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▸About WarriorWOD

A veteran-led PTSD recovery organization, built by a Marine who needed it first.

WarriorWOD Foundation is a veteran-led PTSD recovery organization in Charleston, South Carolina. Since 2021, 265 veterans have completed its six-month program of exercise, nutrition coaching, and peer mentorship, and an independent College of Charleston evaluation found a 14.42-point drop in PTSD symptoms.

Phil Palmer, Marine combat veteran and founder of WarriorWOD, a veteran-led PTSD recovery organization — Phil Palmer, Founder and CEO. Marine Corps combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, Battle of Ramadi.

▸ Our story

Why a Marine built a veteran PTSD recovery organization

I came home from Ramadi with a Purple Heart and a traumatic brain injury. I left the Marine Corps in 2013 with a PTSD diagnosis to go with them.

The care I got was a prescription and appointments that lasted fifteen minutes. It didn’t touch what was wrong. What did was a barbell, a schedule I couldn’t skip, and a few veterans who kept showing up for me.

By 2020 I could see the same thing happening to the men and women around me. They had tried the system, and the system wasn’t built for the months recovery takes. In July 2021 I started WarriorWOD to build what worked for me on purpose, and to measure it every month so nobody has to take my word for it.

Phil Palmer · Founder and CEO

▸ The deadly toll

The number we’re working against

Most veterans who die by suicide never reach VA care. WarriorWOD meets them at a gym near home, with a peer who has been where they are.

17.7

veterans die by suicide each day. 6,488 in 2024.

VA National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, 2026

61%

of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had no VA health care in the year before

VA National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, 2025

9 of 9

WarriorWOD veterans with prior suicidal ideation are alive today

Program records · C-SSRS monthly

▸Our mission

WarriorWOD Foundation combines exercise, nutrition, and peer mentorship in a research-backed, results-driven six-month recovery program for US military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, suicidal ideation, and substance misuse.

Train. Heal. Reconnect.

▸ Who we serve

Every branch, every generation

Branch of service

Army56.0%

Marine Corps16.9%

Navy12.0%

Air Force9.3%

National Guard4.4%

Coast Guard1.3%

Age

20 to 294%

30 to 3923%

40 to 4950%

50 to 5918%

60 to 694%

70 and older1%

44 Average age Youngest 23, oldest 72

38+ States Across 12 Warrior Classes

Percentages are based on the veterans who answered each question: 225 for branch of service and 214 for age, out of 265 program completers. Source: WarriorWOD program data, 2021 to 2026.

▸ Since 2021

From two veterans to twelve Warrior Classes

2013

Phil leaves the Marine Corps

He comes home with a Purple Heart, a traumatic brain injury, and a PTSD diagnosis. Training, routine, and other veterans get him through what medication did not.
July 2021

WarriorWOD Foundation opens in Charleston

Two veterans enroll in the first year.
2024

Three recognitions in one year

Constellation Quality Health names WarriorWOD its Innovative Partner of the Year with a $50,000 grant. Phil is inducted into the Charleston RiverDogs Boeing Military Hall of Honor at Joseph P. Riley Park, and receives the Jefferson Award for Public Service.
2025

Independent evaluation

The College of Charleston finds a 14.42-point PCL-5 reduction.
Today

265 completers, 38+ states, 12 Warrior Classes

More than 100 veterans enroll each year. 40 Preferred Partner Gyms host the training, and 2,500+ veterans have been reached since 2021.

▸ The program

How the six-month program works

Six months of exercise, nutrition coaching, and peer mentorship from a Battle Buddy who completed the program. It is a non-clinical peer model that works alongside licensed care, not in place of it.

Train·Exercise

Structured strength and conditioning at a Preferred Partner Gym near home. Aerobic training regulates the stress-response system and lowers hyperarousal, two of the mechanisms behind most PTSD symptom clusters.

Heal·Nutrition

Coaching built on the gut-brain link: omega-3s, anti-inflammatory eating, and steady blood sugar. Coaches start with what the veteran is actually eating, then build from there.

Reconnect·Mentorship

Every Warrior is paired with a VA S.A.V.E.-certified veteran who finished the program. A text every week, a call every two weeks, and a face-to-face visit each month when distance allows.

Measured every month

The PCL-5 and C-SSRS at intake and every month for all six months. Both are validated instruments used by the VA and DoD.

InBody at both ends

A body composition scan at intake and again at graduation.

A path to clinical care

When the C-SSRS flags risk, the veteran is escalated to licensed clinical care that day.

Veterans facing PTSD, suicidal ideation, or substance misuse can apply to the Warrior Class. Graduates can become a Battle Buddy.

▸ Documented outcomes

What the Data Shows for Our Veteran-Led PTSD Recovery Organization

The College of Charleston ran the evaluation under its own grant (SCTR CES-P UM1TR005294), led by Dr. Katie Trejo Tello, Ph.D. WarriorWOD did not fund the study and does not review findings before release. Peer review is pending.

14.42

point PCL-5 reduction, 43.37 to 28.95

College of Charleston · n=21 · p<.001

1.33

Cohen’s d, a very large effect size

College of Charleston · t(18) = -5.78

265

veterans completed all six months

Program records · 38+ states

9 of 9

veterans with prior suicidal ideation are alive

Program records · C-SSRS monthly

Veterans in the study entered above the 31 to 33 point clinical PTSD threshold and left below it. Across all 265 completers, 90.4% saw their symptoms drop.

Read the College of Charleston evaluation ›

▸ In their words

The Warriors who finished

I worked for the VA. I knew every program we had. None of them were reaching me.

Christmas Day 2022, my wife and my daughter were in the next room opening presents. She was a toddler. I was alone in the bedroom with a plan. I won’t go further than that.

Nine days later, January 3, I walked into my first WarriorWOD workout. I kept coming back because the gym expected me and my Battle Buddy expected me. Somewhere in those six months I found joy again. That’s the only word I have for it.

I graduated in June 2023. Now I’m a Battle Buddy. When my Warrior tells me nothing has worked, I tell him I worked for the VA and nothing worked for me either. Then I tell him to show up Monday.

James M. · Army, Afghanistan · Warrior Class graduate, now a Battle Buddy

“Body, mind, and nutrition are fundamental for healing and a meaningful life. This trifecta is not easily achieved but these guys got it figured out.”

“Having a support system in place that motivates you to crush it at the gym combined with the expertise of a sports-focused nutritionist is what sets this program apart. I am grateful and blessed to be part of this along with my brothers and sisters in arms.”

HOOAH!

Andres Rosario · Master Sergeant, US Army, Retired

“While the fear of leaving my house still lingers, the key distinction lies in my response to it. Now, rather than succumbing to that fear, I confront it head-on. … Currently, in my third week of guitar lessons, I’m eagerly anticipating the beginning of February when I’ll join a veteran rowing team.”

Warrior · Warrior Class graduate

“Regaining control over my body through WarriorWOD has had a ripple effect on my mental well-being. I’ve gained emotional clarity and can better manage life’s stresses. The program has also motivated me to seek professional help for my PTSD, making it invaluable in taking this significant step.”

Theresa K. · Warrior Class graduate

“The gym used to be just a place to work out, but WarriorWOD turned it into my sanctuary. … My battle buddy has been a mental health lifesaver as well. Having someone so similar to me has made me feel less alone in my journey.”

Liz D. · Warrior Class graduate

“The stress and mental fog that used to cloud my days have significantly reduced since I started the WarriorWOD program. The physical activities have become more than just workouts; they are my therapy.”

Meghan C. · Warrior Class graduate

VETERAN MENTAL HEALTH GETS STRONGER WITH EVERY VICTORY.

With your support, more victories become possible, giving veterans the chance to once again find purpose and rediscover lost joy.

▸ Leadership and accountability

Who runs it, and how to check our work

Phil Palmer

Founder and CEO · Unpaid

Marine Corps combat veteran. Purple Heart recipient, wounded in the Battle of Ramadi. Phil founded WarriorWOD in 2021 and leads the veteran-led PTSD recovery organization. A volunteer board of directors oversees the organization’s finances and programs.

Meet the WarriorWOD Foundation leadership and board ›

Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency 2022-2026

Charleston RiverDogs Boeing Military Hall of Honor 2024

Jefferson Award for Public Service 2024

Constellation Quality Health Innovative Partner of the Year 2024

IRS 501(c)(3) EIN 87-1065126

Form 990 and audited financials Public

See all awards and financials ›

Research and program partners

College of Charleston MUSC Kingston University London SC Department of Veterans Affairs Constellation Quality Health Precision Nutrition Lowcountry Veterans Engagement Team

“Before WarriorWOD, I struggled with feelings of isolation and found it difficult to cope with the stresses of daily life. WarriorWOD was a breath of fresh air for me.”

–Josh S.

▸ Warrior Supporters

They served. You serve them back.

$1,500 funds one veteran’s complete six-month recovery. Warrior Supporters cover it month by month, and every gift is tracked to a measured outcome.

Join the Mission

Tax-deductible · EIN 87-1065126 · Form 990 and financials