While coming up on their most recent Travis Mills Foundation Family Program experience, the Brockman Family of Odinville, Alabama, wanted to do something a bit different in 2024.
James, his wife, Jamie, their sons Isaac, 10, and Alden, 9, volunteered to serve fellow recalibrated families the week before they attended the Foundation’s Family Program. The family worked in the kitchen and supported staff during activities at the waterfront, ropes course, and much more.
“I feel like teaching my kids to serve is one thing I should do,” said James, a veteran of the U.S. Army and National Guard.
Service to Others
During a trip to the Travis Mills Foundation Veterans Retreat more than a year ago, Jamie inquired about supporting the organization in a volunteer capacity, even if it was sending mailers from their home to help reach supporters or potential participants.
“Financially, it would be hard for us to fly our family of four to Maine to volunteer for a week,” Jamie said, adding that it was through the support of the organization’s vice president of programming.
Kelly Roseberry, who was recruited by U.S. Army SSG (Ret.) Travis Mills to help establish the Veterans Retreat, was the impetus for this volunteer effort. Kelly passed away in October 2023, leaving behind a legacy that not only staff, but participants are determined to continue.
“Jamie and Kelly sat in the pool room for two hours, talking about ways we could get involved, and they came up with this,” James said. “As Jamie said, we really like to teach the boys to give back and to serve others.”
Volunteering during the Family Program this July was the Brockman Family’s second experience on campus since Kelly had passed away, one that proved to be emotional, but fulfilling.
Jamie is grateful that she had the opportunity to talk to Kelly’s parents while they were on campus for the July Fourth celebrations.
“They were like, y’all are doing some amazing things – groundbreaking things,” Jamie said. “If we could give an ounce of what Kelly gave, then we’ll give everything we got.
Military, Post-Injury
James served as infantry in the Army and National Guard for 12 years and in 2009 while traveling in a Humvee through Iraq, he was shot in the helmet on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day. He experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury, in addition to other combat-related injuries from an IED blast.
James enlisted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, like many men and women in the United States. He met Jamie during the last year of his service with the National Guard.
“My family has always been very patriotic, so when we learned about James’s service, it was a big deal,” she said.
The couple managed the care of James’s injuries together, including Post-Traumatic Stress.
“This was all new to James too,” Jamie said. “When we met, he seemed a little lost, for the lack of a better word. He didn’t know what to do or where to go; we kind of figured it out on our own together. It was meant to be.”
Volunteering
Jamie said the family was assigned four-hour volunteer shifts each day, but they wanted to do more.
“Staff probably wanted us to relax and enjoy the experience too, but we couldn’t do that,” James said. “I couldn’t do it, she couldn’t do it. We turned that four hours into eight, six, and 12 hours”
The couple each worked several kitchen shifts.
“I’m going to tell you what – kitchen work is hard,” James added. “(Staff and volunteers) are working their tails off in there.”
While Jamie also found working in the kitchen to be taxing, she had a different appreciation for it.
“The thing I probably hate the most about adulting is figuring out what to cook, every single day, three times a day,” she said, adding that as a volunteer, she enjoyed being told what to cut, wash, serve, etc.
“I was happy I didn’t have to figure that part out,” she said, laughing.
Even during their own Family Program week, the Brockmans wanted to help.
“It was fun because usually, we’re like, ‘Hey, what can we do to help?’ Staff would say ‘Nothing, ya’ll are participants,’” Jamie said. “This time they couldn’t tell us that.”
“Believe it or not, I think participants want to help out a lot more than they want to participate,” she added.
Isaac and Alden also volunteered: they cleaned the tennis court and helped participant children, among other duties.
“Isaac got to use the leaf blower – he loved that,” Jamie said.
The couple often reiterated to their boys that this particular week was meant to be of service to other families, not to play, etc.
“We said, ‘Hey, this is this family’s time to have fun and be together,’” James added.
There was no lack of fun for Issac and Alden, however.
“They were there for the kids who hadn’t been to the Retreat before,” Jamie said. “They’re old hat, so they knew what to do. They took the kids under their wing and showed them around.”
“One day I went down to grab something from the freezer during a kitchen shift and Alden was touring a family around,” she added. “I was like, well, that’s awesome!”
Volunteering made a lasting impact on the boys, as much as it did for James and Jamie.
“It made them feel needed,” Jamie said. “Like the big kids.”
For James, the connections he made with veteran participants, were natural.
“Me and all those veterans are the same,” he said. “I think we’re all just wired the same way. Once you see a veteran, you’re pretty much connected to them. It doesn’t matter what branch. We might sit and make fun of each other, but we’re not going to let anybody else make of them, you know?”
That’s why James didn’t feel too much of a difference between volunteering, and being a participant.
“I did give them their space,” he said. “I wanted them to see what TMF was about for themselves. A couple of times, I did say, ‘If you don’t do this, you’re going to regret it – it was a good thing.”
Beyond the Veterans Retreat
The Brockman Family has enjoyed activities they tried at the Retreat so much that they’ve incorporated them into their lives at home in Alabama, including kayaking, archery, yoga and even cooking, inspired by the time they spent volunteering in the Retreat kitchen.
“Almost every night this week we’ve cooked together,” Jamie said.
The Brockmans are eager to return to the Travis Mills Foundation Veterans Retreat and are talking about traveling by RV to volunteer for an entire summer next time.
After all, Isaac first rode a bike without training wheels during one of the family’s early visits to the Retreat.
“After our very first visit, the boys started referring to TMF as their ‘Maine home,’” Jamie said. “They’ve grown up coming to this place.”