November 11, 2024 • 24 mins
What happens when a veteran's fight is no longer on the battlefield but within themselves? Join us as we uncover the inspiring journey of Eric Brew from Warriors Set Free, a veteran service organization dedicated to supporting those grappling with PTS, TBI, and alcoholism. Eric candidly shares his transition from serving in the Marine Corps and the Army to civilian life, marked by identity struggles he dubs the "matching clothes syndrome" and the personal upheaval of a second divorce. His story takes a transformative turn through a pivotal four-day men's event at Warriors Set Free, where he found healing and a renewed purpose in veteran advocacy alongside his veteran father and son.
Warriors Set Free offers more than just support; it provides a spiritual refuge for veterans and first responders navigating internal battles and past traumas. Central to their mission is the "freedom appointment," an intensive spiritual journey that seeks to cleanse personal guilt and shame. We discuss the profound impact of childhood trauma on veterans and the societal expectation for men to remain silent. By embracing a faith-based approach, Warriors Set Free encourages veterans to lay down their burdens and redefine their identity beyond military service. Discover how community and spiritual support can lead to healing and hope for those who have sacrificed so much.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Larry Zilliox (00:00):
Good morning.
I'm your host, Larry Zilliox,Director of Culinary Services
here at the Warrior Retreat atBull Run, and this week our
guest is Eric Brew.
He's with the Georgia branch ofWarriors Set Free, and this is
an organization that helpsveterans who have issues with
PTS, tbi, alcoholism.
(00:23):
They're struggling and I wantedto have Eric on to talk about
this organization, theirministry and just the services
that they offer.
So, eric, welcome to thepodcast.
Thank you, larry.
It's an honor to be here.
So if we could tell us a littlebit about your background, your
prior service and what got youinto working with a veteran
(00:47):
service organization?
Eric Brew (00:49):
Oh, my goodness.
Okay, I didn't know you hadthat much time on your podcast,
so we'll get started.
I served in both the MarineCorps and the United States Army
.
I served four years in theMarine Corps back in the 90s and
things were a little boringback then, and so I got out.
I served my first tour and gotout, and then, uh, when 9-11
(01:10):
happened, um, I attempted to goback into the military, uh, back
into the Marine Corps, and aMarine Corps recruiter told me
that they don't take quitters,um, and so I felt a little
dejected.
Um, I was a pretty decentMarine.
I'd like to think that theywould have gotten a good one
back, but at any rate, he didnot want me back, and so I
walked out of his office.
I turned a hard left down thehallway, walked into an Army
(01:33):
recruiter's office and told themwho I was, and they accepted me
ASVAB.
But that is a joke.
My Marine Corps brothers arehighly intelligent and my
sisters are highly intelligent.
At any rate, I served for thenext 20, almost 21 years in the
Army, so I retired in 2020 afterjust about 25 years in service.
(01:55):
During that time, I got to do alot of really cool things.
I often say that I did a lot ofweird things in weird places
with weird people, and I enjoyedit.
One thing that I love aboutwhere I am today, larry, is that
I have a God who is so muchbigger than my war stories that
he has healed me from having tobe the guy that tells war
stories.
So I don't feel a need to dothat measuring contest anymore,
(02:16):
but I did.
I got to do some really coolstuff.
At any rate, when I retired, Ihad a really rough transition.
My retirement actually wasprobably one of the darkest
times in my life.
I didn't know who I wassupposed to be.
I have since started callingsome of my struggles.
I had this picture of what mystruggles looked like and I
(02:40):
called it the matching clothessyndrome, and what that meant to
me was everywhere I went fornearly 25 years, nearly a
quarter of a century.
Everyone I met, everyone I wasaround, everyone I encountered.
We had either served togetherpreviously, we shared the same
job titles, we were in some ofthe same places, we knew some of
the same people, and even if Ihad nothing in common with the
(03:01):
people around us or with thepeople around me, we all wore
matching clothes, and so Ialways felt comfortable in that
environment.
I always had something incommon with everyone I was
around, and when I stepped outof service, I quickly realized I
didn't match anyone anymore andI had some other things going
on.
I was in the process of mysecond divorce and trying to
(03:22):
separate from service, separatefrom marriage, and it was a
really dark spot, and so mytransition was tough, and so
that led me to a heart to helpothers find a way through
transition that maybe wasn't asdark and maybe wasn't as
difficult as mine was, and so Iwent into veteran advocacy and
started working in thetransition and employment space,
(03:43):
worked for a couple of greatnonprofits, helping them build
programs and grow programs thatwould reach more veterans, more
transition service members toprovide assistance in the
specifically in the employmentarea, and so I worked.
I worked in that in thatenvironment for for several
years, and then, about a yearand a half ago, I I took a
(04:05):
position with warriors set freesteve cranes is our national
director and steve prince and Imet back in 2021 when I went
through a four-day men's eventand I went through this thing
called a freedom appointment andum, because I needed it because
because I was, because I was ina really dark space steve steve
was there and steve walked methrough my freedom appointment
and and Steve and I built, beganto build and cultivate a
(04:28):
relationship and a friendship.
And Steve kept telling me thatthat he had a space for me and I
I I had a really good Heismanpose right, so I had a really
good stiff arm for him.
I kind of kept him at catch fitarms length because I had some
worth issues that I was dealingwith.
I had some worth issues that Iwas dealing with.
I had some self-worth issuesdealing with those.
I don't think I realized howmuch my Heavenly Father loved me
and so I couldn't reallyreceive that.
(04:50):
But that all led me to this pastApril so April of 2023, where
Steve and the team came down toGeorgia and they were going to
do this pilot four-day men'sprogram and I have a son who's
active duty.
