Two ex-military men in the United States raise money for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: they have already donated more than $500,000 to Ukrainian soldiers. Photo

Two former U.S. military officers, veterans of the Iraq War, Jonathan Montgomery and Douglas Barnett, have been raising money to support Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. They have already donated more than $500,000 to Ukrainian defenders.

According to KARK 4 News, mail carriers and veterans from Malvern, Arkansas, raised $15,000 back in 2022 to help the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Since then, they have not stopped and have already raised more than half a million dollars.

Jonathan Monty Montgomery is a veteran of the U.S. National Guard, and Douglas Barnett is a veteran of the U.S. Army.

Both said that fundraising was not their first thought about what to do when they saw the Russian attack.

"We talked about going over there and volunteering, but we would have ended up back to divorces, no housing, and no careers," Monty said.

"So we've helped and are probably doing more good than if we were freezing to death in a trench down there," Barnett added.

The sets of 100 numbered coins created by the former military were sold at an online auction on the Monty's X account for up to $3,500 per coin.

All this money is used to buy military units everything they need, including medical supplies or four-wheeled vehicles to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield.

In addition to signed flags, thank-you videos, and other tokens of recognition, American veterans have received national and international honors for their support. Yet in time, they often become grim reminders of what is at stake.

"Some of the people we've gotten to know over the phone and through messages have died or been killed," Barnett said.

However, the two former military men want everyone to know that any idea, no matter how silly it may seem at first glance, such as their first coin featuring a cartoon dog in a military uniform, can make a big difference.

"It feels good. It takes away the feeling of not being able to do something," Barnett said.

"There are no excuses, you can always find a way to help in some way," said Monty.

The next auction is scheduled to begin in the second week of January. They will sell ten coins a week.

Both say that as long as there is a need and desire for others to help, they will continue this work, but hope that the war will end before they reach the next stage of fundraising.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, British singer Sting sang Shape of my Heart to the accompaniment of a bandura. Taras Stolyar, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a member of the Cultural Landing, provided the musical accompaniment.

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