Venue: TBD
About the retreat
The Beyond the Fight Retreat is a Veteran Retreats Foundation retreat for veterans and transitioning service members who want to find their voice again through storytelling, on film, on the page or on a podcast. Facilitators help each participant shape their story into a clear plan for telling it, alongside fellow veterans, working creatives and veteran mentors.
No experience is needed, only a willingness to create.
Inspired by a film
Advin Illa, a U.S. Army veteran, deployed to Iraq as a combat camera soldier, documenting military operations and humanitarian missions before an honorable discharge in 2010. One memory from that time stayed with Advin: being trapped inside a building under enemy activity, with food running low and no certainty about what would come next.
Years later, that memory became the seed of Beyond the Fight, a science-fiction short about an Iraq War veteran caught in a program designed to erase his trauma, and his struggle to hold on to his humanity. Advin created, produced and stars in the film, which now streams on the Veterans Channel. Making the film became part of how Advin worked through what came home from Iraq.
That experience raised a simple question: what if other veterans had the same chance?
Who it’s for
Coming home doesn’t mean leaving the war behind. Many veterans carry their experiences for years, not only as PTSD but as isolation, emotional disconnection, and a quiet loss of identity and purpose. Not every veteran is ready to talk about it. Sometimes a camera, a notebook or a microphone is a better place to start.
The Beyond the Fight Retreat is designed for veterans who:
- Feel disconnected or unsure of who they are after service
- Would rather express their experiences than talk about them
- Are curious about film, writing, podcasting or other ways of telling a story, including complete beginners
What you’ll do
- Learn hands-on storytelling technique: film, writing, podcasting and more
- Guided creative exercises that let you explore your experiences at your own pace
- Work with facilitators to map your story into a clear plan for telling it
- Share only what you choose
- A screening of Beyond the Fight and a conversation with Advin
What you’ll leave with
The retreat team also makes introductions to media networks, brands and partner organizations that support veteran storytelling. With each participant’s consent, selected work may be featured on The Veterans Channel, giving veterans the option of sharing their stories with a wider audience.
I don’t believe healing means forgetting what happened to us. Sometimes, healing means finding a way to process what we experienced, connecting with others who understand, and discovering who we can become beyond those experiences.
Advin Illa · U.S. Army veteran and creator of Beyond the Fight
The Beyond the Fight Retreat is not about reliving the past or defining anyone by trauma. It is about reclaiming your voice, reconnecting with yourself and others, and seeing that your experiences can be part of your story without becoming all of it.
Schedule
The retreat mixes hands-on storytelling workshops with story-mapping sessions with facilitators, guided creative sessions and time to connect with fellow veterans and mentors. The daily schedule will be posted here closer to the retreat.
Request to participate
Requests are open now. It takes about 5 minutes, and no experience is needed. If the retreat fills, we’ll add you to the waitlist.
Questions
Do I need filmmaking experience?
No. Complete beginners are welcome.
Do I have to share my story?
No. You share only what you want to.
Will I leave with a finished film or project?
No, and you don’t need to. You leave with a clear plan for telling your story, techniques to keep going, and people to keep going with.
Will my work air on The Veterans Channel?
It can. With your consent, selected work may be featured on The Veterans Channel.
Is there any cost to me?
No. There is no cost to attend.
What if I need help with travel?
Let us know on the form below (“Do you need travel assistance?”) and we will talk with you about it.
Take part or give
To take part, request a place with the form above. To support this retreat, give to its fund.
Sponsor a Veteran
There is no cost to the veterans who attend. Your gift helps a veteran take part in the Beyond the Fight Retreat.
