In July, Sierra published a personal essay by Iraq War veteran Garett Reppenhagen about his journey to find a new sense of purpose among America’s wildlands. “For me,” he said, “there has always been something predictable (and therefore comforting) about a wild place that makes it less wild—and less frightening—than the confusing motivations of people, the intensity of city life, and the pace of the modern world.” 

The mental and emotional trauma of military service can lead to unemployment and even homelessness—the latter condition of which veterans suffer at a higher rate than the rest of the adult population. In part, the mental health challenges result from the haunting memories of war, but as Reppenhagen explained, they also arise from a loss of purpose. The military experience cultivates an ethic to be part of something larger than oneself, he said. “When I was separated from my brothers, my sense of mission vanished.” 

In his time of need, Reppenhagen escaped to the wilderness for solace. “Like many other veterans, I found a kind of healing in wild places. I also found something just as important—a renewed sense of purpose.” 

For veterans, venturing into the wild can help overcome the negative strains and reinforce the positive aspects of military service. That’s why in 2011, the Sierra Club began the Military Outdoors program to provide restorative adventures for returning soldiers. Here are five of the Club’s programs as well as five other great organizations that help service members and their families heal, rejuvenate, or find meaningful employment while enjoying the great outdoors. 

Sierra Club Military Outdoors Program 

The Sierra Club Military Outdoors program sends military personnel and their families on rugged adventures—hiking, skiing, rafting—both before and after deployment, free of cost. For those attending before deployment, the program focuses on developing skills, confidence, resiliency, and leadership; for those attending after, the program focuses on regaining both mental health and social skills. The Club also offers a 10 percent discount to service veterans for any other Sierra Club Outings. 

Last year, reporter and former army infantryman Brian Mockenhaupt detailed the powerful spiritual and emotional cleansing that veteran Brandon Lay underwent during a special three-day Navajo sweat lodge ceremony organized by the Military Outdoors program. Check out the list of upcoming programs and read Mockenhaupt’s account here. 

Outward Bound for Veterans 

Outward Bound is a national program dedicated to providing life-changing wilderness expeditions that foster resilience and compassion. For veterans, all programs are provided completely free and are designed to “purposefully scaffold wartime experiences (carrying heavy packs, sore shoulders, rubbery legs, sleeping out, strange noises, sweat, dirt, frustration, and anger) with authentic achievements to create positive emotional and mental outcomes.” 

Trips range from six to eight days and feature backpacking, mountaineering, rafting excursions, and other activities around the country. Through teamwork, challenge, and adventure in the natural world, veterans build the confidence, trust, and communication skills needed to help them through their healing process. See a full list of available courses here. 

Farmer Veteran Coalition 

The Farmer Veteran Coalition uniquely channels veterans’ desire to serve our country toward a new cause: feeding America. In 2006, a study produced by the University of New Hampshire found that rural soldiers experienced a disproportionately high number of casualties during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. As a result of this evidence, Michael O’Gorman founded the coalition to develop a new generation of farmers and food leaders while helping veterans build meaningful careers within the agricultural industry. 

"We do everything from introducing veterans to agricultural careers to helping them establish their own farms,” said O’Gorman in a 2011 interview with Sierra. “Early on, I would go out and help vets plant and weed their fields.” In 2011, the coalition established a Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund to financially support veterans in their early years of farming and ranching. The fund has since granted over $1 million in awards to 150 fellows across 35 states. The coalition also runs the Homegrown By Heroes label, which helps consumers distinguish products that are produced by military veterans. Learn more about becoming a member here. 

VETPAW 

VETPAW, which stands for Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife, helps post-9/11 veterans repurpose their skills to train the antipoaching rangers who protect keystone African wildlife. Ryan Tate, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, founded the organization after learning about the devastating environmental and human safety impacts that poaching can have and realizing that many of the skills he learned in the military mirrored those needed by rangers. His own efforts also helped him realize how meaningful employment could help other veterans find a sense of purpose. 

Today VETPAW veterans help African antipoachers learn essential tactics, such as marksmanship, cover and concealment, vehicle maneuvering, and medical operations, to combat the destructive slaughtering of elephants for their tusks in East Africa. VETPAW’s efforts help guard the elephants from extinction, while also fighting the growth of the illegal ivory trade, which often funds terrorist organizations. Learn more about the ranger training program here. 

Heroes on the Water 

For vets who return home with physical wounds, Heroes on the Water (HOW) has chapters around the country to help them decompress and re-engage with physical activity through kayak fishing. The organization offers both instruction for varying skill levels and adaptive kayaks, kayaking accessories, and angling equipment for varying disabilities. 

HOW believes that teaching wounded military personnel to kayak fish has longer lasting impacts than a one-time outdoor event because it empowers them with a lifelong pastime that is both physically and mentally therapeutic. Vets who have participated in the program agree. “Doing the things that you love is a big part of your rehab because if you can still do them or figure out a way to do them, life’s easy still,” said a physically disabled veteran in a HOW video. Sign up to participate here. 

Camp Corral 

Military deployments don’t just impact individual servicemen and -women. Children of wounded, disabled, or fallen service members are often most vulnerable to mental and emotional strain. Camp Corral recognizes the importance of supporting military children and provides kids ages 8 to 15 with free summer camps across 23 locations in 19 states. Through one week of intensive outdoor recreational activities, like canoeing, swimming, and horseback riding, children build emotional resilience and gain greater self-confidence. Most important, they also realize they do not have to struggle alone. 

Since 2011, Camp Corral has served over 6,500 military children. All children from military families are eligible to apply, with priority given to those who have wounded, disabled, or fallen parents. Applications for 2017 open on January 12. Read more about the camp experience here.