I have two sons that are dude,but my youngest son that is
active duty is in a, having somestruggles, was in a pretty dark
(05:10):
spot, had had just figured outwho god was and was trying to
navigate that.
So I asked him if he wouldattend this four-day thing.
He said yes, and I called steveand I said, hey, I know I've
kind of been ducking you, butI'd really like it if my son
could attend this thing and I'dreally like it if I could serve.
I'd already attended my eventand once we attend those events
then we can come back and serveas volunteer staff.
(05:32):
Steve agreed, so not only did Iget to serve, my dad got to
serve, because my dad is also aveteran and has also been
through the program.
And so here now at this eventthe singular event I have my son
who's participating, my dad andmyself who are serving, and I
got to watch from a verypersonal front row seat what God
can do in the life of someone Ilove.
(05:53):
And I got a really up close andpersonal view of that.
And Steve and I and DeanVandermeer and Dean is the
founder of Set Free Dean foundedSet Free 29 years ago, but Dean
was there.
And so Dean and I and Steve hada great conversation and Steve
asked me again you know, eric,we really think you'd be the guy
that you're going to be, theguy that's going to lead this
Georgia expansion and I kind ofI kind of balked again and Dean
(06:17):
stepped forward and made eyecontact with me and he said, son
, the Holy Spirit's gettingreally tired of you being
disobedient.
And that leveled me.
He said, son, the Holy Spirit'sgetting really tired of you
being disobedient.
And that leveled me.
And so I felt the conviction atthat point.
There was no good stiff arm forthat one.
I felt the conviction, and sowe talked some more and we
started having moreconversations after the event,
(06:40):
and so in July of this last year, we launched the Georgia
expansion.
There had been some goodgroundwork done, but there was
no true expansion launched, andso we launched the expansion in
July, and so I've been in theseat as the Georgia director
since July.
So that's a 30,000 foot view asto how I got here, I suppose.
Larry Zilliox (06:59):
Tell us about the program and what it is, what it
involves, who's eligible.
Eric Brew (07:06):
Absolutely so.
Warrior, Set Free truthfully,is just on a mission to bring
hope, healing and spiritualstrength to our military,
veteran and first respondercommunities.
That's who we serve the activeduty military, the veteran and
the first responder,Understanding that the battles
that they face truthfully arenot just from the front lines
but they're also battles thatthey face within themselves and
(07:26):
battles that they face fromtheir past.
So our ministry provides a pathto freedom in Christ by guiding
(07:47):
individuals and to kind ofcombat the enduring effects of
PTS and then combat the tragicepidemic of suicide within not
just the veteran community butalso the first responder
community.
And so that's kind of that'sour purpose and our mission.
We want to get in the ring andfight and work alongside our
brothers and our sisters as theydeal with and have to look
their trauma in the ring, andfight and work alongside our
brothers and our sisters as theydeal with and have to look
their trauma in the face.
(08:08):
And so we do that by a coupleof different methodologies.
At the core, at the center ofour program, at the center of
our ministry, is what we call afreedom appointment.
And a freedom appointmentreally is this it is a one-day
intensive spiritual housecleaning.
It is an opportunity for aparticipant to sit down with
what we call an encourager, sosomeone like myself would be the
(08:30):
encourager, and we also bring aprayer partner because we
believe in what the Bible says,and the Bible says that Christ
sent us out two by two.
So we don't do ministry alone,Right?
So we bring two, so we have anencourager and then we have a
prayer partner.
But really throughout that day,the encourager and the prayer
partner are going to set a tablefor the participant to be able
to sit and have an opportunityto do some real work and to do
(08:53):
business with the father.
And so we're going to look atseven different areas of our
lives.
There are going to be areasthat we have been the problem
right, Things that we've donewrong, that we have plagued
ourselves.
We're going to look at areasthat others have plagued us,
where others have wronged us.
We're going to look at areas ofour lives where the enemy has
absolutely tricked and swayed usinto doing things we shouldn't
have done.
But we're going to look atthose areas.
(09:13):
We're going to take a hard,deep dive into what that looks
like and how to do business withFather.
What does the Bible say isrequired to deal with this.
It's really very simple, right.
It's acknowledging that I didit because sin is sin and it's
repenting and trying to moveaway from right.
Repentance just means to turn a180.
It needs to turn your direction, and so we'll.
(09:35):
We.
We spend this time and it is.
It is an all day thing.
It is a spiritual butt kickingI.
This is that.
I'll tell you.
This is, this is the worstsales pitch in the world for
anything when it comes to tryingto navigate, finding healing,
and that is this is going tosuck.
It is not fun, right.
When we, when we have to lookour trauma in the face and when
(09:57):
we have to do business with thefather, it is really, really
hard.
However, the freedom that canmakes it all so worth it, it's
freedom.
It's freedom from our guilt andour shame.
It's freedom from the hurt.
It's freedom from the pain.
It is freedom from ourselvesand the way we would want to do
(10:17):
things.
Right.
I tell people all the timethere's lots of stuff in the
Bible I wish God wouldn't havewritten.
It would make my life so mucheasier.
I would love to be able to hatemy enemies, but that's not what
I'm called to do.
I would love to be moreworld-like, but I'm called to be
set apart from the world, to bedifferent, not better than just
different, and so doing thatwork and getting that place is
(10:40):
really, really difficult.
But I would tell anyonelistening that I am walking,
talking, breathing proof of whathappens when God restores a
dumpster fire and puts him backinto a place where he's got
purpose and he's got joy andhe's got hope.
So that freedom appointmentreally is at the core of what we
do, and we've got some otherthings that we've got going on
(11:00):
too.
