War is ugly. It’s brutal and cruel and terrifying in the indiscriminate way it destroys lives. No one comes home unchanged. But public perception to the contrary, war doesn’t always turn warriors hard and bitter. Sometimes the exact opposite is true. Rather than clinging to resentment, some veterans of combat make the choice to focus on something much more powerful --- hope. Hope that love will eventually overcome hatred and fear. Hope that the world will one day be a better place. Hope that the legacy we leave will be more than the role we played in combat.

But hope by itself won’t do much to change anything. Change requires action.

That is where the COMMIT Foundation steps in.

Founded by Guy Filippelli and Anne Meree Craig in March 2012 as a way to help veterans successfully transition home, the COMMIT Foundation (http://commitfoundation.org/) focuses on “small touch and high impact” efforts. The staff is small, but deeply committed to veterans. They firmly believe veterans can lead a movement toward greater social justice if they can simply leverage their collective passion for service. The COMMIT Foundation brings them together. The rest happens organically.

This very simple concept was on display last weekend in Colorado Springs. The COMMIT Foundation brought 12 Post-9/11 veteran protégés from around the country to meet 12 highly successful mentors working in the non-profit space. 12 plus 12. I was fortunate enough to be one of the protégés.

So what exactly happens when 12 Post-9/11 veterans eager to initiate social change get together with 12 experienced mentors who know how to go about it? The COMMIT people call it serendipity. I just call it smart.

At the seminar, I met protégé-veterans from every branch, with combat service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other fronts in the Global War on Terrorism. I met mentor-veterans with service in every theater of war from Korea to Afghanistan. I also met mentors without military service but dedicated to helping veterans engage the non-profit sector. Some of the protégés, like me, are brand new to the non-profit world. Others have been involved in the sector for years. The mentors have experience in every facet of non-profit management with impressive resumes built over years of advancing a variety of noble causes. Protégés and mentors alike, are deeply committed to continuing our service as civilians.

For 2 days, we participated in round table discussions, break-out groups, and individual mentoring sessions. We shared our ideas and experiences. We talked about our hopes and dreams. We found commonality and points of dissention. We benefited from honest feedback and the fresh perspectives of others. We brainstormed new business plans and refined old ones. We challenged one another. We laughed, debated, and simply rejoiced in being with like-minded veterans and veteran-supporters.

It was beautiful.

Last weekend, 24 Americans committed to social causes built enduring bridges. We connected our separate visions in ways most of us couldn’t even imagine a few days earlier. We reinvigorated our passion and took the next important step toward creating a better country…and a better world. Our separate journeys are now intertwined to the benefit of us all.

For many of us who met in Colorado Springs, the despair of war led to a profound hope for peace. The COMMIT Foundation is helping us turn our hope into action. Our journey together is just beginning.