Who we are

Founder

Dylan Wells

My story

My name is Dylan Wells, I’m a combat veteran and first responder. My journey started back in 2017, when I was in college and working at a local Vet Center. One early morning, I got a call that would change everything. My mother told me that one of my lifelong best friends, a combat veteran, James Benson, had taken his own life.

In the weeks that followed, I couldn’t shake the question — what could I have done? I thought about James, about all the other veterans we’d lost to suicide. That’s when the idea first came to me: we needed a veteran crisis response team — something fast, personal, and grounded in brotherhood.

I started taking steps — reaching out to people, laying the groundwork. But at that time, I wasn’t in the right place myself. Between school, raising kids, grief, and my own mental health struggles, I knew I couldn’t take on building an organization that heavy yet. The idea got pinned, but it never left my mind.

Fast forward to 2025. I’d gotten more into graphic design in my off time, and I created the Chaos Company logo — which sparked a whole new wave of designs and ideas. I launched Chaos Company to create mission-driven apparel for veterans and first responders, but more than that, it rekindled the vision I’d carried since 2017.

That’s when Chaos Company Crisis Response (CCCR) was born — a veteran-led effort to provide real-time crisis support for veterans in our community. We’ve started here in the greater Dayton area, and we plan to grow.

This isn’t about me anymore. It’s about honoring the memory of those we’ve lost and standing ready for those still here. One mission, one call at a time.

Our Mission: Service Through Action

Chaos Company was founded by a combat veteran and first responder. Built as a mission-driven apparel and design brand, Chaos Company represents the grit, loyalty, and brotherhood that veterans carry for life. But the mission of Chaos Company extends beyond products — it drives action. That action is embodied in Chaos Company Crisis Response (CCCR).

What is Chaos Company Crisis Response (CCCR)?

Chaos Company Crisis Response is a veteran-led initiative created to provide real-time, boots-on-the-ground support for veterans in crisis. It is not a business operation of Chaos Company, but a charitable project founded by the same veteran who built Chaos Company, and supported by its community. CCCR organizes and mobilizes veteran volunteers to respond where traditional systems too often fall short — meeting fellow veterans with immediate support, connection, and critical resources.

What is Veterans Collaborative?

Veterans Collaborative is a trusted 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting veterans and their families across the country. Veterans Collaborative serves as the fiscal sponsor for Chaos Company Crisis Response, providing the legal and financial structure that allows CCCR to operate as a charitable project.

This partnership ensures that all donations made in support of CCCR are processed by Veterans Collaborative, are fully tax-deductible, and are used solely to fund CCCR’s mission. This structure provides transparency and accountability, giving supporters and donors confidence that every dollar is used as intended — to help veterans in crisis.

Chaos Company Crisis Response is a fiscally sponsored charitable project empowered by Veterans Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations collected by Veterans Collaborative will be fully used to support CCCR. Please contact media@veteranscollaborative.org with any questions.

https://www.veteranscollaborative.org