“Every step, every mile that you put in, you feel yourself becoming better. You feel yourself changing.”

I was going to do this for the soldiers that weren’t able to come home to their family members. And so, by finishing this, I feel like I’m, in a way, helping them. I’m ready to be done because I’m a new person, and I’m going to go be that new person.

Warrior Expeditions is a veteran non-profit outdoor therapy program that helps veterans transition from their wartime experiences through long-distance hiking, biking, and paddling expeditions. When I got out of the Marines, I hiked all 2,185 miles of the Appalachian Trail. And, that’s where I got the inspiration to create Warrior Expeditions.

There were three really impactful parts of my experience while hiking the Appalachian Trail. The first was, just having the time and space to process and decompress from my wartime experiences. The second would be, the opportunity to hike with other combat veterans that understand both what you went through in combat, and now as you’re going through the process of the journey itself. And then, the third thing was just connecting with communities along the way, which really helps to reestablish that basic faith in humanity that you may have lost.

I… I have PTSD, so with everything that I’ve seen as a ground medic, and a medevac pilot, it really burns memories in your brain. And all the emotions that are associated with those sights, it just sits there. So, I really want to calm my mind and not be going a million miles a second. I would like to, you know, really process everything that I’ve been through, and decompress.

Every day while you’re in the military you find that you have a purpose. Whether it’s for your soldiers, whatever mission it is. And, when you’re out, that purpose kind of dwindles away. And, I believe that this journey will help me find that purpose again. Getting up, doing things for myself, and making myself the number one priority is an expectation that I hope to achieve by the end of this trek.
[upbeat music]

Jessica: 1,200 miles is no small trek. So, just being able to make a goal, and finish it, for me, is great. I’m anxious to get out there and start it and start the healing process.

I’m pretty sure that we’re over our 800-mile mark. It has been like eye-opening, and overwhelming at times but in a good kind of way.

So, about every five days, our veterans have the opportunity to get off the trail and be hosted by our community supporters along the way. Which provide ’em a place to stay, a place to get cleaned up, and have a hot meal, before getting back out on the trail.

We organized a potluck for the hikers. We thought it would be a really lovely way to just say, thank you for hiking on the trail that we voluntarily maintain. Want to send them off with just a lot of love and support. And, thank them for, you know, their service to us, and the country.

Being on this trail, you meet people, and they really do give you the most random kindness. You know, it really puts that faith back into humanity that I had lost for a little while.

I am stronger than what I mentally think I am. Mandy and I have been through so many miles, and we’ve been able to push every single day, with more miles and more miles. And, still, complete it with motivation at the end.

I feel that I am more emotionally prepared to enter into a civilian world. I feel that I’m more open to people, I am more accepting of people at this point now than I was before.

Man: Would ‘ya look at that.

Come on, ladies.

Yay!

Jessica: Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Man: Would ‘ya look at that! ‘Ya made it.

Oh, my God. You don’t know how much that means to me.

Hi, Mom.

Mom: Hi, sweetheart.

Jessica: You guys.

Mom: I’m so proud of you guys.

I’m good. Oh, my God.

Woman: You did it.

Thank you, thank you so much. This is horrible, I’m crying.

Man: There ‘ya go.

We did it.

We did.

I feel amazing. I was like, am I going to make it through this whole trail? And, we did it, we did it together. And, that was, I think, the most important thing for me.

You actually slow down, and you take the time to like meet people, and talk to people, and find out what, you know, what makes them who they are. That right there has made me develop into a better person.

I’ve been able to slow down and realize that those quiet moments are so much better than cramming my calendar full of things.

Amanda: Every step, every mile that you put in, you feel yourself becoming better. You feel yourself changing.

Wholeheartedly, 100%, I know I’m a lot better right now than when I started.