I am a former Arabic and Persian-Farsi linguist who worked for 20 years with U.S. Air Force Electronic Security Command (ESC) and then the Air Intelligence Agency.  Among the commendations earned during that time was the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for actions during the First Gulf War (1990-1992).  I served the majority of my tours of duty in the Middle East, Europe and the National Security Agency at Fort George G Meade, Laurel, MD.  I retired in 2000 as a Master Sgt in charge of 200 intelligence specialists at Fort Gordon, Augusta, GA.

At the end of 20 years of service, I discovered that I had accumulated and manifested signs of acute emotional distress and mental illness, later documented as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.  Several years of chaos resulted in homelessness, addiction and bankruptcy.  I became dependent on prescription medications and illegally procured substances.  Thanks to involvement with the Unitarian Universalist Church and other support organizations that provided connections to community, I was able to get back on my feet and gain significant traction with my recovery.

Part of that community connection entailed becoming involved with the peer support education process and working for three years at Four Circles Recovery Center as a wilderness therapy guide.  There I learned that seemingly impassable journeys can be attempted one trail marker at a time.  I learned the value of nature as a safe containment vessel for emotional and substance detoxification.  Following those jobs I worked at Neil Dobbins Crisis Facility then with the RHA ACT team.  I began a two year start-up process with the Transitions to Community Living Initiative (DOJ Adults with Disabilities settlement) and left after it was firmly established with Smoky Mountain LME/MCO.  I returned to RHA ACTT in 2015 providing peer support and facilitation Wellness Recovery Action Plan.  I also certified as a Moral Reconation instructor, a process formulated by Correctional Counseling Inc. in Memphis TN.

In 2013, I had formulated the groundwork for a community based, volunteer staffed peer support group that would serve those in the community who were marginally served or totally lacking provider services.  Sunrise Peer Support Services began to in reach/outreach those persons.  Sunrise also established links with local pastoral communities and started the Sunrise Cold Weather Shelter with Mt Pisgah Academy and helped staff Kairos Community Center in West Asheville.  In 2016 Sunrise Peer Support and the Mountain Coalition for Wellness and Recovery began a merger process that will culminate in the start-up of an Asheville-based Recovery Education Center, as well as continuing the Sunrise core missions of community support, jail reentry and health/social services system navigation and the MCRAW mission of technical support to Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC).