IN THIS EPISODE

For many veterans, coming home doesn't necessarily mean the end of the battle.

Sometimes, the hardest part can be finding people who understand what you've experienced—and creating a space where you can finally let your guard down.

That's the idea behind Sovereign Roots Retreat, founded by Army veteran and former human intelligence collector Corey Roberts.

Located on 30 acres in Delta, the retreat takes a different approach to supporting veterans. Instead of relying only on traditional services, Corey believes in building trusted relationships and peer connections between people who have lived through similar experiences.

Once a month, veterans come together for a weekend that operates much like a reserve drill. But instead of military exercises, the experience includes activities like blacksmithing, fly fishing, equine groundwork, and time spent outdoors.

Then, when the sun goes down, the group gathers around the bonfire.

That's where some of the most important conversations can happen.

Corey explains why creating an environment where veterans feel safe enough to lower their defenses can make such a difference. The goal isn't to force anyone to talk. It's to create enough trust that they eventually feel comfortable doing so.

The organization is also investing in veterans themselves through a new six-week Peer Support Specialist Training initiative. By helping veterans gain professional peer-support skills, Sovereign Roots hopes to create a network of people with lived military experience who can become "beacons of hope" for others who may be struggling.

And the need is significant.

Corey discusses the veteran suicide crisis on the Western Slope and why having local, trusted support can be so important.

But building that support system takes resources. Sovereign Roots is entirely volunteer-run and is raising money for its programming through its upcoming shotgun-start scramble golf tournament at Devil's Thumb in Delta on September 12.

This isn't just a story about a retreat.

It's a story about what happens when people who have served are reminded that they don't have to stop serving—and they don't have to face life's hardest moments alone.

The one thing listeners will take away: Sometimes the most powerful form of support isn't another program or resource. It's having someone beside you who understands, listens, and reminds you that you're not alone.

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