by GallantFew might initially seem like another charity organization serving veterans. Zachary Ceballos, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, however, saw it as a lifeline and the beginning of something greater.
Twelve Tarrant County veterans who are serving outside of the uniform are highlighted in the Fort Worth Report’s weekly Stories of Honor series.
Additionally, we are showcasing NGOs that veterans have suggested.
The Report will recognize the veterans’ service with a luncheon at the National Medal of recognize Museum in Arlington in November.
Ceballos claimed he was spinning after returning home from Camp Pendleton in 2012. His 2011 mission to Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, a unit that lost 17 Marines and saw almost 200 wounded, left him traumatized and struggling with depression, homelessness, and divorce.
Lance Cpls, two of his closest buddies, were among those slain. Joe Jackson and Sean O. Connor.
Ceballos claimed to have had the honor of transporting his friend’s body home in a helicopter on the day O Connor was killed.
“I think that was the most difficult day of my life,” Ceballos remarked.
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GallantFew was established by Karl Monger, a veteran of the U.S. Army Ranger, to help close the gap between the military and civilian world by providing peer connections, career guidance, and individualized support. The group’s mission is to assist veterans in regaining their sense of self and mental health, frequently by training them to become mentors or counselors themselves.
Ceballos became angry and more reclusive after returning home. He claimed that he became aware of his serious PTSD and physical wounds while attending a memorial service for the fallen Marines. He didn’t know where to go, but a Marine gave him Monger’s number.
A close bond has grown between them. Ceballos added that Monger later offered him a full-time position as a veteran support specialist at GallantFew.
Ceballos is currently scheduled to use his GI Bill to graduate from the University of North Texas in the spring of 2026. He claimed he spends his days assisting other soldiers who are on similar journeys.
Ceballos stated, “We’re working to build a whole network of mental health professionals who have been there.”
This idea underpins GallantFew’s larger goal of empowering veterans to assist others in addition to rehabilitating them. According to Monger, the group has served over 8,000 veterans with over 38,000 services.
According to Monger, the military trains service members to be warriors for years. However, you receive a one-week transition training when it’s time to depart.
It can take up to seven years to become a certified counselor, and much longer if a veteran has never attended college. According to Monger, the cost of a single supervision session can reach $200. In order to remove these obstacles and assist veterans during the process, GallantFew raises money.
“We need to actually make that path possible if we want more counselors with experience,” Monger added.
The Denton County Military Veteran Peer Network is a partner of the group. The Texas Veterans Commission and Chevrolet are among the sponsors who contribute to the funding of GallantFew. One program, Freedom Reins, is an eight-week program that uses horsemanship to help veterans develop relationships and trust.
For Douglas Rhodes, a retired Master Sgt. in the U.S. Air Force, who was sent to GallantFew via Tarrant County Veterans Treatment Court, that assistance was life-changing.
My veteran status didn’t mean anything to me. Rhodes declared, “I didn’t care what anyone thought.”
Alcohol had been ingrained. Legal issues ensued. Monger then arrived.
“You retired as a Master Sgt., right?” I asked him. When he replied in the affirmative, I said, “When was the last time you behaved like one?” Monger remembered. It felt like someone striking him in the nose through the screen.
Rhodes was jolted out of his daze by that moment. He coaches others in the same program and has remained sober since 2023, according to Rhodes. At a gym in Grapevine, he even organizes GallantFew’s indoor rock climbing classes.
Rhodes stated, “I would never have entered a climbing gym before that.” Currently, I visit there three times every week.
Prior to GallantFew’s assistance, he had no idea how crucial it was to accept his status as a veteran. According to Rhodes, the accountability, discipline, and connection all clicked.
According to Monger, veterans don’t want to speak with someone who has never been in the military. They want to be challenged by someone who has been in their position.
Nonprofit spotlight
URL: gallantfew.org
Contact information: [email protected] or 817-203-4375
Established in 2010
Nonprofit data
Tax returns
Through counseling, rock climbing, retreats and peer mentorship, GallantFew is building a model centered on trust and shared experience. Ceballos said a recent sweat lodge retreat with Lakota elders in Colorado helped several participants work through long-buried trauma.
Some of us were crying, Ceballos said. There was so much gratitude for Monger. I ve seen this organization prevent suicides. I ve seen it give people back their lives.
GallantFew doesn t claim to have all the answers, Ceballos said, but it offers something many veterans can t find elsewhere: someone who understands and won t let them walk alone.
I don t make a lot of money, Ceballos said. But when a veteran says, Thanks for listening, that makes my freaking day.
Hearing those words, Ceballos said, is how he gets paid, emotionally.
Orlando Torres works at the Fort Worth Report as a reporting fellow. Reach him at fortworthreport.org/orlando.torres.Decisions on news at the Fort Worth Report are decided without consulting our board members or sponsors. Find out more about our policy on editorial independence here.
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