From combat to community | Upstate Warrior Solution helps veterans rebuild and reconnect

Author: Lauren Sawyers

There are couches in the lobby of Upstate Warrior Solution, the Greenville, SC-based nonprofit whose mission it is to connect veterans and their family members to resources and opportunities. But Marine veteran Ben Barron has never sat on them. Nor does he recall seeing anyone else there.

“There’s always a person at the front door saying, ‘how can I help you?’ and you’re immediately ushered where you need to be,” Ben said.

Upstate Warrior Solution offers supportive services to all Upstate warriors – veterans, reservists, National Guard soldiers, and active duty members – no matter their current life situation. They are available to assist with a wide array of potential needs: employment, housing, health care, benefits, education, mental and behavioral health, recreation, family services, legal, and more. To date, they have helped more than 40,000 people.

Ben spent 20 years in the Marines, serving in two wars and 19 countries. He retired in 2023 and settled with his family in Greenville. Upstate Warrior Solution was the first place he went.

“It made me want to cry,” he said. “I could not believe that one place had all of this and was willing to give me access immediately. There’s no bureaucracy between you and the help you need.”

Ben was connected with resources for employment, counseling, and fellowship with other veterans.

One of the hardest parts of transitioning from the military to civilian life for Ben was feeling like he had so much to give, but essentially having to start over.

“It’s humbling to realize you spent 20 years climbing one ladder, but it turns out you can’t leave one and hop back on another at the same place,” Ben said. “It hits you in the face. Upstate Warrior Solution has seen it a million times. They know it’s coming and they are patient. They meet you where you are on day one and just keep showing up.”

In looking for employment, interviewing with people who didn’t understand or appreciate Ben’s experience in the military was one of the most frustrating and disheartening parts of the process.

“Upstate Warrior Solution has a vast network of veteran-friendly employers,” Ben said. “I needed help translating my skills from my time in service to a resume that would resonate with civilian employers and that’s exactly what they helped me do.”

In addition to working with service members, part of Upstate Warrior Solution’s mission is to inspire and encourage the community to embrace local warriors and their family members as valued neighbors and friends.

“Upstate Warrior Solution strives to educate with purpose by creating genuine connections between military and civilian life,” Charlotte Edwardson, community engagement manager for Upstate Warrior Solution, said. “Through community programs, public engagement, and outreach, we aim to inspire people to see veterans not just as heroes of the past, but as contributing members of the community today, whose resilience and perspective can strengthen the Upstate as a whole.”

One of the greatest gifts Ben has received from Upstate Warrior Solution was participating in a Memorial Day hike the organization held this year. It was an opportunity to honor a friend who died on deployment with him in Iraq.

“I was walking with the only group of people on planet earth who really understand and can connect,” he said. “It was the first time in two years that I felt like I was at home. It left me speechless and full of gratitude for the moment.”

The intangible benefits of working with Upstate Warrior Solution are also not lost on Ben.

“I know about 50 people who have died by suicide,” he said. “Something caused them to lose hope. I think of Upstate Warrior Solution as a lifeline.

“You walk in and know you’re a member of a family. They have your back in every lane of your life. Whatever part you’re struggling with, they have a resource or know somebody and follow through. They don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. It’s always a ‘yes’ and they find a way.”

It’s been a two-and-a-half-year journey to recovery for Ben. Re-entering civilian life is a challenge faced by countless veterans. Now, he’s looking forward to lifting them up the way he’s been cared for since his return home.

The Leon Levine Foundation provides general operating support to Upstate Warrior Solution along with other Carolinas-based veteran support organizations like Veterans Bridge Home. You can learn more about our grantmaking process and criteria here.