--- title: About Us url: https://warriorwod.org/about-us/ date: 2026-03-26T19:26:18+00:00 modified: 2026-10-03T21:31:12+00:00 lang: en_US --- # About Us In crisis? Dial 988, press 1, or text 838255. [Veterans Crisis Line](https://www.veteranscrisisline.net), 24/7. ▸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](https://warriorwod.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/phil-palmer-warriorwod-founder-marine-veteran.webp) *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 organization **Founded** July 2021, Charleston, South Carolina **Status** 501(c)(3) · EIN 87-1065126 **Reach** 265 completers in 38+ states **Cost to veterans** Nothing. Donors and grants cover the $1,500 per veteran. ▸ 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 1. 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. 2. July 2021 WarriorWOD Foundation opens in Charleston Two veterans enroll in the first year. 3. 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. 4. 2025 Independent evaluation The College of Charleston finds a 14.42-point PCL-5 reduction. 5. 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](https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/adult-sr/ptsd-checklist.asp) 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](https://warriorwod.org/veteran-ptsd-program/). Graduates can [become a Battle Buddy](https://warriorwod.org/volunteer/battle-buddy/). ▸ Documented outcomes ## What the Data Shows for Our Veteran-Led PTSD Recovery Organization The [College of Charleston](https://cofc.edu) 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 ›](https://warriorwod.org/veteran-ptsd-recovery-program-research/) ▸ 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.