Jay

“After completing Warrior PATHH, Jay realized he was hiding behind the mask of success. “It was how I functioned. I could mimic emotional responses and talk to people like you’re supposed to, but feelings or connections to the human race were impossible [for me].”

Jay is an Army combat veteran, registered Tactical Paramedic, and World Protective Services Search and Rescue Paramedic. He enlisted in the Army in 2001 and served until 2019. Over the course of his Army career, Jay worked in emergency medical services at the US Embassy in Baghdad, participated in NATO peacekeeping missions in Macedonia and Kosovo, and deployed to Iraq twice (19 months during Operation Iraqi Freedom and again 2008-2009). While deployed, he lost a few members of his unit during combat operations and lost three members of his unit to suicide after combat.

Jay has PTSD, depression, insomnia, and night terrors. After resigning from his overseas job, he knew his behavior and attitude affected everyone around him, so he took the step to reach out for help. During an Outdoor Adventure with  Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, he was introduced to the concept of Posttraumatic Growth and met a group of individuals with similar life experiences. These immediate connections allowed Jay to feel the beginnings of change and growth, and he applied for Warrior PATHH.

There was one pivotal moment during Warrior PATHH when Jay was able to be vulnerable and share his life experiences. Although it was intimidating to share and risk judgment, the connection and acceptance he felt afterward was what sparked his desire to discover who he is and continue his path to thriving. Jay now wants to enrich others’ lives by showing them the warrior’s path rather than the path of victimhood. He serves as both an Outdoor Adventure Guide and Warrior PATHH Guide.