Warriors of Camp Southern Ground

STEPHANIE WEAVER

Stephanie is a U.S. Navy veteran and Warrior Week and Warrior PATHH alum. This is her story.

My 23 years in the United States Navy included multiple overseas deployments. My roles included Senior Enlisted Advisor, Law Enforcement and Physical Security Subject Matter Expert, Master Training Specialist, and Personal Protection details.

After I left the service, I thought I had it all figured out. And I quickly realized that I didn’t. And as I began to struggle and isolate, I knew that I needed to find something that worked and something that was different and something that helped.

I was actually looking for a job when I stumbled upon Camp Southern Ground. I came to Warrior Week first, and when I was there, I was surrounded by this community that I had missed since leaving the Navy. And in that process, I learned about Warrior PATHH. And when I came to Warrior PATHH… some people say that it changed their life, I say that it saved my life.

Warrior PATHH made me a better mom, a better wife, and a better human. It taught me how to struggle well, so that I could go live my best life, which included becoming the Warrior PATHH Program Manager here at Camp Southern Ground. Through that process, my husband, who is also a Navy veteran, came to Camp Southern Ground for Warrior Week. My son, who is, we like to say, our little autism ninja, comes to Camp Southern Ground for summer camp, where he feels included, wanted, supported, and encouraged; really “part of the team.”

To say I owe a debt to Camp Southern Ground for everything that it’s done for me and my family is an understatement.