After Christmas Special with Mike & Friends TONIGHT "Return to Base 'RTB' — Post Xmas OPS!" with WFL

Join our Volunteer, Army Combat Medic Veteran, & Music Writer/Producer Mike Williams TONIGHT for "Mike Check" edition of Warriors for Life (WFL) Online, sponsored and presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV).

We are asking everyone to share who we are and what support that Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) is providing via WFL. If you know someone who is a veteran, first responder or a family member/caregiver, please ask them to join us for at least one meeting so they can learn more about what we do and how they can share their wisdom with others who may be able to learn from them.

TONIGHT's Topic: "Return to Base 'RTB' — Post Xmas OPS!"

Join Mike & Friends TONIGHT for a "Special" WFL about "Return to Base 'RTB' — Post Xmas OPS!" with a focus on the day after Christmas!

The After-Christmas Afterglow

A message of warmth and understanding for Veterans who feel alone after the holidays

The quiet can hit hard - and that makes sense

For many Veterans, Christmas is not just a date on the calendar. It is noise, memory, obligation, and expectation. Then the day passes, the calls slow down, and the world returns to normal - leaving a silence that can feel louder than the holiday itself.

If that is you, it does not mean you failed the holiday. It means your system is finally standing down from a long watch.

What the afterglow can look like

The afterglow is real, even if the house is quiet. It can show up as:

· Relief (even if you feel guilty for it)

· Grief (for people, places, or years you cannot get back)

· Restlessness (your body still scanning for mission)

· Tenderness (memories arriving out of nowhere)

None of that is weakness. It is a normal response to caring deeply and carrying heavy things.

Being alone does not mean you are forgotten

Being alone after Christmas does not mean you are behind or broken. Sometimes it simply means you have been strong for a long time, and you built a life that does not ask much from others - until quiet days like this remind you that you deserve support too.

Loneliness is not a character flaw. It is a signal: you were built for connection.

A simple truth Veterans already understand

Stand down is part of the mission. You cannot stay at 100% forever. Post-holiday is often a decompression period - not emptiness.

The goal is not to force happiness. The goal is to feel safe.

A gentle reset that does not require motivation

If you are alone right now, keep it simple. Try one small thing:

· Turn one light on (lamp, candle, or porch light) to signal warmth to your brain.

· Make one human touchpoint: text one person, 'Hey - quiet day. Just saying hi.'

· Do one body reset: hot shower, slow walk, or sit outside for three minutes and name five things you see.

· Do one service move: one small helpful act to remind your system you still have purpose.

Small is not meaningless. Small is how you climb out.

TONIGHT Mike Williams shares a Message

"If you're alone after Christmas, you're not broken - you're in the afterglow. The world got loud, then it went quiet, and your mind is still on watch. You do not have to earn rest. You do not have to perform joy. Tonight, keep it simple: stay warm, stay grounded, and stay with us. You are still part of the team. You are still wanted here."

Warriors for Life (WFL) Online "Mike Check" edition presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) — Friday (TONIGHT), December 26, 2025, @ 4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, & 7:30 PM ET

Join Zoom Meeting:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83145057228

Thank you,

Mike Williams,

Army Combat Medic Veteran, Music Writer/Producer, & Volunteer Facilitator, Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV)

"Honor & Respect Always — Warriors for Life!"