War and cattle:
How one Nebraskan made it from two tours in Ramadi to ranching in the Sandhills
February 2, 2023

Courtesy Photo
Farm aid • Garrett Dwyer sits in front of the Dwyer Ranch sign. His family has been on this land since 1984, when his great-great grandfather homesteaded it. Dwyer says he has learned modern farm management and business skills from the Farmer Veteran Coalition, which helps military vets who grew up as farm kids – or who want to be farmers or ranchers for the first time.
Garrett Dwyer runs about 500 head of Hereford and Angus cattle on his Bartlett ranch on the east edge of the Sandhills. The land he's on today has been in his family since 1894, when his great-great grandfather homesteaded it. Dwyer, who grew up there, is now the fifth generation in his family to ranch this land.
But Dwyer didn't take over the family ranch until he did something far from home. For five years, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including two combat tours in Iraq. Now he's taking advantage of a national nonprofit initiative, the Farmer Veteran Coalition, that aims to re-ener...
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