Warrior Stories

MARYSVILLE, Wash. (Dec. 14th, 2018) – Growing up, Leslie Calderon and her three older brothers dreamt about joining the military, but she was the only one who enlisted. Her journey took her from...

Veteran Eric Haynes remembers July 4, 2007 like it was yesterday. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army earlier that year and was looking forward to celebrating our nation’s...

Returning from service and transitioning to civilian life can be difficult for veterans, especially those dealing with wounds of war. It can also create challenges on the home front as spouses and...

Army aviator Claude Boushey knows a thing or two about being there for his fellow service member. He did it after surviving a helicopter crash in Iraq by returning to combat operations just 18...

When Army veteran Frank Sonntag first experienced an explosion while serving in Iraq, he did not know the extent of his injuries. He was serving in his second stint in the Army. This deployment,...

For veteran Joey Pierstorff, setting and besting new goals is part of life. He set his sights on joining the Army after he watched the attacks on Sept. 11. Less than a year later, he was an...

Eric DeLion has reached new heights since connecting with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), quite literally. The U.S. Marine Corps veteran joined other wounded warriors to scale Mount Whitney in...

Bill Geiger credits Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) with helping save his family. How the military police officer was handling post-traumatic stress and other issues from multiple deployments...

Severa Parrish could have a life of ‘what ifs.’ What if her military career had continued? What if she had been the Marine to die in a helicopter crash in Iraq? Instead, Severa found hope,...

Army veteran Bobby Woods was sure he was going to die in Afghanistan in August of 2010. A sniper round from 450 yards out pierced his forehead. The bullet was the first shot in a firefight, and it...

Mark Lalli’s life spun out of control in November 2007. The Army veteran’s helicopter malfunctioned in Northern Italy before crashing. He woke weeks later, 4,200 miles away in a hospital bed...

Michael Carrasquillo found himself transitioning to civilian life much earlier than expected. The Army veteran suffered five gunshot wounds during an ambush in Afghanistan in 2005, still early in...

In the military, “got your six” is a phrase to reference having someone’s back. It is referenced in movies and television shows, but for Antoinette Wallace, it took connecting with Wounded...

Talking to John Goubeaux is a lesson in positivity. John nearly died in 2011. He will forever have the scars from that day – the ones you can see, and the ones you can’t, but slightly detect...

“My life changed in ways I would never imagine,” Dan Smee said during a recent conversation. The Army veteran recounted his experiences as a combat medic in Iraq. “On a daily basis, if you...

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Soldier Ride® recently returned to Washington, DC for its annual events at the White House and Annapolis. This multi-day adaptive cycling event gave more than 70...

An accident during an Army deployment to Egypt caused Thomas Holcomb’s traumatic brain injury – and the invisible wound led to multiple strokes and seizures that impact his life even today....

The Quest to Rediscover Hope | “Coping with my husband’s post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury has been stressful on our marriage at times,” said Lisa Willis, wife and caregiver...

Independence...On Their Terms | As America celebrates Independence Day, wounded warriors Steve Bohn, Taniki Richard, and Sal Gonzalez sat down with the ladies of The Talk to share their compelling...

Organizations Like Wounded Warrior Project Help Jarrad Give Back Wounded warrior Jarrad Turner gives back to brothers in arms by connecting veterans with the military benefits they earned during...

Asking For Help Is Only The Beginning | June is PTSD Awareness Month. Wounded Warrior Project® National Service Director and wounded warrior John Roberts sits down with legendary Def Leppard...

PTSD Treatment Centers Part of Wounded Warrior Project Program “I plan to make sure they know about the benefits of Warrior Care Network.” As part of Joe’s recovery at Emory’s Veterans...

All-American Boy | Veteran and warrior Carl Quaney has never shied away from jobs that require toughness. As a Marine, he patrolled hostile combat zones in Iraq, where his life was compromised...

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) recently held its 11th annual Courage Awards & Benefit Dinner®, presented by USAA® (United Services Automobile Association). The gala was a time to honor WWP's...

Something In Common | In the NPR series "Been There: Lessons From A Shared Experience," Army veteran and Wounded Warrior Project® teammate Jarrad Turner speaks to fellow veteran Cameron Cook...