Larry Zilliox (11:01):
The program is open to all veterans or just
post 9-11?
Eric Brew (11:05):
No we are.
As a matter of fact, thisprogram, this entire, the
freedom ministry that we do inSet Free so Set Free again
started 29 years ago.
It started with a Vietnamveteran.
So, no, we are open to all erasof veteran.
We are open to any form offirst responder ER, nurse, to
police officer, to SWAT, to fireEMT or to I don't EMT we want.
(11:33):
What we want is we want to findpeople who are out here trying
to serve our country or serveour community, who are hurting,
right, to help them find freedom.
Because and this is just, I'lljust speak, let's just talk law
enforcement for a second we havegot such a mistrust in our law
enforcement in this country,right as a grand scope not maybe
not each individual, but as agrand scope.
And we've got this thing inthis world we call sin, and it
(11:53):
is my humble opinion, we're justnot going to eradicate sin.
Sin is always going to be here.
Until Christ comes back andsets up a new world, this sin is
going to be here.
So if I can't get away from sinin the world, then I want to at
least be a part of healing thepeople who have to combat it.
So that's where we step in andwant to deal with our first
(12:16):
responders, our policemen andpolicewomen, so that they can be
a better healed version ofthemselves, so that when they
have to deal with the stuff inthis world, they're better
equipped.
Larry Zilliox (12:23):
And this program takes place at your offices
there.
Is it more than one day, or isthat all that's?
The main program is a one daycounseling.
Eric Brew (12:35):
So, like I said, at the core of our program is the
one day spiritual house cleaning, and that can be done both in
person here, if you're in theColumbus Georgia area that can
be done here in person, or wecan do it virtually.
I have done lots and lots offreedom appointments virtually,
so really we can help anyoneanywhere, but that's only one of
the things.
The other thing that we offerand this is new ish, new ish,
(12:57):
We've done four now is we tookthat test, that test four day
men's event, and we created apermanent four day men's event.
So now what we have is what wecall the warriors battle, which
is a four day men's event.
We've got a couple of differentlocations here in Georgia that
we use.
I spent 25 years as aninfantryman, so I'm not sleeping
outside on the ground anymore.
So we have beds and cabins andwe have industrial kitchens that
(13:21):
we use.
I've even got a retiredfirefighter and a retired Army
cook that run our kitchen.
Nice, so we eat well.
We eat really, really well.
Now, Chef, I've never had yourstuff, but I'm sure it's very
good.
But I'm telling you, man, afirefighter and an old army cook
can really kill it.
(13:41):
They are doing a heck of a job.
Sure, so we have our four-daymen's event, which is similar
there's some similar things inthere to the freedom of movement
, but really what it is is it'smore group work, more sitting
down with brothers so that wecan look around to our left and
our right and go, wow, so I'mnot the only one struggling with
that.
Larry Zilliox (13:59):
Huh, Sure sure, and how large is the group
usually?
What typically makes up thegroup?
Eric Brew (14:05):
Right now our last.
We just finished our lastbattle.
Our last battle was just lastweek.
Actually, that battle had 22participants and we have visions
of larger.
We have, we have a way to builda staff.
Our staff are going to bemostly volunteer staff, but for
this last warriors battle we hadstaff that came from five
different States.
So we have volunteers takingPTO, paying for their own
(14:28):
transportation and gettingthemselves to the location to
volunteer to help other men getto where they're at.
Larry Zilliox (14:34):
And is it co-ed?
Is it both male and femalewarriors or only male group?
Eric Brew (14:40):
Nope, we keep our cohorts are going to be gender
specific, okay, and so it'sgoing to be just the guys, and
that's very simple.
Men and women have completelydifferent trauma experiences
sometimes, and what we want tocreate is an environment where
both our ladies and our men getan opportunity to deal with the
things that they have to dealwith specifically that might be
(15:02):
specific to what's going on intheir life.
Right, our ladies events, ourladies events, right now are
being run in Michigan.
That's where our headquartersis at.
So our national headquarters isin the state of Michigan and,
like I said, it was in Michiganfor almost 30 years until now in
Georgia.
So we're working on this modelof expansion, what this looks
(15:23):
like, what the right way forwardis, how do we grow it
respectfully and responsibly,how do we obey God and what he
wants us to do right.
And once we get that kind offigured out, then it'll be
looking on to the next state andthen we'll be able to start
replicating this in other states.
Larry Zilliox (15:39):
The upper management at headquarters is
sitting around and said, hey,we've got to expand this thing.
How do they choose Georgia?
Eric Brew (15:48):
They feel like the veteran population in Georgia,
in addition to the number ofactive duty bases that are here,
led them to recognizing Georgiaas a state that has a large
population of the us's of theworld.
It was super convenient that Ilive right outside of Fort Moore
, so I retired from what used tobe Fort Benny is now Fort Moore
(16:09):
.
I live right outside of Fortmore and so I have access to
Fort more, and my wife is fromSavannah so I've got access to
Fort Stewart, and so GeorgiaGeorgia was a was was there.
Was there choice based on theveteran population right.
Larry Zilliox (16:23):
What do you see as the number one issue that
your group participants arebringing to the group?
What are they dealing with themost?
Eric Brew (16:38):
Well, I'll tell you, larry, that's an interesting
conversation because the numbersand I don't have them, I'm not
going to make numbers up, butthey're staggering the numbers
of people who have joined themilitary, who suffered childhood
trauma are staggering,absolutely staggering.
And so what we're seeing isthat we talk about combat stuff
(16:59):
and a lot of people want to talkabout some of this PTS and
combat stuff, but really whatwe're learning is that the
combat stuff is exasperatingexisting trauma.
