“We  have 18 service members a day committing suicide. What are we doing to conserve this resource?” -Stacy Bare, Executive Director, Sierra Club Mission Outdoors, December 2012*

As Jillian wrote earlier, here at WarRetreat, we see yoga as one tool in an arsenal of weapons to help veterans and their families as they transition from battlefield to home. What we hope to cultivate is the feeling that it’s okay to explore things you’ve never considered before, or to go for things you’ve always wanted to do. Whether it’s getting back in touch with your breath on a yoga mat, climbing a mountain, taking up painting or drawing, taking a drama class, or working to rebuild areas hard-hit by Hurricane Sandy, what we want you to do is not be afraid of what others think.

You fought for freedom, and you have choices.

Sierra Club Veterans & Military Families Initiative, also known as Sierra Club Mission Outdoors, is an organization that provides retreats and outings for veterans and families. Rather than bla-bla-bla, we’ll just let Stacy Bare, Executive Director tell you the story.

*Update: The latest number issued by the VA is 22 veterans a day take their lives. This includes veterans of all eras, not just ones from recent wars.