Recently, the East Carolina University Pirates honored our nation's veterans on Military Appreciation Weekend. Wounded warrior Taniki Richard was invited to throw out the first pitch for a game...

Many quotes and clichés exist about the symbolic importance of a step: taking a step forward, a step in the right direction, stepping back to appreciate the bigger picture – the list goes on....

WWP Talk teammate and Army veteran Jorge Mateo says the power of the support line is its positive impact on not only the warrior, but also his or her support system. WWP Talk is a mental health...

Through WWP Talk, teammate and Army veteran Kevin Sosa helps warriors and families envision and lead lives where they are their best selves. "This program is the front line – the infantry – of...

Carried off the battlefield with injuries, many warriors’ service ends when their minds and bodies are rendered unfit – no longer a dependable asset for other service members who complete the...

Milestone Shows Growing Needs of Warriors Wounded Warrior Project® has grown to meet the evolving needs of warriors, adding programs to encourage warriors to connect with one another and their...

Organization Counts Up to 100,000 Registered Warriors Music therapy has been vital to Jeremy's recovery. FORT CARSON, Colo. (March 8, 2017) – Jeremy Franklin’s recovery with Wounded Warrior...

Organization Counts Up to 100,000 Registered Warriors This dolphin captivated children and others during a Wounded Warrior Project® overnight event at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in 2016....

Wounded Warrior Project Counts Up to Serving 100,000 Warriors John Jacobson signed up for Wounded Warrior Project® to be part of an organization that honors and empowers Wounded Warriors....

Wounded Warrior Project Counts Up to Serving 100,000 Warriors Warrior Brian Neuman found a new purpose through Wounded Warrior Project®: “I recognized everyone at Wounded Warrior Project lived...

Organization Counts Up to Serving 100,000 Warriors Warrior Dan Schnock says warrior connection was what drove him to serve with Wounded Warrior Project®: “I was immediately connected to all the...

A True Purpose Found Warrior Lee Baleme defines success as continued service to other veterans: “I truly feel after having been lost for all that time after getting out of the military, I am...

Programs like Soldier Ride® highlight the importance of managing mental health through physical activity and connecting with other veterans. TAMPA, Fla. (March 7, 2017) – Wounded Warrior Project®

When Bradley Thomas joined the military, he knew he was in it for the long haul. So when an improvised explosive device (IED) put an end to his career, he said he was not quite ready for the...

Military technology is helping wounded veterans daily make their way back to a better quality of life. In exercise and in their day-to-day lives, warriors are making even more significant strides...

Being casualties of history does not make acts less heroic or service less selfless. Wounded Warrior Project® closes this Black History Month by saluting just a few of the numerous outstanding...

This Black History Month, Wounded Warrior Project salutes hidden figures in the United States military. This installment honors the Army’s Lt. Col. Harriet West Waddy. “As an African-American...

This Black History Month, Wounded Warrior Project salutes hidden figures in the United States military. This installment honors the Army’s 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. “The unit...

This Black History Month, Wounded Warrior Project salutes hidden figures in the United States military. This installment honors the Montford Point Marines. "It's a long time coming. … Something...

This Black History Month, Wounded Warrior Project salutes hidden figures in the United States military. This installment honors the Navy’s first black female rear admiral, Lillian Fishburne....

Military history is as full of firsts as any other part of United States history. Black service members have led the charge for progress through their forgotten valor, despite being largely...

“As small as it was it filled a void that someone was there and cared. Without question or hesitation, a hand was reaching out, there was nobody there to tell them thank you all that was left...

Once discharged from the Army, Jesse Babson’s personal battle with isolation and disillusion took him to his lowest point – and very nearly claimed his life. His downward spiral may well have...

Black history is American history. During Black History Month, Wounded Warrior Project commemorates the valor and tenacity of warriors who have transformed the face of our nation's military with...

Semper Fi | On this segment of NPR's Conversations With Allan Wolper, proud Marine and wounded veteran Nancy Beetstra details her own compelling story of triumph and how Wounded Warrior Project®...