Sure, exasperating existingtrauma, sure, and so we deal
with oh gosh, we deal with somuch hurt from a parent, or hurt
from an upbringing, or hurtfrom a failure on the behalf of
(17:20):
someone in their life, and sothat's what we're seeing the
most of.
We're seeing the most of peoplewho are just are broken because
they've been broken and theyjust didn't know what to do with
it.
And, truthfully, the the world,the world, especially us guys
my wife is also a veteran, soI'm very careful with how I say
this, right, because I don'twant to get in trouble when I
get home especially us guys.
(17:41):
We have this world that hascreated this space where we've
told ourselves not only are wesupposed to carry our trauma,
but we're not supposed to talkabout it.
And the more we carry, thetougher we are.
And that is ruining men and asit's ruining men, it's ruining
men in homes and as it's ruiningmen in homes, it's ruining
(18:01):
families and as it's ruiningfamilies, it's ruining children
and we're seeing a domino effectBecause you told men you're
supposed to.
Right, yeah, absolutely, yeah,absolutely.
So when we start unpacking withthese guys I don't know, I
don't have the number, but itwould it would blow our, I think
it would blow my mind if Irealized how many of those guys
would be went back to no fatherin the home, or an absent father
(18:21):
, or an abusive father or anabusive mother, right, but like
it goes back to childhood stuff.
Larry Zilliox (18:30):
Well, you know, I've always believed for some
time.
You know, I went in in 77.
So up until that time it was abig period where young people
would get in trouble and theywould be offered the chance to
join the army or go to jail, youknow.
So you know they were coming inwith all sorts of problems and
(18:58):
part of the issue was that themilitary or the various branches
, I think they knew to a certainextent that they were getting a
lot of recruits that had issues, but they excused away those
issues with this thought processthat well, we're going to tear
that recruit down and remakethem in the image of the Marine
Corps or the Army or the Navy,and so their other problems will
(19:21):
just go away.
And unfortunately that's justnot the way it works and it's
not what happened.
And their issues stayed withthem and got compounded by all
sorts of things, whether theywere in combat or not, just the
rigorous discipline of thebranch and being away and being
(19:43):
sent to very remote places, andthere's just all sorts of
reasons that exacerbate theseunderlying issues that they had
for many years.
And we see it as well at theretreat and you know any kind of
counseling that they can get.
I think you know they're alwaysgoing to be better off for it,
(20:03):
and anything we can do to put apause in the process of veteran
suicide is so important.
As we kind of wrap up here,what's the one thing you want
our listeners to know aboutWarriors Set Free and what it
will do for them?
Eric Brew (20:22):
Oh man, just one, huh .
Okay, warriors Set Free isbuilt and ran by veterans who
have walked the same ground.
A lot of you are walking.
We've chewed the dirt, we'vebeen in those dark places and we
have been shown and learned howto grow and cultivate a
(20:42):
relationship with our heavenlyfather, who loves us more than
anything, and we've learned thatthere's a place where we can
take that rucksack full of crapand we can lay it at the foot of
the cross and we can actuallywalk away from it.
I've read the Bible.
Nowhere in the Bible does ittell me I have to continue to
carry all of the hurt, pain,guilt and shame from my past.
Specifically, what it tells meto do is lay at the foot of the
(21:05):
cross.
It tells me to trade yokes withChrist because his burden is
easy and light.
And far too often we veterans,we used to have our identity
wrapped up in the military andwhat we did, because we were
performance-minded and themilitary stokes that.
And then, when we get out, Ithink this world has started to
create this idea of an identityof the broken veteran, and then
(21:28):
we keep us in groups and intherapies that last for years
and years and years, as wecontinue to navigate and as we
continue to work the churn ofthe trauma, when, truthfully,
what we are called to dobiblically is to lay at the foot
of the cross and walk away fromit.
And I'm going to tell everyonethat's listening you can lay
everything you've got at thefoot of the cross and you have a
(21:50):
father who loves you so much hewill never pick it up and put
it back in your rucksack.
So you also have a fatherthat's given you free will and
if you choose to go back to thecross, pick it up because it's
the comfortable trauma, pick itup because it's the known pain,
pick it up because it's theidentity that you want to cling
to, and you put it back in yourruck.
That's not God's fault, youdon't have to carry it.
Larry Zilliox (22:12):
The webpage is warriorsetfreeorg.
That's correct.
Yep, reach out to them, take alook at the programs.
I know that Eric's contactinformation is on there.
If you're not sure, give them acall, send them an email, but
really take a look at thisprogram and I have no doubt that
(22:32):
it will help you.
So, eric, thanks much forcoming on and and just telling
us all about or you're set freeyeah, it's been an honor.
Eric Brew (22:41):
I am again.
I am.
I am not just a leader or or ora director in this organization
.
I've been through this, thisprogram.
I I'm here because I lived itand it fundamentally changed who
I am and what my identity is.
So and Larry, you said it best,please reach out to us If you
are hurting or you want a betterrelationship with your father
(23:04):
or you want to understand how tolet go of some of the crap
you're carrying.
Reach out to us.
I don't.
I know trust comes at a premium, and so I ask everyone give me
just a, give me just an ounce oftrust and I will earn the rest.
My team will earn the rest.
Larry Zilliox (23:18):
Well, and I think the other thing that people
need to understand, ourlisteners need to understand you
can reach out to Eric, you canparticipate in this program and
it can't hurt you.
Yeah, there's no downside tothis.
You may walk away and say, youknow, it wasn't for me and okay,
(23:41):
I'm just going to look forsomething else, but it's not
going to hurt you.
