. Later, we sat at his kitchen table, and I heard Boone’s miraculous, autobiographical story, and I truly got to know the man behind those distinctive black sunglasses.
The experiences he shared would eventually be heard by Congress and trigger the VA to address the over-prescribing of pills, an issue Cutler dubbed “The Combat Cocktail."
He powerfully described the pharmaceutical link to the suicide epidemic and illustrated through his own difficult memories how veterans could consider ending their lives.
Cutler’s story also revealed how he was one of the first vets calling for change in the treatment of TBIs and blast injuries. He shared his fierce advocacy for cannabis, and he offered vivid examples of how it effectively replaced the pain meds and heavy psychoactive drugs, which are still prescribed too often today.
Finally, we dove into his love for his wife, children, veteran brothers and sisters, and how he created The Spartan Pledge as a battle plan to save veteran lives.
There will never be another vet like Boone Cutler.
I am honored to have known Boone and call him a friend.
Till Valhalla, my brother.
Contact Phil Briggs, the host of CBS Eye on Veterans at phil@connectingvets.com.
