Veterans With PTSD Find Breakthrough Healing and Hope
AGOURA HILLS, California, June 19, 2026 – Over the course of two deployments in Iraq as a nuclear biological chemical specialist with the United States Army, Matt was responsible for finding bombs. He was exposed to toxic chemicals and lost friends in combat. Every day, he would ask himself the same question: “Am I going to get blown up tonight?”
When he returned from serving his country, Matt’s wife Kristi said he was a different person: cold, withdrawn, and closed off. He carried physical and psychological wounds, including muscular myopathy and post-traumatic stress disorder. Today, Matt wears braces on his legs to deal with the progressive muscle atrophy, but the solution for his invisible wounds, including an inability to find joy in daily living, couldn’t come from a doctor’s prescription pad. At his lowest point, Matt no longer wanted to be alive.
“War changed me,” said Matt. “I’m not the same person.”
June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, a national observance dedicated to increasing understanding of PTSD, reducing stigma, and connecting individuals with effective treatment and recovery.
An estimated 7% of Veterans are living with post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing life-threatening, traumatic, or deeply distressing events. Despite the availability of treatments, many Veterans never seek or receive the support needed to begin healing.
That’s where Warrior Getaway comes in. This transformative program offered by the international disability ministry Joni and Friends is designed specifically for Veterans and their families to provide holistic support for those living with both the visible and invisible wounds of military service, including PTSD, moral injury, and combat-related trauma.
“When we came to Warrior Getaway, we started on our path to healing,” said Matt. “Warrior Getaway is a full family immersion of healing. The staff and volunteers love us the way Jesus does, and now I have the ability to be more joyful and worry less. Now I can have fun with my kids. Because of Warrior Getaway, I want to be here.”
Jason Holden, Joni and Friends Chief Operating Officer, is a retired Navy Veteran who has seen the impact of this Gospel-centered program first-hand.
“Warrior Getaways are a pathway to redemption, restoration, and renewed purpose for our nation’s Veterans. One of the greatest healings Jesus brings to struggling Veterans is a revived sense of purpose and a calling to serve others,” he said. “As reflected in Ephesians 2:10, Veterans are reminded that they are created for meaningful impact. Through Warrior Getaway, they are not only restored but empowered to serve others and lead with strength.”
Ephesians 2:10 states, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Warrior Getaways are three-to-five-day retreats taking place now through November at locations across the United States. Participants engage in accessible outdoor activities, powerful speakers, meaningful worship, and peer-to-peer connection with fellow Veterans and families who understand the challenges of military life and its aftermath.
More than a temporary retreat, Warrior Getaway provides Veterans and their families with meaningful opportunities for restoration, connection, and long-term encouragement. Through community, faith, and practical support, participants find new hope and practical tools to help them recover.
About Joni and Friends : For more than 45 years, Joni and Friends has provided the hope of the Gospel and practical care to people living with disability across the globe. Ministry programs include Joni’s House, Wheels for the World, Retreats & Getaways, and disability ministry training. Joni and Friends also delivers daily inspirational media through radio programs and podcasts. To find out more, please visit www.joniandfriends.org.
Media Contact:
Amy Hurtado
[email protected]
818.575.1766
Find a Warrior Getaway Near You
Joni and Friends Warrior Getaway are designed to serve Veterans and their families by providing a wide range of accessible family activities, powerful speakers, worship, and fellowship with other Veterans.
