Camp Resilient - Walking Off the War

We met our initial goal of $2198! Thank you so much to those who have contributed so generously to support Camp Resilient! In classic Army officer fashion, I am moving the goal post.

An Appalachian Trail yo-yo hiker is someone who hikes both ways, NOBO-SOBO or SOBO-NOBO, in one year. In honor of them and my trail buddy "Easily Forgotten", the new goal is 4396 for the miles they will hike.

Earl Shaffer was the first person recognized for completing a continuous Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 1948. After serving in the South Pacific with the Marines in WWII, he started his thru-hike journey, in his words, "to walk the war out of my system." As a recently retired Army Lieutenant Colonel with 20 years of service, I can sympathize with his perspective. My career would have me spend 25 months in Iraq, for a purpose that I am now unsure of. I spent the last 10 years of my career as a Soldier-Diplomat working closely with our partners from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos in efforts to build better understanding and prevent future conflict. The work was often stressful and thankless, with initiatives taking years to realize results, and I need to decompress from all of my experiences. In mid-June 2023, I will begin a 2198-mile journey from Maine to Georgia on the Appalachian Trail, taking my opportunity to walk off the stress of military life as Earl Shaffer did, connecting with nature and observing the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains.

This hike will take approximately 6 months to complete. While I will certainly benefit from the simplicity of life, building resilience through overcoming physical and mental obstacles, and connection with nature, I want to help others struggling to overcome the unique challenges the military throws their way. Please help me in supporting Camp Resilient as they provide a space for military members, veterans and their family members to practice mindfulness in a natural setting. Camp Resilient is designed to effectively support and improve the stress and trauma effects of service and build resilience within the individual, family, unit and community. All funds raised will go directly to providing courses and workshops at Camp Resilient to our military families who need care through their holistic approach. My goal is to raise $2198, one dollar for each mile of the length of the Appalachian Trail this year.

Thank you for your support to Camp Resilient and the work they are doing to help our military members, veterans, and their families!