The Centurion Project was founded in 2019 at Fort Liberty, NC (formerly Ft. Bragg), through Rich Culp’s work with the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE). As a part of EveryEthne (the North America division of ABWE), The Centurion Project exists to network and empower churches to support and strengthen military leaders in their mission and the Great Commission. The journey alongside the churches surrounding the world’s largest military base has shed light on the critical need to address active-duty military suicide and trauma.
As the Centurion Project has developed, we have felt honored to launch Mission:Hike as an avenue of connecting with military families in a way that is personal and life changing. This initiative extends our support beyond active-duty personnel to include veterans grappling with military trauma and families that need a way to reconnect. Mission:Hike takes participants and their support person on outdoor experiences that will be fun, encourage new bonds, and challenge them spiritually, mentally, and physically. We aim to merge the scientific principles of healing with Biblical truths to conquer trauma and embrace fulfilled lives.
The effects of military trauma are not limited to the struggles of PTSD as the toll of training and conditioning in the military changes the way you think, feel, and act. We’ve experienced it first hand. Life after the military wasn’t what we expected and it took awhile to find our way through the haze. Having a community that understands unique military experiences is crucial for building the camaraderie and trust necessary to restore mental resilience. When you know better, you do better – so we hope to share what we’ve learned to be true about the healing and growing process.
This is not just an adventure; it’s an opportunity to grow and see new possibilities. Sometimes you need to disconnect to reconnect.
Hiking Opportunities
Launching in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, we are excited to offer a variety of levels of hiking experiences.
Local Ruck-Hikes:
Veterans and active-duty military meeting at local State Parks and trail systems to hike weekly or bi-weekly. The sense of comradery lost after time of service is able to be rebuilt, and as “Iron sharpens Iron”, we become stronger when we have each other.
Regional Backpack Trips:
Opportunities to do regional overnight backpacking trips with other Veterans and active-duty military. Helping to build a community of those that relate to your experiences also gives the chance to disconnect from everyday stressors and distractions. Reconnecting with nature, ourselves, other veterans and a God-given identity allows us to see new possibilities.
National Park Intensives:
Veterans that are determined to overcome the battle in their mind can come to one of our National Park trips with their spouse or support person. We will spend the week hiking the most amazing places in nature, learning about mental resiliency and digging into ways to grow, conquer life’s changes, and thrive. It’s more than an exhilarating adventure, it’s an opportunity to rewrite old pathways and make plans for application in everyday life.
Low to No cost to Veterans
The Mission:Hike goal is to make these trips as low cost to No Cost to Veterans. Donating to Mission:Hike allows us to cover the cost of transportation and gear.
Take a Hike!
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