Today we’d like to introduce you to John Moder.
Hi John, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story for this purpose can start in high school. I grew up in rural MN, Wrenshall, a small town south of Duluth with a population of 434. I played every sport you could imagine, was involved in every and any activity: math league, speech, football, baseball, basketball, bowling, track & field, and the list goes on. In all of these activities, I found freedom, leadership roles, the ability to work hard and prove myself. I also succeeded academically and graduated with a 3.78 GPA. As my junior year came to an end I started to notice people I grew up with joining the military. 9/11 happened when I was in 5th grade and it had a huge impact on our small patriotic community. I remember seeing the people go and thinking, “ That is the right thing to do, and if they are serving, the military could use my help”. I also came from the turmoil at home, by this time staying at the homes of my friends and at this point my girlfriend. I joined just after my 17th birthday under one condition. I got to be a combat medic. It sounded like the coolest job ever: saving lives and killing bad guys.
I joined the MN Army National Guard, went to basic training at Ft. Sill, OK where I graduated with honors on 9/11/2010. From there, I graduated with honors from Combat Medic school at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Next came a deployment in support of Operation New Dawn, based in Kuwait we drove long-haul missions collecting materials to bring home as the Iraq war wound down. I served as the driver and medic for a 5 gun truck security team, guarding dozens of semi-trucks as we went from base to base in Iraq. Following a head injury on leave and the experiences of my time on deployment my return was very rocky. I had gotten my new girlfriend pregnant and came home to parent her 2-year-old daughter, start college on a pre-med path, and figure out how to be normal again, all at the wild age of 21.
The first 2 years were a nightmare. I finished up my service contract, getting promoted to SGT, but also in the worst mental place I had ever been. I was drinking heavily and developed an Adderall addiction. Both were my way of self-medicating, taking away the pain, the negative version of myself that blows up on everyone and is always on edge. My healing journey didn’t start until I hit rock bottom. I got into a fight that ended with my shoulder joint being separated and needing to be surgically reattached. I abused the pain pills and when I called for a refill, I was denied. That was the final straw. I could barely look at myself in the mirror. Something had to change.
It got worse before it got better. I was evicted, car repossessed, and I quit school. After a few months at my grandmother’s, following months of bouncing around with my then fiancé and the 2 kids, I decided to make a change, I knew that I joined to serve others. I had to get back to that. I started a nonprofit, put a post out on Facebook and got a message about how another organization was starting in the area and I should check it out. I joined the program Strong Compass: a 12 week positive psychology and exercise program created by Duluth Vet Center counselor Dustin Oosten, and after the first cycle became the physical trainer and co-program developer.
I spent the next few years rebuilding myself and giving back to the veteran community, running a total of 5 sessions of Strong Compass and interacting with dozens of veterans in the area. This came to a sudden end when my romantic relationship ended. I spiraled. I left the organization and for a year, I barely made it by, slipping into a deep depression.
I reconnected with a member of the original Strong Compass, Mike Waldron, and became a participant in his program: 23rd Veteran Recon. I graduated and had a renewed sense of purpose and chose to go back to school and get a degree to provide therapeutic outdoor recreation opportunities for veterans. I enrolled in the Environmental and Outdoor Education program at U of M Duluth and added some tools to the toolbox. Dustin heard what I was up to and had since my departure, gotten the program funded under the VA. He told me he had an established 501c3 nonprofit, that I helped fund and operate for a few years, that he no longer needed and wanted to see if the mission could be adapted to my current endeavors.
That was the beginning of what I’ve been up to for the last 18 months. In April 2021 myself and 2 other local veterans reestablished and rebranded Strong Compass Inc. with the mission to: Connect, Equip, and Activate veterans with the tools and team to navigate life’s obstacles. We settled on 3 areas to deliver in: Mixed Martial Arts, Outdoor Recreation, and Equine Assisted Activities. One founder is an MMA coach and we partnered with the local gym Jungle Boy MMA to offer free classes to veterans, we host various outdoor activities, but the equine piece came as a surprise.
I drove to Alaska in July 2021 to complete an internship through 23rd veteran. I arrived and after a month, the program was unable to continue. I drove back to Duluth without an internship. The universe had other plans. It turns out that the head of the degree department at UMD, Ken Gilbertson also boarded his horse at the location we were fortunate enough to connect with.
Starting September 2021, I became an intern at Northern Lights Cutting Center, a small cutting ranch that focused on training people and horses in the western discipline of Cutting. (Www.ncha.com) I spent the next year learning how to scoop poop, lead horses around, put on tack, know what tack is, exercise horses, and all of a sudden I’m using my education training to help develop the youth program, and the veteran program.
After that year, Strong Compass has developed and graduated 8 veterans from a 10-week horsemanship and human development program that takes beginners through a ground up training program. Graduates come back, after training, and serve as mentors for the subsequent session, and have opportunities for continued service until they see fit. We didn’t want to leave any gaps for people wanting to be involved.
I will graduate with my B.A.S. In Environmental & Outdoor Education this Spring, am working towards becoming a Certified Therapeutic Riding instructor Through PATH international, earned my Minnesota Cutting Horse Association Rookie Buckle and plan to continue to compete next year, and will spend the rest of my life learning how to ride and train cutting horses.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not smooth at all:
90% Disabled
Migraines
Intrusive thoughts
Mood management issues
Financial trouble
Failed 3 years of college
Checked into In/Outpatient 2017
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have co-developed several nonprofits and programs within them. I specialize in developing objective/experience-based programs for veterans. I am a potential client for everything I am involved and and provide a unique understanding of what is needed along with the humility to recruit and lean upon experts. I am most proud of the 10-week program Strong Compass is developing and the horsemanship skills I had to develop and continue to hone, in order to make that happen. It also has taken a huge team of volunteers and the results we have accomplished make me so proud as this is the largest project I have ever led and the most important. Duluth has an incredibly supportive and connected veteran community.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I am the second oldest of 8 children, all from my dad. Oldest 32 youngest 14.
Pricing:
- Free to veteran Cost of each Veteran to participate:1000$
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.strongcompass.com
- Instagram: Strongcompassinc
- Facebook: Facebook.com/strongcompassinc/
