The Highground will host its second military couples retreat October 18-20. “Operation Re-Connect” invites veterans and their spouses or partners at any stage in their relationship to get away from their daily routines and enjoy a peaceful yet purposeful weekend at no cost to them.

For the veteran’s partner who shared the experience of active duty and deployments, they were a part of the process and saw the changes as they happened. For the couple that met after active duty or the deployments, the partner is sometimes unaware of their veteran’s experiences until one day their veteran is triggered and their entire world changes in that moment. “Military couples face unique challenges whether they were together during active duty and deployments or if they met each other afterward,” shares Chris Pettis, executive director of The Highground. “We want to help them develop and hone new skills to strengthen their relationships.”

The Operation Re-Connect weekend will consist of guided relationship-enhancing exercises from a peer support facilitator and/or topic experts. Couples will have time to enjoy each other while they explore their relationship, develop skills to strengthen their friendship, increase affection and improve communication.

The availability of free veteran couple retreats is on the rise; however, many people shy away from them for fear of self-disclosure or embarrassment in a group setting. Operation Re-Connect is structured to provide a calm and supportive environment where couples feel safe to share their experiences and help their relationships grow. “I felt empowered instead of deflated,” said one individual about their experience in 2023.

The Highground invites five couples to join the weekend of interactive and insightful activities that will help strengthen their connections with each other and provide a “home front” supportive approach. To register or for more information about the retreat, email Bonnie at donations@thehighground.org or call 715-743-4224. For more information about The Highground’s Veterans Programs, call Bonnie or Theresa at 715-743-4224 or email donations@thehighground.org or museum@thehighground.org.

For upcoming events and more, visit The Highground’s website at thehighground.us or follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheHighgroundVeteransMemorial.

The Highground is located at W7031 Ridge Rd. Neillsville, WI 54456