From the Drop Zone to Purpose: Why I Chose to Serve Again

When people find out I served 29 years in the United States Army, they usually say something like: "Wow, what a career. You must be so proud."

And I am. But I'll be honest with you — the proudest moments of my life haven't come from earning my Pathfinder Badge, completing over 40 parachute jumps, or attending Army flight school flying helicopters. The proudest moments have come from what I chose to do after I left the military. Because the truth is, I almost didn't make it to this side of my service in one piece.

The Mission Nobody Talks About

My last few years in the military were the most traumatic and mentally exhausting of my entire career. I dealt with toxic leadership, hostile work environments, and the kind of invisible wounds that don't show up on an X-ray. I had spent nearly three decades building something — a career, an identity, a purpose — and I watched it become a source of pain I didn't know how to name.

I know I'm not alone in that. Thousands of Veterans across this country walk out of their service carrying weight that no one ever prepared them to put down. They don't always talk about it. They don't always ask for help. And too often, the cost of getting that help — financially, emotionally, logistically — is just too high to bear alone.

That is exactly why the work being done by organizations like Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance matters so deeply to me. Without sustained financial support from people who care, the kind of life-changing care Veterans need simply cannot reach everyone who is struggling.

What I Learned on the Drop Zone

As one of the first women in the military to become an Army Pathfinder, I learned early that going in first — ahead of the main force, into uncertain terrain — is one of the most critical jobs in any operation. A Pathfinder's mission is simple: mark the way so others can follow. Secure the landing zone. Make it safer for those who come behind you.

That is what I believe every Veteran who has survived their own battles is called to do for the ones still fighting.

Even though I tried to put it behind me, I didn't realize that what I went through would be used to help others. I was betrayed, I was angry. But I figured out the importance of reclaiming what I earned, and I was proud of that. The same experiences that nearly broke me became the foundation of my message and my mission.

The Cost of Carrying It Alone

During my service I helped build systems. I was part of the initial federal certification of Civil Support Teams. I worked at the JFK Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg. I helped implement HR data systems still in use by the National Guard Bureau today. I was trained to solve complex problems and execute difficult missions.

But none of that training prepared me for the isolation of transitioning out of the military while still carrying unresolved trauma. No one handed me a roadmap for that.

What I needed — and what so many Veterans need — is access to real, integrative healthcare and support services that get to the root of what's wrong, not just manage the symptoms. And the hard reality is that the cost of that kind of care is often more than what VA insurance will cover. Veterans are left to figure out the gap on their own, at the very moment they have the least bandwidth to do so.

That gap is where financial support becomes more than a donation — it becomes a lifeline.

Why I'm Standing with VH+WA

Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance exists to close that gap. Our mission is to cover the costs of integrative, root-cause healthcare and support services so that Veterans can live the lives they want to live — at no cost to the Veteran. That kind of mission speaks directly to what I wish had existed for me during my hardest years.

I have seen firsthand what happens when a Veteran gets the right support at the right time. I have also seen what happens when they don't. The difference is not a matter of strength or willpower. It is a matter of access — and access is something we, as a community, can actually fix together.

Financial support is how we turn good intentions into real impact. Every dollar is a statement that says, "Your service mattered — and your healing matters too."

You Don't Have to Be a Veteran to Help One

When I wrote PathfYnder, I wanted to give people a practical guide for using personal courage and emotional control to face fear and build the life they want. But the book only reaches so far. Real change happens when communities decide that their Veterans are worth investing in — not with thank-yous and bumper stickers, but with resources, presence, and financial commitment.

If you believe — as I do — that every Veteran's story is worth protecting, I'm asking you to stand with Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance. Your donation doesn't disappear. It goes directly towards care that transforms lives. And if both the donor and the Veteran consent, you may even get to meet the person your generosity helped.

We didn't serve alone. We shouldn't have to heal alone either.

Master Sergeant (Ret.) Erinn Watkins is the author of PathfYnder: How I Use Personal Courage and Emotional Control to Face Fear, Build Success, and Get What I Want. She is a motivational speaker, Veteran advocate, and one of the first women to become an Army Pathfinder. Learn more at erinnspeaks.com and join her in supporting Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance.