Battleground Peer Support, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by a retired Army veteran and Certified Peer Support Specialist. We provide free, confidential, trauma‑informed peer support for veterans, active duty service members, first responders, and community members facing PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use, and major life transitions. You don’t have to carry it alone.
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Need help? We're standing by.
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YOU'RE NEVER ALONE
Life after service can feel like a different kind of battlefield. We help veterans find belonging, rebuild purpose, and connect with peers who truly understand their journey.
For those still serving, seeking support can feel risky. Our peer-led spaces offer confidential, judgment‑free connection for stress, trauma, family strain, and life challenges—without impacting your chain of command.
Behind every call for help is a human carrying the weight of trauma. We provide a safe space for firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics to talk, breathe, and heal together with others who get it.
Serving and protecting others often comes at a personal cost. Our community offers understanding, resilience, and renewed purpose for officers navigating stress, moral injury, and emotional challenges.
How we help you Heal and Rebuild
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We walk beside veterans, first responders, and community members as they work through trauma. Our peer-led approach builds trust, helping you find calm, connection, and control again - one step at a time.
“At Battleground Peer Support, we believe healing begins when we stop walking alone.
Every story, every struggle, every victory shared here comes from people who’ve lived it and that’s what makes our mission real.
I’ve seen firsthand how isolation can break even the strongest among us, but I’ve also witnessed the incredible power of connection. When veterans, first responders, and community members come together, something changes, walls come down, hope returns, and purpose is rebuilt.
This isn’t just an organization; it’s a brotherhood and a family. Together, we’re proving that recovery isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about finding strength in it.”
Efren "Epie" Garcia, CPSS, VCPSS
Executive Director
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Discover how stories of resilience and brotherhood are transforming lives every day.
Your support provides peer-led guidance, recovery workshops, and safe spaces where healing begins. When you give, you help someone take their first step toward strength, connection, and a new beginning.
CUSTOMER’S REVIEWS
Hear from veterans, first responders, and community members who found strength and healing through peer support. Their stories remind us that no one has to carry their battles alone.
I used to think recovery meant I’d never have a bad day again. Here I learned it’s about having people and tools for the bad days so they don’t take me all the way back.
Veteran, Army National Guard
Peer Support Participant
There were a few nights I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. Having someone I could text who knew my story and didn’t panic, but also took me seriously, probably saved my life.
Veteran, Air Force
Recovery Participant
We didn’t just talk about addiction in theory. We worked through what to do on rough nights, how to get through cravings on shift, and how to ask for help before things blow up.
Firefighter
First Responder
My drinking was tied to stuff I’d seen both overseas and on the job. This is the first place where I didn’t have to explain either side—they just got it, and helped me work on both.
Veteran & First Responder
Recovery Participant
I wasn’t sure I was “ready” to quit, but I knew something had to change. They met me where I was, helped me cut back safely, and never made me feel like a failure when I slipped.
Veteran, Navy
Peer Support Participant
I was afraid I’d be judged or told what to do. Instead, I found people who listened, shared their own stories, and helped me make a plan that actually fits my life and my shifts.
EMS Provider
First Responder
Addiction had our whole house on edge. Knowing my spouse has a place to go where people understand both the military side and the recovery side has taken a lot of pressure off our family.
Spouse of Veteran
Family Member
After rehab I felt lost and didn’t know what to do next. The peer support here gave me people to check in with, tools I could actually use, and a reason to keep showing up sober.
Veteran, Marine Corps
Recovery Participant
I was drinking more after shifts and hiding it from everyone. Talking with another first responder who understands the calls and the pressure helped me admit I needed help and actually follow through with treatment.
Police Officer
First Responder
I used alcohol to numb out for years. Having another veteran sit with me, listen, and not flinch at my story made it easier to finally be honest about how bad it had gotten.
Recovery Participant
Veteran, Army
Join a group, connect with a peer, or help someone else find their way to recovery.
501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible Donation
FAQs
What if I’m not ready to talk in a group?
That’s okay. Many people start with: A one‑on‑one conversation with a peer A phone call or text An activity‑based option where you don’t have to talk much at first You never have to share your full story in a group if you don’t want to. We’ll meet you where you are.
Is this confidential?
Yes. Our services are confidential and peer‑led. We do not share what you tell us with your chain of command, employer, or family. The only times we must break confidentiality are: If there is an immediate risk of serious harm to you or someone else If there is suspected abuse of a child, elder, or vulnerable adult We explain these limits clearly at the beginning so you know exactly where the lines are.
Do I need a diagnosis, referral, or VA connection to get help?
No. You do not need: A diagnosis A referral A VA connection If you are a veteran, first responder, community member, or family member who is struggling with stress, trauma, addiction, sleep, anger, relationships, or feeling disconnected, you can reach out directly.
How much does it cost?
All of our services are free for veterans, first responders, community members, and family members we serve. There is no charge for one‑on‑one peer support, groups, or our Pathway to Care: Treatment & Financial Support program. When we help with treatment funding, we work to remove financial barriers—not add new ones.
What’s the difference between peer support and therapy?
Peer support is support from someone with lived experience—another veteran, first responder, or community member who has walked through their own trauma, stress, addiction, or transition. We listen, share tools that have helped us, and walk beside you. Therapy is clinical treatment from a licensed professional. We are not a replacement for therapy. Instead, we often work alongside therapists, treatment programs, and the VA to help you stay connected, show up, and not feel alone in the process.
Who is Battleground Peer Support for?
Battleground Peer Support is for veterans, law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS providers, corrections officers, dispatchers, and other first responders in North Carolina. We also support community members and family members who are affected by trauma, mental health, addiction, or the impact of military and first responder life—especially spouses, partners, and close loved ones.