KEMPNER, Texas — Central Texas is full of hardworking men and women who choose to remain local after retiring from the military — including Veterans like Scott Robison, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and founder of Camp Cowboy in Kempner.
Although he now calls Central Texas home, his story began in Durango, Colorado.
”I went through grade school there, up through high school,” Robison said.
“In high school, my parents sent me up to New Mexico Military Institute. It's a boarding and military school in Roswell, New Mexico.”
This was an experience that changed his life through chance encounters — like being roommates with actor Owen Wilson — but it was getting the chance the escort Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Roy P. Benavidez, that sealed his decision to join the Army.
”Hearing his story — he motivated me in more ways than I knew, and I decided that day, that I wanted to be him,” Robison said.
“I wanted to be just like him. He made a difference in my life — and fast forward a few years, I went to Special Forces school, graduated Special Forces school, and kind of followed in his footsteps.”
He went on to serve 23 years in the Army before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Now he has a new mission, helping his fellow veterans and his and community through his non-profit, Camp Cowboy.
”When they come in here, we interview them and kind of find out what their goals in life are and where they want to be. It may be, 'I want a better family life, I’m suffering from PTSD, and I need to figure out how to cope with that, I want to get a job, I want to get employment'."
These are people like retired veteran and Camp Cowboy cofounder Tony Cole, who says Camp Cowboy and Robison Ranch saved his life when his PTSD became overwhelming.
”I found that, when I got around the horses, my nightmares would go down, my mood stayed better, I didn’t drink much,” Cole said.
“When I became the ranch manager out here at Robison Ranch back in 2015, I got to be around the horses all the time.”
With that — he has a message for his friend and mentor.
”I absolutely promise to always strive to be a better leader and a better person because of you,” Cole said.
Scott Robison served over 2 decades in the U.S. Army, including in the Special Forces.
Now, alongside his friends and his son Lane, he continues to serve his community and fellow veterans through his love of horses.