Chances are it's going to helpyou.
So you know, reach out andreally explore all the
possibilities.
It's warriorsetfreeorg, Eric.
Thank you again for joining us.
Eric Brew (23:59):
Thank you, larry, and don't forget everyone.
Our next Warriors Battle is inMarch, so if you're interested
in that, our next one is inMarch, so reach out to us, great
.
Larry Zilliox (24:07):
Well for our listeners.
We'll have another episode nextMonday morning at 0500.
If you have any questions orsuggestions, you can reach us at
podcastatwillingwarriorsorg.
Good morning.
I'm your host, Larry Zilliox,Director of Culinary Services
here at the Warrior Retreat atBull Run, and this week our
guest is Eric Brew.
He's with the Georgia branch ofWarriors Set Free, and this is
an organization that helpsveterans who have issues with
PTS, tbi, alcoholism.
(00:23):
They're struggling and I wantedto have Eric on to talk about
this organization, theirministry and just the services
that they offer.
So, eric, welcome to thepodcast.
Thank you, larry.
It's an honor to be here.
So if we could tell us a littlebit about your background, your
prior service and what got youinto working with a veteran
(00:47):
service organization?
Eric Brew (00:49):
Oh, my goodness.
Okay, I didn't know you hadthat much time on your podcast,
so we'll get started.
I served in both the MarineCorps and the United States Army
.
I served four years in theMarine Corps back in the 90s and
things were a little boringback then, and so I got out.
I served my first tour and gotout, and then, uh, when 9-11
(01:10):
happened, um, I attempted to goback into the military, uh, back
into the Marine Corps, and aMarine Corps recruiter told me
that they don't take quitters,um, and so I felt a little
dejected.
Um, I was a pretty decentMarine.
I'd like to think that theywould have gotten a good one
back, but at any rate, he didnot want me back, and so I
walked out of his office.
I turned a hard left down thehallway, walked into an Army
(01:33):
recruiter's office and told themwho I was, and they accepted me
ASVAB.
But that is a joke.
My Marine Corps brothers arehighly intelligent and my
sisters are highly intelligent.
At any rate, I served for thenext 20, almost 21 years in the
Army, so I retired in 2020 afterjust about 25 years in service.
(01:55):
During that time, I got to do alot of really cool things.
I often say that I did a lot ofweird things in weird places
with weird people, and I enjoyedit.
One thing that I love aboutwhere I am today, larry, is that
I have a God who is so muchbigger than my war stories that
he has healed me from having tobe the guy that tells war
stories.
So I don't feel a need to dothat measuring contest anymore,
(02:16):
but I did.
I got to do some really coolstuff.
At any rate, when I retired, Ihad a really rough transition.
My retirement actually wasprobably one of the darkest
times in my life.
I didn't know who I wassupposed to be.
I have since started callingsome of my struggles.
I had this picture of what mystruggles looked like and I
(02:40):
called it the matching clothessyndrome, and what that meant to
me was everywhere I went fornearly 25 years, nearly a
quarter of a century.
Everyone I met, everyone I wasaround, everyone I encountered.
We had either served togetherpreviously, we shared the same
job titles, we were in some ofthe same places, we knew some of
the same people, and even if Ihad nothing in common with the
(03:01):
people around us or with thepeople around me, we all wore
matching clothes, and so Ialways felt comfortable in that
environment.
I always had something incommon with everyone I was
around, and when I stepped outof service, I quickly realized I
didn't match anyone anymore andI had some other things going
on.
I was in the process of mysecond divorce and trying to
(03:22):
separate from service, separatefrom marriage, and it was a
really dark spot, and so mytransition was tough, and so
that led me to a heart to helpothers find a way through
transition that maybe wasn't asdark and maybe wasn't as
difficult as mine was, and so Iwent into veteran advocacy and
started working in thetransition and employment space,
(03:43):
worked for a couple of greatnonprofits, helping them build
programs and grow programs thatwould reach more veterans, more
transition service members toprovide assistance in the
specifically in the employmentarea, and so I worked.
I worked in that in thatenvironment for for several
years, and then, about a yearand a half ago, I I took a
(04:05):
position with warriors set freesteve cranes is our national
director and steve prince and Imet back in 2021 when I went
through a four-day men's eventand I went through this thing
called a freedom appointment andum, because I needed it because
because I was, because I was ina really dark space steve steve
was there and steve walked methrough my freedom appointment
and and Steve and I built, beganto build and cultivate a
(04:28):
relationship and a friendship.
And Steve kept telling me thatthat he had a space for me and I
I I had a really good Heismanpose right, so I had a really
good stiff arm for him.
I kind of kept him at catch fitarms length because I had some
worth issues that I was dealingwith.
I had some worth issues that Iwas dealing with.
I had some self-worth issuesdealing with those.
I don't think I realized howmuch my Heavenly Father loved me
and so I couldn't reallyreceive that.
(04:50):
But that all led me to this pastApril so April of 2023, where
Steve and the team came down toGeorgia and they were going to
do this pilot four-day men'sprogram and I have a son who's
active duty.
I have two sons that are dude,but my youngest son that is
active duty is in a, having somestruggles, was in a pretty dark
(05:10):
spot, had had just figured outwho god was and was trying to
navigate that.
So I asked him if he wouldattend this four-day thing.
He said yes, and I called steveand I said, hey, I know I've
kind of been ducking you, butI'd really like it if my son
could attend this thing and I'dreally like it if I could serve.
I'd already attended my eventand once we attend those events
then we can come back and serveas volunteer staff.
