This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend 3 days with an exceptional group of men and women on a weekend retreat sponsored by vets4vets. This peer support group for veterans from OIF/OEF era service was the most well rounded and respectable coed group that I have participated in a while. As a veteran who has seen the ugly side of coed I had my reservations. The facilitation and structure of the program has a zero tolerance for anything less than the utmost respect for others. During this weekend I confidentially disclosed some of my darkest emotional challenges from my military service and my personal life. The healing part was that former Senior NCO's actually listened and heard me without discounting my trauma. It also was healing that these were both men and women who did not treat me differently after these disclosures. I was still welcomed as part of the "team" and own personal feelings and input was not discounted!
I was absolutely anxious, as always, and absolutely uncertain even after I left. I didn't know what impact positive or negative this would have on me in the days to come. For once in a long time though, I FELT connected to a group of my peers both male and female and it felt good. No one should go through life not knowing what that feels like.
