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ZOLTAN BATHORY OF FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH JOINS FORCES WITH VETPAW
(VETERANS EMPOWERED TO PROTECT AFRICAN WILDLIFE) TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS
FOR ANTI-POACHING EFFORTS
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Watch Discovery’s Animal Planet Documentary Series “Blood Ivory
Zoltan Bathory, the founding guitarist of the multi-million record selling rock band Five Finger Death Punch, has joined forces with VETPAW (Veterans Empowered To Protect African Wildlife), an anti-poaching organization protecting various African wild life reserves. Zoltan will serve on the board of advisors, landing logistical support to the group while raising awareness of the crisis Rhinos and Elephants face.
Says Zoltan, “I heard a lot about VETPAW from the local Tanzanian rangers I was roaming around with in Africa a couple of years ago. So I contacted them and we ended up forming a close relationship. This year, I was on the ground in South Africa with their anti-poaching unit to see and experience first hand what they do. I have been working with non-profits for a decade, helping Veterans whatever way I can, and this was just a perfect and righteous cause. VETPAW employs combat veterans and they protect endangered wild life – combining two causes I care about.”
VETPAW was founded in 2012 by Ryan Tate, a former post 9-11 Marine who saw what was happening to elephants and rhinos in Africa and realized that like himself, U.S. Veterans trained on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan in counter-insurgency warfare are remarkably well suited to re-purpose those skills in the battle to save African endangered
species. The non-profit hires post 9-11 Veterans who are under or unemployed to go to work in conservation and anti-poaching. Working in conjunction with the Tanzanian Anti-Wildlife Crimes Task Force, Tate and his team successfully assisted the task force with investigations, security, strategy and ultimately the arrest of 50 suspected poachers, leading to the destruction of a poaching ring responsible for the deaths of countless elephants.
VETPAW has teamed up with Discovery’s Animal Planet for “Blood Ivory,” a historic and exciting documentary series that premiered last Tuesday. “Blood Ivory” gives an unprecedented inside look into the often dangerous missions of an anti poaching team comprised of former U.S. Marine, Air Force, Army and Special Forces Green Beret soldiers alongside with Tanzanian Park Rangers.  It is a compelling and heartfelt journey that changed their lives and helped save the lives of animals that otherwise could have fallen victim to poaching. “Blood Ivory” is airing on Discovery’s Animal Planet on Tuesday nights at 7pm and 10pm local time for a limited run.
While “Blood Ivory” set the stage for this unique experiment in American Veterans conducting counter-poaching operations in Africa, today VETPAW maintains a base of operations in South Africa where their Veterans protect critically endangered rhinos from poaching. In addition, VETPAW has trained approximately 1,000 African Park Rangers in the latest counter-poaching techniques.
Known for his activism, Zoltan has spearheaded campaigns with Five Finger Death Punch and has raised over a quarter million dollars for various non-profits dedicated to help Veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. He is the chairman of development of the Las Vegas-based “Home Deployment Project,” a non-profit getting homeless veterans off the streets and reintegrating them into society. Amongst many others, the band is a founding donor of the Marine Special Operation’s Raider Project and has been working with the Badge Of Honor Foundation helping the families of fallen police officers.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH – TOUR DATES:
SEPTEMBER
Friday, September 22–Denver, CO–High Elevation Rock Festival (Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre)
Friday, September 29–Clarkston, MI–DTE Energy Music Theatre
Saturday, September 30–Louisville, KY–Louder Than Life
OCTOBER
Sunday, October 1–Janesville, WI–Sonic Boom Festival
Saturday, October 7–Camden, NJ–Rock Allegiance Festival
Saturday, October 14–The Woodlands, TX–Houston Open Air Festival
Sunday, October 22–Sacramento, CA–After Shock
NOVEMBER
Wednesday, November 1–Saint Paul, MN–Myth Live Event Center
Thursday, November 9–Moscow, Russia–Stadium Live
Sunday, November 12–St Petersburg, Russia–A2
Tuesday, November 14–Helsinki, Finland–Hartwall Arena
Thursday November 16–Gothenburg, Sweden–Scandinavium
Friday, November 17–Stockholm, Sweden–Stockholm Globe
Saturday, November 18–Oslo, Norway–Oslo Spektrum
Monday, November 20–Copenhagen, Denmark–Royal Arena
Tuesday, November 21–Hamburg, Germany–Barclaycard Arena
Wednesday, November 22–Berlin, Germany–Velodrome
Friday, November 24–Oberhausen, Germany–KP Arena
Sunday, November 26–Prague, Czechia–Forum Karlin
Tuesday, November 28–Zurich, Switzerland–Hallenstadion
Wednesday, November 29–Munich, Germany–Olympiahalle
Thursday, November 30–Padova, Italy–Geox Theatre
DECEMBER
Saturday, December 2–Stuttgart, Germany–HMH Schleyerhalle
Monday, December 4–Paris, France–Olmypia
Tuesday, December 5–Luxemborg, Germany–Rockhall
Wednesday, December 6–Frankfurt, Germany–Festhalle
Friday, December 8–Vienna, Austria–Stadthalle
Monday, December 11–Madrid, Spain–Wizink Center
Tuesday, December 12–Barcelona, Spain–Sant Jordi Club
Thursday, December 14–Antwerp, Belgium–Lotto
Friday, December 15–Amsterdam, Netherlands–AFAS Live
Sunday, December 17–Birmingham, UK–BCA
Monday, December 18–Glasgow, Scotland–Hydro
Wednesday, December 20–Leeds, UK–Leeds Arena
Thursday, December 21–London, UK–Wembley Arena
ABOUT VETPAW
The goals of Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VETPAW) are to provide meaningful employment to skilled post – 9/11 U.S. Veterans and conserve critically endangered African species and their communities and ecosystems. Iconic and irreplaceable wildlife is on the brink of extinction due to illegal poaching, and the crisis has far-reaching and catastrophic consequences. VETPAW utilizes the unrivalled expertise of veterans to train and support African rangers and to provide sustainable solutions. By hiring the men and women of the U.S. military we also facilitate career development and personal growth.

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Mayhem Music Magazine