What If You Could Serve Again?

Rebooting the Mission: What If You Could Serve Again? Week 1 of Covenant of Courage's Veteran Empowerment Workshop Series

At some point after service, every veteran faces a crossroads: Who am I now, and what is my mission?

That’s why Covenant of Courage launched its 15-week Mental Health Empowerment Series with a bold question in Week 1: “What if you could serve again—on your terms?”

This isn’t about re-enlistment. It’s about reimagining what service means in the civilian world. Veterans are still leaders, protectors, and changemakers—and this workshop helps them reclaim that identity in new and meaningful ways.

What Happened in Week 1:

In a supportive space at the Janet Goeske Foundation, veterans gathered for open conversation, laughter, reflection, and vision boarding. Together, we explored:

• How military service shaped our values, discipline, and identity

• What we lost—and what we gained—through that journey

• The freedom to rewrite our own mission statement

• What a new “unit” of support, purpose, and action could look like

• How programs like Covenant of Courage, the #ReasonableRanks campaign, and JLBC Cadet Corps can be tools for purpose and mentorship

The most powerful moment came when participants answered the question:👉 What can I do—right now—to lead, to serve, and to heal?

For some, it was starting a wellness routine. For others, it was mentoring youth. For all, it was about planting the first seed in a season of growth.

Why This Matters:

Veterans are often told what they can’t do after discharge. This series flips that script and asks: What CAN you do? Because when you reclaim your “why,” the how becomes clear.

This is only the beginning. Over the next 14 weeks, we’ll dive into moral injury, storytelling, advocacy, leadership, and how to turn pain into power.

💡 Interested in joining? Visit www.covenantofcourage.com or email kirkbcarlson@covenantofcourage.com. Follow the journey on social media with #ReasonableRanks and #VeteransEmpowerment.

Your story matters. Your mission continues.