Darcel Rideout (Darcy)

Darcel A. Rideout is an 11-year PA Army National Guard veteran, small business owner, mental health advocate, and board member of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania.

Darcel joined the PA Army National Guard at the age of 17. Darcel was awarded two Army Achievement medals during service. Following a series of traumatic experiences during her last years of service in the Army National Guard, Darcel was diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety. Fortunately, Darcel received no-cost Behavioral and Mental health care through the Cohen’s Veteran Network, which she credits with changing her life.

Currently, Darcel owns a graphic t-shirt company and is pursuing a psychology degree at Widener University with plans of becoming a Clinical Psychologist. She is on the advisory board of the Cohen Military Family Clinic as a Veteran Advocate. Since overcoming her mental health challenges, Darcel has publicly shared her experiences in efforts to reach others in the veteran community, active-duty service members, and anyone in the public who is struggling with mental health.

Darcel Rideout (Darcy)

Benjamin was born and raised in southwest Philadelphia. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a Hospital Corpsman (medic) attached to a Marine Corps combat unit during Desert Storm. He was also deployed on a contingency mission in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean Territory and deployed to Okinawa, Japan, for mountain training in the rugged terrain of the Northern Training area in Okinawa. He also was attached to Fox Company 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine division in Camp Lejeune North Carlina.

Currently, Benjamin is the CompeerCORPS Outreach Leader at Voice and Vision and Co-host of the Untold Valor Podcast. He is also the Assistant Pastor and Outreach Coordinator of Philadelphia Baptist Church. He is due to graduate from Lancaster Bible College with a master’s degree in counseling in late 2024.