30 Jan Spotlight: Warriors & Quiet Waters

For nearly two decades, Warriors & Quiet Waters has supported post-9/11 veterans through nature-based programming that offers outdoor recreation, camaraderie, and solace, and works to heal the scars that remain when combat is over. With a committed team delivering evidence-based programs focused on fishing, hunting, and photography, Warriors & Quiet Waters is changing the nature of life after service for combat veterans through nature.  

Marketing Director Emily Gullickson describes the work and rewards inherent in committing to the healing path less traveled, deep into landscapes and heartlands equally wild, and why it all makes such a difference.

BIG SKY JOURNAL: What was the impetus behind Warriors & Quiet Waters’ inception, and how has the organization evolved since then?

EMILY GULLICKSON: Warriors & Quiet Waters was founded in 2007 by Col. Eric Hastings. Over his 34-year tenure with the Marines, Hastings restored himself each year with the deep peace of fly fishing. In 2007, with two sons on active duty, Hastings and his wife, Jean, hatched an idea over their fly rods: offer post-9/11 combat veterans the opportunity to know that same peace.

Since then, Warriors & Quiet Waters has experienced immense growth and increased demand from the post-9/11 combat veteran community. To address evolving needs, we launched Built for More two years ago, a transformative program that helps those veterans thrive on a path that’s defined by growth and purpose.

BSJ: Tell me a little about Built for More and options within the program.

GULLICKSON: There are three Built for More track options for participants to choose from, all offering the same level of impact: fly fishing, archery hunting, and photography. Regardless of the track a participant enrolls in, the program begins and ends with an epic nature experience. The initial experience takes place at our ranch in Bozeman, and the capstone can happen in various locations, ranging from North Dakota to Florida. 

Between the two nature experiences, Warriors complete the online Discovery Phase, which leverages best practices and evidence from empirically rigorous research, connecting participants with experts and a cohort to explore and solidify personal values, identity, potential, and purpose. 

We are dedicated to serving the loved ones of our Warriors as well, so we also offer Caregivers and Couples programs, both of which follow a similar structure as Built for More.

BSJ: Do you specifically serve post-9/11 combat veterans, or are all veterans able to apply? What is the process for applying? What are the costs, expectations, and numbers served?

GULLICKSON: Yes, we focus solely on post-9/11 combat veterans, both men and women. In 2025, we aim to serve 300 Warriors and their loved ones in our programs. Warriors & Quiet Waters programs are provided at no cost to the participant, including air travel to Montana, comfortable lodging, home-cooked meals, professional instruction, and gear.  

We open our application process about twice per year, though applicants can join the waitlist at any time to be notified when it becomes active. Detailed participation information can be found on our website.

BSJ: Why nature? What sort of healing do you hope to inspire, and what does it look like when those seedlings of hope, possibility, community, and purpose take root?

GULLICKSON: Our program experiences are based in nature because nature heals. It offers the opportunity to relax, focus solely on the task at hand (such as casting your line or glassing for elk), and turn off the noise of the outside world. We believe in recreation for a purpose, so we emphasize the importance of unplugging in nature to fully realize the benefits of mental well-being and social connection.

We want every Warrior who goes through Built for More to emerge with a clear sense of purpose for their life, driving them with meaning, passion, and resilience toward a true understanding of their unique identity post military. We aim to strengthen their personal relationships as well, helping them become pillars within their respective communities and inspiring future generations to continue to serve our great nation. This is what success looks like after Built for More, and we have the impact data to prove it. 

BSJ: You recently began formally measuring and evaluating the long-term impacts of your programming. What inspired that and why? What results have you seen?

GULLICKSON: When we launched Built for More, we understood the importance of proving the effectiveness of our program, so we partnered with Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Families to measure how Built for More impacts its participants through an in-depth evaluation based on proven research. Through this partnership, we annually distribute a series of surveys regarding participants’ evaluation of intrinsic value, learning in the community, nature immersion, time for reflection, confidence, healing, sense of purpose, and personal growth. 

The partnership has also allowed us to gather data verifying the significant measurable impacts Built for More has on our participants’ lives. Warriors reported doubling and tripling rates of sense of purpose, sense of thriving, sense of community and belonging, and sleep consistency, while their resilience against stress quadrupled. 

The data from our Built for More Impact Evaluation is a testament to what we can achieve when we marry resources with vision and hard work.

BSJ: What are your hopes for the nonprofit’s future, and how can the community get involved in supporting those goals?

GULLICKSON: The Warriors & Quiet Waters team is driven by a sense of urgency to do more for more combat veterans. We currently have a 1,600-person waitlist. We are particularly committed to narrowing that gap between demand and capacity to be able to serve all of the post-9/11 combat veterans who have applied for this life-changing program. 

When you choose to support Warriors & Quiet Waters, you’re investing in more than our organization — you’re bolstering the fabric of our nation. Thriving veterans bring leadership, resilience, and innovation back to their communities. They inspire and lead, creating ripples of positivity that strengthen our society and inspire future generations to serve. Your support helps us unlock this potential, ensuring that our combat veterans are not only self-sufficient, but vibrant contributors to national security and prosperity​.

Warriors & Quiet Waters relies on donor support, volunteers, ambassadors, and community awareness to continue its mission. For more information about programming or to find out how you can get involved, visit warriorsandquietwaters.org.