A note from the Task Force Director.

This week was truly an amazing week. TF 191 began with an airport pickup for the 4 recipients. We had individuals from 4 different areas of the SOF Community, and it was a great mix. We had some great activities planned, all based around Canyon Ferry. We went for a boat ride the evening we arrived, and everyone got to try their hand at wake surfing and got to enjoy their first Montana evening. The following day, we spent the entire day on the lake. Everyone improved on their second day of wake surfing, rode Jet Skis, spearfished for carp, and enjoyed the weather. The second day was an adrenaline-filled day riding side-by-sides at Pipestone. This was the only activity where the recipients had any experience, and it showed! Day three was a guided day of fishing on the Missouri River. Although the catching was a bit slow, everyone got to experience what a day on a drift boat was like and had at least one Montana trout at the end of a rod. Everyone wanted to try their hand at fishing again, so the next day, we took a little drive and tried wade fishing for a few hours. No fish were caught, but it was a gorgeous little spot, and the weather continued to be amazing. The final day was a visit to the local Bozeman archery shop where they received an archery lesson and got to shoot bows. It was a great way to wrap up the week before heading to the airport for their flights home.

The activities were all great, and other than the side-by-sides, each one was the first time they experienced it. As good as the activities were, the truly magical times happened every night around the campfire. We kicked the week off asking them to be open, vulnerable, and trust the process. Each one embraced it, and as the week wore on, the conversations got deeper and more personal. There is no question that some bonds were formed throughout the week.

This was my 4th Task Force, and in that relatively short time, I have noticed that the recipients come in a little more open and enthusiastic about the week ahead. They certainly don’t know what all to expect, but generally they seem less guarded. Big Sky Bravery’s reputation is solid and growing. Current recipients are told by past recipients how good the program is and how they benefited from it. It’s been an amazing thing for me to experience as a volunteer.

Willi Schmidt
Task Force 191 Director

Volunteers to thank

Willi Schmidt, Task Force Director
Tyler Wantulok, Assistant Task Force Director
Derek Tisdale

Patriots to thank

Derek Tisdale
Stone Glacier
Welcome Bag Patriots: Alpine Dentistry, Anthem Snacks, FHF Gear, Graplrz, LMNT, Melissa Ferraro, onX Maps, River's Edge West, & Wild Society Coffee.

“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend Big Sky Bravery, Task Force 191. This experience provided me with something I desperately needed: an opportunity to slow down, disconnect & decompress, and take an honest, introspective look at myself.

I can’t recall the last time I’ve truly stepped away from the noise, responsibilities, and pace of my everyday life long enough to reflect on where I am, where I’ve been, and where I need to be. Big Sky Bravery gave me that space and more importantly, it gave me the environment and the amazing people to make that reflection meaningful.

Big Sky Bravery had a tremendous impact on me and means much more to me than a group or organization. It serves as a reminder of the importance of brotherhood, purpose, accountability, and continuing to move forward through adversity. Spending the week surrounded by people who live and understand the sacrifices, experiences, and challenges that come with service created a deep sense of connection that is difficult to put into words.

My experience at Big Sky Bravery taught me to look beyond simply surviving through each day and to think about thriving and what comes next. It reminded me that taking care of myself isn’t selfish, and sometimes stepping away is exactly what I need to come back stronger for myself, my family, my brothers, and the American people who depend on me.

I left Big Sky Bravery with a much clearer perspective, a renewed sense of purpose, and a better understanding of where I need to prioritize my time, energy, and efforts moving forward. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and especially for Big Sky Bravery staff, donors, and volunteers for making all of this happen.

Some experiences give you a break from life. Others change the way you approach it. Big Sky Bravery was the latter for me.”

-TF191 Recipient

“Summing up my time with the fine folks at Big Sky Bravery has proven difficult over the last couple of hours. This is a statement that I've felt myself struggling to get across with the reverence it deserves. From the moment Willi, Derek, and Tyler picked us up from the airport, I felt at ease. I had no idea what I was in for over the next several days, but I knew it would be a positive experience. I had heard of BSB over the years in my organization. Folks would mention in passing that it was something worth attending after a few rotations, and that they thoroughly enjoyed their time with the team. But no one imparted just how deeply it could affect someone.

