{"id":1321,"date":"2026-06-06T16:33:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T16:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=1321"},"modified":"2026-06-06T16:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T16:33:50","slug":"watch-valley-veteran-gets-national-recognition-for-helping-others-heal-through-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=1321","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: Valley veteran gets national recognition for helping others heal through art"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Phoenix veteran who once used art to help rebuild his own life is now using it to help other veterans do the same, and he’s gaining national recognition along the way. <\/p>

Read more Progressive groups to Arizona lawmakers: Repeal data-center tax breaks in state budget<\/a><\/p>

Military veteran and printmaker Daniel Ragsdale Combs has been selected as Arizona’s sole representative at the 2026 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival after earning a National First Place Gold Medal in Printmaking. <\/p>

But for Daniel, the award is only part of the story. After suffering a brain injury during his military service, Daniel turned to art as a way to process trauma, rebuild confidence, and find purpose beyond the uniform. <\/p>

Read more Red Cross says there is an urgent need for blood donors right now<\/a><\/p>

Today, he creates intricate, award-winning prints while encouraging fellow veterans to explore creativity as a tool for healing, connection, and recovery. <\/p>

ABC15’s Cameron Polom met Daniel inside his Phoenix studio as he prepares to represent Arizona on a national stage, while sharing how art helped him navigate life after service. Watch the full story in the video player above.<\/i><\/b> <\/p>

Read more NASA orders astronauts to take shelter after new leak aboard the ISS<\/a><\/p>

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A Phoenix veteran who once used art to help rebuild his own life is now using it to help other veterans do the same, and he’s gaining national recognition along the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uplifting-arizona"],"yoast_head":"\nWATCH: Valley veteran gets national recognition for helping others heal through art - Arizona Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=1321\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WATCH: Valley veteran gets national recognition for helping others heal through art - 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