Nancy Becher started Invisible Warriors in 2022, after a serious car accident left her unable to get out of bed for a year and a half. She calls what happened next a Gibbs slap from God, after the head smack on NCIS, and the message was clear: get up, get going and help other women. Her husband spent 23 years in the Marine Corps and she lived in a military town, so she knew exactly which women she meant.
Invisible Warriors is an Alabama nonprofit serving women veterans, who Nancy says are the most underserved people in the veteran space. We met on Alignable, and in this episode of The PR Bunker Podcast she explains how the organization works and why community is the thing these women need most.
A few takeaways from the conversation:
Rally Point connects women to the right resources for VA benefits, housing, food, transportation or whatever the need is, because many hear it takes eight to ten months just to get an appointment. The second lane is community, with picnics, holiday dinners and monthly workshops on topics like wills and trusts and VA home loans. The third is advocacy, spreading the word that women serve too. A national online platform called Heartbeat hosts the IW Club, where women veterans and active duty women anywhere in the country can find each other around the clock.
At the first of Invisible Warriors' twice-a-year retreats, one woman arrived and said the VA had flagged her as a suicide risk five times. At the end of the weekend Nancy asked everyone to share one thing they'd never forget, and that woman went first. She said she now knew she had a sisterhood and wasn't alone. At another retreat, a successful businesswoman told the group it was the first time since leaving the service she had talked to anyone who got it.
Nancy isn't a veteran, and women sometimes ask why they should tell her anything. She builds trust by listening, checking in when she hasn't heard from someone in a couple of weeks and asking what they need. Her rule as the organization grows is that every woman who asks for help gets an answer within 48 hours.
Nancy estimates Invisible Warriors has interacted with 30,000 to 40,000 people in the last couple of years, almost entirely on her own effort. She needs donors, volunteers and advocates who will share the message. Learn more and get involved at invisiblewarriors.org.
If you are a veteran in crisis, or worried about one, call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.
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Who does Invisible Warriors serve?
Invisible Warriors serves women veterans and active duty women, with in-person programs focused in Alabama and an online community called Heartbeat that's open to women nationwide.
Why do women veterans feel invisible?
Nancy Becher says the VA, veteran programs and recognition were built around men, so many women veterans feel nobody knows or cares what they did. Many also don't know other women in their area who served.
How can I support Invisible Warriors?
You can donate to fund programs and retreats, volunteer, or serve as an advocate who shares the message that women serve too. Visit invisiblewarriors.org to get started.
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