(05:32):
Steve agreed, so not only did Iget to serve, my dad got to
serve, because my dad is also aveteran and has also been
through the program.
And so here now at this eventthe singular event I have my son
who's participating, my dad andmyself who are serving, and I
got to watch from a verypersonal front row seat what God
can do in the life of someone Ilove.
(05:53):
And I got a really up close andpersonal view of that.
And Steve and I and DeanVandermeer and Dean is the
founder of Set Free Dean foundedSet Free 29 years ago, but Dean
was there.
And so Dean and I and Steve hada great conversation and Steve
asked me again you know, eric,we really think you'd be the guy
that you're going to be, theguy that's going to lead this
Georgia expansion and I kind ofI kind of balked again and Dean
(06:17):
stepped forward and made eyecontact with me and he said, son
, the Holy Spirit's gettingreally tired of you being
disobedient.
And that leveled me.
He said, son, the Holy Spirit'sgetting really tired of you
being disobedient.
And that leveled me.
And so I felt the conviction atthat point.
There was no good stiff arm forthat one.
I felt the conviction, and sowe talked some more and we
started having moreconversations after the event,
(06:40):
and so in July of this last year, we launched the Georgia
expansion.
There had been some goodgroundwork done, but there was
no true expansion launched, andso we launched the expansion in
July, and so I've been in theseat as the Georgia director
since July.
So that's a 30,000 foot view asto how I got here, I suppose.
Larry Zilliox (06:59):
Tell us about the program and what it is, what it
involves, who's eligible.
Eric Brew (07:06):
Absolutely so.
Warrior, Set Free truthfully,is just on a mission to bring
hope, healing and spiritualstrength to our military,
veteran and first respondercommunities.
That's who we serve the activeduty military, the veteran and
the first responder,Understanding that the battles
that they face truthfully arenot just from the front lines
but they're also battles thatthey face within themselves and
(07:26):
battles that they face fromtheir past.
So our ministry provides a pathto freedom in Christ by guiding
(07:47):
individuals and to kind ofcombat the enduring effects of
PTS and then combat the tragicepidemic of suicide within not
just the veteran community butalso the first responder
community.
And so that's kind of that'sour purpose and our mission.
We want to get in the ring andfight and work alongside our
brothers and our sisters as theydeal with and have to look
their trauma in the ring, andfight and work alongside our
brothers and our sisters as theydeal with and have to look
their trauma in the face.
(08:08):
And so we do that by a coupleof different methodologies.
At the core, at the center ofour program, at the center of
our ministry, is what we call afreedom appointment.
And a freedom appointmentreally is this it is a one-day
intensive spiritual housecleaning.
It is an opportunity for aparticipant to sit down with
what we call an encourager, sosomeone like myself would be the
(08:30):
encourager, and we also bring aprayer partner because we
believe in what the Bible says,and the Bible says that Christ
sent us out two by two.
So we don't do ministry alone,Right?
So we bring two, so we have anencourager and then we have a
prayer partner.
But really throughout that day,the encourager and the prayer
partner are going to set a tablefor the participant to be able
to sit and have an opportunityto do some real work and to do
(08:53):
business with the father.
And so we're going to look atseven different areas of our
lives.
There are going to be areasthat we have been the problem
right, Things that we've donewrong, that we have plagued
ourselves.
We're going to look at areasthat others have plagued us,
where others have wronged us.
We're going to look at areas ofour lives where the enemy has
absolutely tricked and swayed usinto doing things we shouldn't
have done.
But we're going to look atthose areas.
(09:13):
We're going to take a hard,deep dive into what that looks
like and how to do business withFather.
What does the Bible say isrequired to deal with this.
It's really very simple, right.
It's acknowledging that I didit because sin is sin and it's
repenting and trying to moveaway from right.
Repentance just means to turn a180.
It needs to turn your direction, and so we'll.
(09:35):
We.
We spend this time and it is.
It is an all day thing.
It is a spiritual butt kickingI.
This is that.
I'll tell you.
This is, this is the worstsales pitch in the world for
anything when it comes to tryingto navigate, finding healing,
and that is this is going tosuck.
It is not fun, right.
When we, when we have to lookour trauma in the face and when
(09:57):
we have to do business with thefather, it is really, really
hard.
However, the freedom that canmakes it all so worth it, it's
freedom.
It's freedom from our guilt andour shame.
It's freedom from the hurt.
It's freedom from the pain.
It is freedom from ourselvesand the way we would want to do
(10:17):
things.
Right.
I tell people all the timethere's lots of stuff in the
Bible I wish God wouldn't havewritten.
It would make my life so mucheasier.
I would love to be able to hatemy enemies, but that's not what
I'm called to do.
I would love to be moreworld-like, but I'm called to be
set apart from the world, to bedifferent, not better than just
different, and so doing thatwork and getting that place is
(10:40):
really, really difficult.
But I would tell anyonelistening that I am walking,
talking, breathing proof of whathappens when God restores a
dumpster fire and puts him backinto a place where he's got
purpose and he's got joy andhe's got hope.
So that freedom appointmentreally is at the core of what we
do, and we've got some otherthings that we've got going on
(11:00):
too.
Larry Zilliox (11:01):
The program is open to all veterans or just
post 9-11?
Eric Brew (11:05):
No we are.
As a matter of fact, thisprogram, this entire, the
freedom ministry that we do inSet Free so Set Free again
started 29 years ago.
It started with a Vietnamveteran.
So, no, we are open to all erasof veteran.
We are open to any form offirst responder ER, nurse, to
police officer, to SWAT, to fireEMT or to I don't EMT we want.
(11:33):
What we want is we want to findpeople who are out here trying
to serve our country or serveour community, who are hurting,
right, to help them find freedom.