Big Sky Bravery stepped into my life at a critical time. After living at the rev limiter for eleven years straight, I was wound up tighter than the alarm clocks that run my day. Multiple deployments, a failed marriage, more time away from home than in it, nieces and nephews that don’t know my name, the deaths of my mother and a best friend, and so on. All things quietly adding internal tension to be ignored so I could perform at my best. Issues never resolved because the mission comes first always. My idea of fun or self-care had become burying myself at the gym and taking naps. I had lost interest in my hobbies or having a social life. All the while, I wasn’t conscious of anything really being wrong or different in my life. BSB brought me that awareness.

All the fun activities aside, BSB’s implementation of the “Question of the Day” is brilliant by design. For some, it’s difficult to discuss the deeper topics that we tend to lock away and ignore. For me, I don’t struggle to share in confidence. The issue for me has been just doing it. For years and years now, I have buried anything that would slow me down in regards to my profession and my organization. Feeling the country deserves me at my best, I had ignored everything else, but in that pursuit, I’d been handicapping myself. Like chaining weights to my ankles as I trudge along and smiled like an idiot. BSB opened my eyes to it. While the specific questions we were challenged with were provocative and helped build cohesion within the TF, the environment and activity itself caused me to begin questioning everything else I’d been keeping at bay. Since leaving Bozeman, I’ve felt physically lighter (despite eating entirely too much food). I have forgiven people that i spent years upset with, loved others just a little bit harder, and woken up everyday so far with more positivity than i have in years.

After meeting the beautiful souls who run Big Sky Bravery, I feel a new sense of community and support that I haven’t felt since joining. To know there are folks out there where ‘thank you for your service’ isn’t just a passing comment to someone in uniform, but something they’ve committed a part of their lives to. BSB is doing far more than showing service members a fun time. I made lifelong friends in the span of five days. That should say enough. They are saving lives. Helping us win the fights within us. Standing by our side as we push just a bit further. To say i’m grateful for the new outlook i’ve developed thanks to BSB would never do it justice.”

-TF191 Recipient

“Coming into Big Sky Bravery, I had an idea of what I thought I’d experience and take away from the week, based off the itinerary and stories from previous recipients. My time in Montana far exceeded those expectations.

Not only did I do something daily that I’d never done, or imagined I’d have the chance to do, but I made friends who will likely be brothers for life. From fly fishing and wake surfing, to nightly fireside chats having the tough, but unknowingly needed conversations, I can without a doubt say my time in Montana had a lasting positive impact on my life. The hours spent enjoying each other’s company and building shared experiences forged a brotherhood typically only found in the service. I know the others in my task force will be there for me if the need ever arises, and I’ll do the same for them. I expected a great trip and time away from reality, but didn’t expect the deeper connections and a renewed invigoration for the future.

As I reflect on the past week, the word that comes to mind is grateful. Grateful for the volunteers who took time away from their jobs and families to guide us through this adventure. Grateful to the team at BSB for the impactful work they do on a daily basis, organizing weeks like this and making this whole concept a reality. And grateful to the donors, whose generosity and unwavering support give folks like me the chance to experience the week of a lifetime.

So thank you: for what you’ve done, for what you’ll continue to do, and for being great Americans.”

-TF191 Recipient

“I can't really thank you enough for such an epic experience. Not once in my life have I ever experienced such a thing. This trip was a series of firsts. It was my first time in Montana, first time surfing behind a boat, first time truly fly fishing, first time landing a rainbow trout. But out of all the firsts, it was the first time I was thrust into such a week with a group of people I didn't know. While the events were spectacular, it was the people who made the event. Although we spent only a week together, I feel like I gained a bunch of brothers. The intentionality of every twist and turn through the week was something to behold. I was really blown away by the love and sacrifice of the team leaders. While the focus was on the service member, I could not stop thinking about how great these Americans are. Just a bunch of patriotic guys serving their nation in other ways, yet no less important.

The fireside chats were a great experience as well. They really topped the trip off and probably made the biggest impact, surely the longest lasting. The environment was such that all the guards were down. The opportunity to unpack emotions and talk through struggles was invaluable. I can't say enough about BSB. The entire process from initial contact and pick up, through drop off was simply amazing. No less than two days after getting back home were we directed to focus on yet another crisis in the world. The typical stress was there, but it felt different. I think Big Sky helped me make some room in my rucksack, physically and emotionally.

Thank you again to all the staff and the TF 191 leaders for the epic service you provide to the nation.”

-TF191 Recipient