Why Giving Back Matters: Veterans Supporting Veterans

When one warrior carries another, both grow stronger.

The image of one warrior carrying another is more than just a logo to the many veterans served by Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).

While the symbol represents a commitment to the sacrifices veterans have made, it is also a reminder to warriors that they are never truly alone. Strength grows when they carry one another forward.

Every veteran has a unique journey. However, finding connection and support from someone who has had similar experiences can make a difference. Hearing from a fellow veteran is often what motivates another to take the first steps towards healing.

For many warriors, the support they receive inspires them to give back in return. Their experiences become a reason to help others. Below, you’ll meet peer leaders, mentors, and advocates who use their experiences to guide other veterans toward hope and a sense of purpose.

Pender Sessoms

Service had always been a part of Pender Sessom’s life.  Wanting to protect people, her first experience wearing a uniform was as a police officer. After a few years, she found herself wanting a new challenge and enlisted in the U.S. Army.

During her service, Pender served at bases in the U.S. and overseas. Feeling isolated from loved ones and unsure where to turn for support, she began drinking regularly. As her drinking increased, her mental health declined.

Eventually, Pender connected with WWP™ and a psychologist who got her on a path to sobriety.

She credits several WWP programs, including WWP Talk and Project Odyssey, with helping her feel connected, confident, and hopeful again. “Being around people who genuinely want you to get better and have no judgment about you or your situation is amazing,” she says. “I had never felt that kind of love and acceptance before.”

Inspired by her experiences, Pender knew she wanted to help other women veterans find the same sense of peace and belonging. Today, she serves as a peer mentor for Project Odyssey, WWP’s adventure-based mental health program.

“I’ve always wanted to protect and support others. Now, through WWP, I get to do that in a way that helps people heal,” she says, adding that giving back helps her grow, too.

“My journey is not over; there is no finish line with healing. I am still learning to nurture myself with the same compassion I give others. As an advocate, I want to show other women that it’s OK to take up space in their own recovery. You can heal and still keep moving forward."

Discover WWP programs that can help you grow and build resilience.

Jack Frawley

Jack Frawley’s life changed in 2001 when his Marine unit deployed to Iraq after the attacks of Sept. 11. When his service ended in 2005, the New York native began working for a veterans service organization, ready to start life outside the military.

At first, Jack believed he was managing fine on his own.

Over time, however, he realized civilian life wasn’t as simple as he expected. A friend’s father encouraged him to check out WWP. Jack connected with Warriors to Work and attended a job-readiness program and benefits workshop. The impact was immediate. “I had great outcomes. I got a job, I got my benefits increased, and I was happy,” he recalls.

That first experience opened the door to something more – connection to other veterans.  “The best part has been meeting people from all over the country who share a purpose,” he says. “At one point in time, we all stood ready to give our lives for something bigger than ourselves. That says a lot about character, and sometimes we lose touch with that part of who we are.”

In 2020, Jack attended Project Odyssey, where one team-building exercise stood out. Participants were blindfolded and entwined in a continuous loop of rope. They had to figure out how to free themselves. Asking for help was allowed. Jack recalls: “I couldn’t let go of the rope. I just kept walking. Finally, I raised my hand, and someone guided me out. Then it hit me. I was stuck because I wouldn’t ask for help. That lesson stayed with me.”

As a single father raising a son, Jack says the lesson changed his approach to life. “Every time I’ve shown up for myself, something good has happened,” he says.

That experience also inspired him to become a mentor for Project Odyssey.  “I want my son to see that I look out for others — that empathy matters.” 

Being a mentor has its own rewards as well. Jack connects with a diverse group of warriors from across the country who are facing similar challenges. “Being part of this community reminds me I can still have an impact,” he says. “It’s shifted how I serve — I still get to lead, connect, and help others grow.”

Find opportunities to connect with other warriors.

Tamara O'Donnell

After 24 years in the Air Force, Tamara O’Donnell’s transition to civilian life was far from easy. Years of buried trauma resurfaced after retirement, and her life began to spiral.

“I thought I had dealt with my past,” Tamara says. “But when everything unraveled, I realized how much pain I was still carrying.”

A friend encouraged her to reach out to WWP for support, and in 2017, Tamara attended Warrior Care Network® at Emory Healthcare Veterans Program. There, she received therapy and learned the difference between coping and healing.

“Prolonged exposure therapy stripped away my defenses,” Tamara says. “It wasn’t talking about something; it was about really facing all that I had been avoiding and learning that I can – and did – survive it.”

Volunteering feels so good. It makes me feel valued.

The experience was life-changing, she says. 

Tamara began telling every veteran she knew about Warrior Care Network. She even chose to participate a second time, traveling to Chicago to attend the Road Home Program at Rush University Medical Center. There, she took part in cognitive processing therapy. “Since they both offered different tools and insights, it helped me untangle my stuck points to keep moving forward,” she says.

As Tamara’s life improved, her desire to give back grew. She became a WWP Peer Support group leader, bringing local veterans together to connect and find support. She also reaped the benefits. “Volunteering feels good. It makes me feel valued,” she says.

Today, Tamara continues to lead by example as a Warrior Care Network advocate. “I get to take what I’ve learned about Warrior Care Network and share it with others. I’ve seen first hand what this type of specialized mental health care program can do, and I want other warriors to know there’s real hope out there.”

She adds, “When you’re part of a community, it’s easier to be vulnerable. And when you’re vulnerable, you give yourself the chance to heal.”

Learn more about how Warrior Care Network helps veterans heal.

Matthew Templeton

Growing up, Matthew Templeton knew the military was in his future. He participated in the Civil Air Patrol as a teenager and, in high school, was a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program. In 2003, he joined the Army Reserves and subsequently transitioned to active duty the following year.

When Matthew first connected with WWP – more than a decade after his service ended – he wasn’t looking for a title or to be a role model; he simply showed up, hoping to feel less alone. A fellow veteran, a warrior he met while getting his service dog, encouraged him to give WWP a chance, and that encouragement changed everything.

In 2020, Matthew joined a Project Odyssey hike that pushed him to his limits. Cold temperatures, rough terrain, and unexpected obstacles tested every participant, but no one quit. “No matter how hard it got, we all finished it together,” he said. “That hike reminded me I could still do more,” Matthew explained. “Even when I was struggling, I kept pushing. And I was helping other people push, too. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a peer mentor.”

Today, Matthew serves in three roles within the WWP community.  He’s a Project Odyssey peer mentor and a Peer Support Group leader. He also leads connection events for WWP warriors and families. Each role provides him with a unique opportunity to support veterans who need encouragement and a sense of community.

“Connecting with others made me realize how much I needed people in my community, and that they needed connection, too.”

For Matthew, volunteering is not something he does out of obligation. To him, giving back is growth in action.

“When we give what we have to others, we get it back multiplied,” he says. “I love seeing warriors who once needed to be carried become the ones carrying others. That’s the ripple effect.”

No Warrior is Alone

WWP is here for all post-9/11 veterans and their loved ones. Although every warrior's journey is unique - including how or why they first connect with WWP - many discover that talking to someone who has been in their shoes is helpful. Veterans like Pender, Tamara, Jack, and Matthew are reminders that no veteran needs to face their journey alone. Leaning on each other is one of the strongest tools a warrior can have. 

Learn more about opportunities to make new peer connections.

Contact: Cynthia Weiss – Public Relations, cweiss@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.738.2589

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project is our nation’s leading veteran services organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans. Our programs, advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.