Connect with Steven & Friends TONIGHT for "What Are You Offering?" with Warriors for Life (WFL)

Col (Ret) Mikel Burroughs
May 12
3 min read

Join our Volunteer, Air Force Veteran, Peer Support Specialist/AdultTrainer, and Writer/Author Steven Bates TONIGHT for "Mid-Week Musings!" 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 the support that Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) is providing through Warriors for Life (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: "What are you offering?"

"On this day in 1940, Winston Churchill gave his first speech as the British Prime Minister. In it, he stated, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."

As veterans, we can relate to the earnestness of his statement; however, when we think of what we have to offer others, our vast experiences allow us to offer much more than just our blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have leadership qualities, management skills, technical knowledge, as well as many of us having struggles with PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideations that provide a conucorpia of life experiences to share with other veterans and those caring for them. We have so much to offer society even after our service commitment to the country. What qualities do you feel you have to offer society, loved ones, and caregivers? We are so much more than the sum of our parts and have much to share and educate others with."

Opening & Grounding

Welcome & Purpose: Affirming that our service defined our skills, but our post-service journey—including our invisible wounds—defines our depth.
The Shift in Perspective: Moving the conversation from "what we went through" to "what we bring to the table."
Group Agreement: Creating a safe, non-judgmental space to share both strengths and vulnerabilities.

The Hard-Earned Professional Asset Portfolio

Crisis Leadership: The ability to maintain calm, make critical decisions, and guide others when chaos strikes.
Adaptive Management: Operational experience managing diverse teams, high-stakes logistics, and rapidly shifting environments.
Advanced Technical Mastery: Cutting-edge skills in communication systems, medical response, mechanical engineering, and strategic planning.
High-Acuity Accountability: A deeply ingrained culture of extreme ownership where actions directly impact lives.

The Cornucopia of Lived Experience (Our Invisible Wounds as Assets)

Unrivaled Empathy: Struggling with PTSD and depression creates a profound, non-judgmental capacity to understand others' deep pain.
Post-Traumatic Growth: Navigating suicidal ideation and survival yields unique insights into resilience, recovery, and human endurance.
The "Early Warning System": An acute awareness of behavioral shifts, allowing us to spot when a peer or loved one is quietly drowning.
De-stigmatization Facilitators: By speaking openly about our mental health, we give others permission to seek help.

What We Offer to Our Inner Circle and Society

To Loved Ones: Fierce loyalty, a protective nature, and a raw honesty born from facing life's darkest corners.
To Caregivers: Educating them on the nuances of trauma, helping them build better care systems, and showing them true resilience in action.
To Society: A dedicated civic asset class capable of rebuilding communities, mentoring youth, and leading corporate sectors.

The Collective Solution

Join Warriors for Life (WFL) TONIGHT!

Warriors for Life (WFL) Online "Mid-Week Musings!" edition presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) — Wednesday (TONIGHT), May 13, 2026, @ 4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, & 7:30 PM ET

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87440882846

Thank you,

Steven Bates, Air Force Veteran, Writer/Author, Peer Support Specialist/Adult Trainer, &

Volunteer Facilitator, Victory for Veterans, Inc.