Warriors of Camp Southern Ground

Dorothy Phillips

Dorothy is a Warrior PATHH alum who served as a U.S. Army Reserve Nurse in Desert Storm. This is her story.

I was born into a family of eight children in rural N. C. Many moons ago… my parents were sharecroppers and life was tough but all that struggle made me stronger, more self-reliant and grateful.

I married very young, and my husband enlisted in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. In 1983, I joined the U.S. Army Reserve Nurse Corp for variety, adventure and to be of service to our country. I was activated in Desert Shield/ Desert Storm and deployed to Saudi Arabia where I really got to know who Dorothy was. Coming face to face with the real possibility that I may not ever see or get to hug my children again has a way of bringing your perspectives into clear focus and quickly.

A divorce was in process before my deployment and was placed on hold while I was overseas. The time away gave me opportunity to think more clearly. I learned a lot about life and certainly what I was no longer willing to settle for just to keep everyone else happy. Upon returning to El Paso after the war I knew I needed a change in my life and in a big way. As the divorce moved forward, I interviewed for a Research Coordinator job at the University of Texas in San Antonio and moved to San Antonio without knowing a soul here. I met and married a newly retired AF Chief a few years later and blended our families, which we consider to be a true blessing. I became an instant grandmother in August of 1993.

I served in the USAR Nurse Corps until I resigned my commission in December 1995.

I still live in Military City, USA and remain married to my Chief. I have been both military wife and active deployed military member. As a nurse, I have cared for many service members on bases around the world as well as here at home as a nurse, so feel I have not really left the military behind. I am and always will be a Proud veteran.

As a proud Army Nurse Corps veteran, I thought I was strong enough to hide and conceal my struggle with unresolved trauma for far too many years. I believed that if I could hide my brokenness, conceal my trauma, and muscle through with sheer grit, I could survive and thrive. I was so wrong. This weight not only burdened me mentally, physically, and emotionally but also affected every aspect of my life and all my personal relationships. Over the years, knowing how harmful this baggage was, I was now feeling desperate and weary, trying to let go and get off this merry-go-round, but I just did not have the strength or skills needed.

The seven days spent in Warrior PATHH, learning about myself, facing my fears and trauma, thoroughly examining them, and figuring out how to deal with my life without hiding again, were a massive challenge. These days at PATHH were not a show-up-and-get-your-certificate kind of program; it required significant effort from me. PATHH was work, the toughest struggle of my life. It was challenging, soul-wrenching, and life-changing work, and it was worth every bit of the personal challenge.

The PATHH team members soon became My Team. The self-insight, renewed confidence, steps and skills learned, and renewed hope gained through this PATHH program have truly changed my life and the lives of my loved ones. Knowing that I have the power to change, that I am worthy, connected, and not struggling alone means so much to me.

The simple words of thank you can never relay my deep and true appreciation or show you my personal growth, but the knowledge that I have made tremendous progress in my life and that it is thanks to PATHH and all those who make the program possible is priceless. From the heart of a forever changed and humbly gratefully veteran a sincere thank you ALL.