‘It’s like being a phoenix’: Fire Watch peer support specialist draws from personal journey to give back to fellow Veterans
12/19/24 01:00:pm
Serving those who have served us, Fire Watch’s official new motto, has more than one meaning for the team’s peer support specialist Chris Swift.
“When I found out I got hired, I cried,” Chris says. “I was excited, because this is an opportunity for me to really give back.”
For one, the motto and program mean helping fellow Veterans get the care they need through Rogers’ new virtual IOP program, which has recently expanded to include First Responders and is now available in both Wisconsin and Illinois.
“There's a big veteran population here who can benefit from this care,” Chris says. “Ultimately, the goal is to help out as many Veterans and First Responders as possible.”
As a peer specialist, helping connect Veterans to the program and offering support along the way, Chris says his own background helps immensely.
“I can be like an icebreaker because I served in the military,” he says. “Sometimes it's easier to talk to people who have done the some of the same things that you've done.”
As an Army medic, Chris served in the military for 22 years, 12 of them active duty, finishing his career in the reserves to spend more time with his daughter. Between Iraq and Afghanistan, he spent nearly five years overseas.
“I've got a little experience, and I've got a lot of lot of mess-ups, so that gives me credibility with Veterans,” Chris says. “I had a lot of trials and tribulations coming home. I'm a recovering alcoholic.”
Describing a “terrible transition” back to civilian life, Chris says a string of DUIs sent him to jail. After going to rehab at the VA, he says he decided he wanted to do something related to peer support, working with the Captain John D. Mason Veteran Peer Outreach Program, as well as at the VA in outpatient mental health.
Chris says he’s now up for the challenge at Rogers, excited to be part of a dedicated team helping First Responders and his fellow Veterans.
“I've experienced their struggles first-hand, and they realize that,” Chris says. “It's like it's like being a phoenix; you burn down to the ashes and then you come right back up.”
He doesn’t just serve Fire Watch; Chris says it serves him, too.
“As much as I can help the program, the program helps me,” he says. “Ultimately, it’s like being in the military. That was a privilege and an honor, and I feel the same way about this.”
In addition to his role on the Fire Watch team, Chris is also enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, working toward a degree in social work. In his free time, he says he loves cheering on all Wisconsin sports teams and spending time with his daughter.
Chris recently sat down to chat with the host of Rogers’ podcast, Andy Meddaugh, for the latest Rise Above episode. Click here for more details about Chris and the passion behind his work!
