Preparing For Life After The Military
During the month of February, The Station supported service members transitioning out of the military through various experiences offered at both Base Camp Jimmy and our outStations. This February journal entry gives you a glimpse into how The Station views a proper homecoming and transition for the SOF Community.
Through these programs, service members can transition from the military to civilian life and confidently assume their role in the home.
–The Station Team
BASE CAMP JIMMY
TrAC
Transition Azimuth Check
The Station hosted seven service members walking through the unfamiliar terrain of transition. We understand that transition is more than finding a job or career. When service members hang up their uniforms for the last time, there is the need to return home and rediscover who they are. That is our goal during TrAC. The words below from a recent participant explain TrAC’s outcomes better than we could ever articulate.
“Some places make me feel comfortable in a suit. The Station made me comfortable in my own skin.”
—NSW Service Member, TrAC 2024
At The Station, we are blessed to have amazing mentors who have stayed engaged with us and the participants throughout the years. Below, one of our mentors and videographer, Jess Atkinson, provides a behind-the-scenes peek at TrAC.
By Jess Atkinson
Much has changed over the last 5 years of having the privilege to be a mentor at The Station. But one thing has remained the same – it’s Kevin, Shannon and the entire staff’s commitment to the service members and their families. Their love makes it so that every time a TrAC concludes, the space has been created and clarity discovered for healing to begin. And for the Warriors to come home from war.
The physical changes have been dramatic through the many construction projects that have occurred over the years – from the sacred yoga space for healing, to the communal fire pit for fireside chats, to the peaceful, tranquil Gazebo space honoring the beloved Patty Lefever. But the biggest change, which for some reason always comes as a surprise, is the size of the memorial cairn – rocks carried in honor of the Fallen.
As I walk the memorial path in silence, I’m always lost in thought. As I make the last sharp turn and go straight up the hill, the cairn comes into view. And I am stunned at how big it is. Every. Time.
Upon reflection, it’s a good thing that cairn grows. For it means friends and loved ones that were lost are remembered and honored. It means that their stories have been shared so that they may live on. It means the community is healing. For when each service member places a rock on top of that cairn, another meaningful component of the cairn unfolds as SOF service members put down the weight they have carried home from war.
INTERWOVEN
Presence In The Home
outStation Couples Events
A service member’s smooth transition and separation from the military requires more than understanding how skills translate beyond the battlefield. It requires being armed with tools and resources to face the unique and unexpected challenges that come their way.
An increased presence at home changes a service member’s role within their family which can be just as overwhelming and confusing as finding a new job. After years of separation, family relationships have been strained. Roles within the home have been adjusted. And spouses and service members have forgotten why they fell in love and what they first admired about their partner.
Our outStations’ approach to resolve this issue includes couples events that create a strong foundation of friendship and help rekindle relationships. Couples events provide engaging activities that help partners find the good in one another, reconnect after years of separation, and gain insight into their partner’s life and dreams.
Take some time to view two upcoming couples events in Camp Lejeune and San Diego.
Interwoven Local Events
Click to explore outStations in your area
Thank You For Your Support
Your generosity provides a powerful path for the Special Operations Community – Warriors, Spouses, Children, and Gold Star Children – to attend our world-class programming and return home with meaning and purpose beyond war.
People like you have impacted thousands since 2012. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to helping SOF Families.
To learn more about supporting The Station, email Jazlyn Greenwood at: jgreenwood@thestationfoundation.org
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