Because and this is just, I'lljust speak, let's just talk law
enforcement for a second we havegot such a mistrust in our law
enforcement in this country,right as a grand scope not maybe
not each individual, but as agrand scope.
And we've got this thing inthis world we call sin, and it
(11:53):
is my humble opinion, we're justnot going to eradicate sin.
Sin is always going to be here.
Until Christ comes back andsets up a new world, this sin is
going to be here.
So if I can't get away from sinin the world, then I want to at
least be a part of healing thepeople who have to combat it.
So that's where we step in andwant to deal with our first
(12:16):
responders, our policemen andpolicewomen, so that they can be
a better healed version ofthemselves, so that when they
have to deal with the stuff inthis world, they're better
equipped.
Larry Zilliox (12:23):
And this program takes place at your offices
there.
Is it more than one day, or isthat all that's?
The main program is a one daycounseling.
Eric Brew (12:35):
So, like I said, at the core of our program is the
one day spiritual house cleaning, and that can be done both in
person here, if you're in theColumbus Georgia area that can
be done here in person, or wecan do it virtually.
I have done lots and lots offreedom appointments virtually,
so really we can help anyoneanywhere, but that's only one of
the things.
The other thing that we offerand this is new ish, new ish,
(12:57):
We've done four now is we tookthat test, that test four day
men's event, and we created apermanent four day men's event.
So now what we have is what wecall the warriors battle, which
is a four day men's event.
We've got a couple of differentlocations here in Georgia that
we use.
I spent 25 years as aninfantryman, so I'm not sleeping
outside on the ground anymore.
So we have beds and cabins andwe have industrial kitchens that
(13:21):
we use.
I've even got a retiredfirefighter and a retired Army
cook that run our kitchen.
Nice, so we eat well.
We eat really, really well.
Now, Chef, I've never had yourstuff, but I'm sure it's very
good.
But I'm telling you, man, afirefighter and an old army cook
can really kill it.
(13:41):
They are doing a heck of a job.
Sure, so we have our four-daymen's event, which is similar
there's some similar things inthere to the freedom of movement
, but really what it is is it'smore group work, more sitting
down with brothers so that wecan look around to our left and
our right and go, wow, so I'mnot the only one struggling with
that.
Larry Zilliox (13:59):
Huh, Sure sure, and how large is the group
usually?
What typically makes up thegroup?
Eric Brew (14:05):
Right now our last.
We just finished our lastbattle.
Our last battle was just lastweek.
Actually, that battle had 22participants and we have visions
of larger.
We have, we have a way to builda staff.
Our staff are going to bemostly volunteer staff, but for
this last warriors battle we hadstaff that came from five
different States.
So we have volunteers takingPTO, paying for their own
(14:28):
transportation and gettingthemselves to the location to
volunteer to help other men getto where they're at.
Larry Zilliox (14:34):
And is it co-ed?
Is it both male and femalewarriors or only male group?
Eric Brew (14:40):
Nope, we keep our cohorts are going to be gender
specific, okay, and so it'sgoing to be just the guys, and
that's very simple.
Men and women have completelydifferent trauma experiences
sometimes, and what we want tocreate is an environment where
both our ladies and our men getan opportunity to deal with the
things that they have to dealwith specifically that might be
(15:02):
specific to what's going on intheir life.
Right, our ladies events, ourladies events, right now are
being run in Michigan.
That's where our headquartersis at.
So our national headquarters isin the state of Michigan and,
like I said, it was in Michiganfor almost 30 years until now in
Georgia.
So we're working on this modelof expansion, what this looks
(15:23):
like, what the right way forwardis, how do we grow it
respectfully and responsibly,how do we obey God and what he
wants us to do right.
And once we get that kind offigured out, then it'll be
looking on to the next state andthen we'll be able to start
replicating this in other states.
Larry Zilliox (15:39):
The upper management at headquarters is
sitting around and said, hey,we've got to expand this thing.
How do they choose Georgia?
Eric Brew (15:48):
They feel like the veteran population in Georgia,
in addition to the number ofactive duty bases that are here,
led them to recognizing Georgiaas a state that has a large
population of the us's of theworld.
It was super convenient that Ilive right outside of Fort Moore
, so I retired from what used tobe Fort Benny is now Fort Moore
(16:09):
.
I live right outside of Fortmore and so I have access to
Fort more, and my wife is fromSavannah so I've got access to
Fort Stewart, and so GeorgiaGeorgia was a was was there.
Was there choice based on theveteran population right.
Larry Zilliox (16:23):
What do you see as the number one issue that
your group participants arebringing to the group?
What are they dealing with themost?
Eric Brew (16:38):
Well, I'll tell you, larry, that's an interesting
conversation because the numbersand I don't have them, I'm not
going to make numbers up, butthey're staggering the numbers
of people who have joined themilitary, who suffered childhood
trauma are staggering,absolutely staggering.
And so what we're seeing isthat we talk about combat stuff
(16:59):
and a lot of people want to talkabout some of this PTS and
combat stuff, but really whatwe're learning is that the
combat stuff is exasperatingexisting trauma.
Sure, exasperating existingtrauma, sure, and so we deal
with oh gosh, we deal with somuch hurt from a parent, or hurt
from an upbringing, or hurtfrom a failure on the behalf of
(17:20):
someone in their life, and sothat's what we're seeing the
most of.
We're seeing the most of peoplewho are just are broken because
they've been broken and theyjust didn't know what to do with
it.
And, truthfully, the the world,the world, especially us guys
my wife is also a veteran, soI'm very careful with how I say
this, right, because I don'twant to get in trouble when I
get home especially us guys.
