We started because someone had to.
Left Foot First was built by veterans, for veterans — because we know what it feels like to come home and not know what comes next.
How it started
Our story
Left Foot First was founded by CD Song, a Navy Hospital Corpsman who served alongside the United States Marines. He saw firsthand what service demands of a person — and what it takes away.
When Song transitioned from active duty to civilian life, there was no roadmap. No one handed him a guide to navigating the gap between who he was in uniform and who he was supposed to become. He figured it out — but he never forgot how hard that was, or how unnecessary it should have been.
That experience became the foundation of Left Foot First. Song built the organization he wished had existed for him: a place where veterans could find real guidance, real community, and real support as they stepped into the next chapter of their lives.
What drives us
Our mission
To connect veterans with the mental health support, peer community, and wellness resources they need to thrive — not just survive.
No veteran left behind
We meet veterans where they are — in crisis, in transition, or just looking for connection. No one is turned away.
Peer-led, clinician-supported
Veterans heal best alongside other veterans. Our programs center peer relationships, backed by licensed clinical support.
Dignity first
We treat every veteran with the dignity they've earned. No bureaucracy, no judgment, no red tape.
Radical honesty
We talk openly about suicide, trauma, and struggle — because silence costs lives. We say the hard things.