Chapter 17: The Next Mission
Autumn returned to Annapolis, painting the campus in vibrant shades of gold and crimson. Valerie sat in Admiral Hayes’s office, feeling a familiar sense of anticipation. It had been two years since she first walked through his door as a broken officer seeking purpose.
Hayes slid a thick dossier across the polished mahogany desk. "The Pentagon has been reviewing the tactical resilience curriculum you and Marcus developed," he said, folding his hands. "They don't just want it here at the Academy, Val. They want it implemented fleet-wide."
Valerie opened the file. It outlined a newly funded Department of Defense initiative aimed at integrating combat trauma recovery directly into advanced leadership training.
"They want you to spearhead the advisory committee," Hayes continued, his eyes reflecting immense pride. "You'd be shaping policy for thousands of returning service members. Helping them find their footing, just like you did."
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Valerie looked at the official seal on the documents. She thought of Marcus, who had recently accepted a permanent civilian contractor position with the Academy’s medical division, and Ensign Miller, who was currently thriving on his first destroyer deployment. She knew firsthand how many brilliant minds the military lost simply because it didn't know how to handle their broken pieces.
"I'll take it, Admiral," Valerie said firmly, closing the folder. "When do we start?"