(17:41):
We have this world that hascreated this space where we've
told ourselves not only are wesupposed to carry our trauma,
but we're not supposed to talkabout it.
And the more we carry, thetougher we are.
And that is ruining men and asit's ruining men, it's ruining
men in homes and as it's ruiningmen in homes, it's ruining
(18:01):
families and as it's ruiningfamilies, it's ruining children
and we're seeing a domino effectBecause you told men you're
supposed to.
Right, yeah, absolutely, yeah,absolutely.
So when we start unpacking withthese guys I don't know, I
don't have the number, but itwould it would blow our, I think
it would blow my mind if Irealized how many of those guys
would be went back to no fatherin the home, or an absent father
(18:21):
, or an abusive father or anabusive mother, right, but like
it goes back to childhood stuff.
Larry Zilliox (18:30):
Well, you know, I've always believed for some
time.
You know, I went in in 77.
So up until that time it was abig period where young people
would get in trouble and theywould be offered the chance to
join the army or go to jail, youknow.
So you know they were coming inwith all sorts of problems and
(18:58):
part of the issue was that themilitary or the various branches
, I think they knew to a certainextent that they were getting a
lot of recruits that had issues, but they excused away those
issues with this thought processthat well, we're going to tear
that recruit down and remakethem in the image of the Marine
Corps or the Army or the Navy,and so their other problems will
(19:21):
just go away.
And unfortunately that's justnot the way it works and it's
not what happened.
And their issues stayed withthem and got compounded by all
sorts of things, whether theywere in combat or not, just the
rigorous discipline of thebranch and being away and being
(19:43):
sent to very remote places, andthere's just all sorts of
reasons that exacerbate theseunderlying issues that they had
for many years.
And we see it as well at theretreat and you know any kind of
counseling that they can get.
I think you know they're alwaysgoing to be better off for it,
(20:03):
and anything we can do to put apause in the process of veteran
suicide is so important.
As we kind of wrap up here,what's the one thing you want
our listeners to know aboutWarriors Set Free and what it
will do for them?
Eric Brew (20:22):
Oh man, just one, huh .
Okay, warriors Set Free isbuilt and ran by veterans who
have walked the same ground.
A lot of you are walking.
We've chewed the dirt, we'vebeen in those dark places and we
have been shown and learned howto grow and cultivate a
(20:42):
relationship with our heavenlyfather, who loves us more than
anything, and we've learned thatthere's a place where we can
take that rucksack full of crapand we can lay it at the foot of
the cross and we can actuallywalk away from it.
I've read the Bible.
Nowhere in the Bible does ittell me I have to continue to
carry all of the hurt, pain,guilt and shame from my past.
Specifically, what it tells meto do is lay at the foot of the
(21:05):
cross.
It tells me to trade yokes withChrist because his burden is
easy and light.
And far too often we veterans,we used to have our identity
wrapped up in the military andwhat we did, because we were
performance-minded and themilitary stokes that.
And then, when we get out, Ithink this world has started to
create this idea of an identityof the broken veteran, and then
(21:28):
we keep us in groups and intherapies that last for years
and years and years, as wecontinue to navigate and as we
continue to work the churn ofthe trauma, when, truthfully,
what we are called to dobiblically is to lay at the foot
of the cross and walk away fromit.
And I'm going to tell everyonethat's listening you can lay
everything you've got at thefoot of the cross and you have a
(21:50):
father who loves you so much hewill never pick it up and put
it back in your rucksack.
So you also have a fatherthat's given you free will and
if you choose to go back to thecross, pick it up because it's
the comfortable trauma, pick itup because it's the known pain,
pick it up because it's theidentity that you want to cling
to, and you put it back in yourruck.
That's not God's fault, youdon't have to carry it.
Larry Zilliox (22:12):
The webpage is warriorsetfreeorg.
That's correct.
Yep, reach out to them, take alook at the programs.
I know that Eric's contactinformation is on there.
If you're not sure, give them acall, send them an email, but
really take a look at thisprogram and I have no doubt that
(22:32):
it will help you.
So, eric, thanks much forcoming on and and just telling
us all about or you're set freeyeah, it's been an honor.
Eric Brew (22:41):
I am again.
I am.
I am not just a leader or or ora director in this organization
.
I've been through this, thisprogram.
I I'm here because I lived itand it fundamentally changed who
I am and what my identity is.
So and Larry, you said it best,please reach out to us If you
are hurting or you want a betterrelationship with your father
(23:04):
or you want to understand how tolet go of some of the crap
you're carrying.
Reach out to us.
I don't.
I know trust comes at a premium, and so I ask everyone give me
just a, give me just an ounce oftrust and I will earn the rest.
My team will earn the rest.
Larry Zilliox (23:18):
Well, and I think the other thing that people
need to understand, ourlisteners need to understand you
can reach out to Eric, you canparticipate in this program and
it can't hurt you.
Yeah, there's no downside tothis.
You may walk away and say, youknow, it wasn't for me and okay,
(23:41):
I'm just going to look forsomething else, but it's not
going to hurt you.
Chances are it's going to helpyou.
So you know, reach out andreally explore all the
possibilities.
It's warriorsetfreeorg, Eric.
Thank you again for joining us.
Eric Brew (23:59):
Thank you, larry, and don't forget everyone.
Our next Warriors Battle is inMarch, so if you're interested
in that, our next one is inMarch, so reach out to us, great
.
Larry Zilliox (24:07):
Well for our listeners.
We'll have another episode nextMonday morning at 0500.
If you have any questions orsuggestions, you can reach us at
podcastatwillingwarriorsorg.
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