An Army Veteran Helps Soldiers Heal With BBQ

Frank Diaz, owner of Tin Hut BBQ, employs veterans who are homeless or struggling with PTSD

Frank Diaz (R) with the Tin Hut BBQ truck. Courtesy of Tin Hut BBQ

It was the Fourth of July, 2018, and the United States Navy was performing the Rim of the Pacific Exercise. Fireworks were exploding in the air, and Navy veteran Desiree Cortés, working at Tin Hut BBQ in Honolulu, Hawaii, was having a difficult time coping with the heavy cacophony.

Cortés had informed her boss, owner and Army veteran Frank Diaz, ahead of time that it might be a difficult day for her. Both had experienced post-traumatic stress, and Diaz could empathize with her.