GOWEN FIELD, Idaho — Just minutes into an interview with Chief Master Sgt. Virginia Holmgren the senior enlisted leader for the 124th Medical Group, there was a knock at the door.
Someone needed help.
Holmgren paused the conversation without hesitation, shifting her attention to the Airman standing nearby before quickly solving the issue and returning to the interview with an apologetic smile.
The interruption was brief, but fitting.
After decades of military service, helping people has become second nature to Holmgren. Whether mentoring Airmen, advocating for mental health or supporting veterans through Building Stronger Veterans – a nonprofit that focuses on supporting veterans experiencing homelessness and helping reconnect them with community and purpose – her relentless service has shaped both her career and identity.
Now, as retirement approaches, Holmgren is preparing for another challenge that many service members quietly struggle to discuss: finding purpose after the uniform.
“We talk about all the great things about retirement, all the things we’re going to get,” said Holmgren. “But it’s normal to have that feeling of loss.”
For Holmgren, that loss is not just about leaving behind a career. It is stepping away from the structure, purpose and deep sense of belonging that military life creates over time.
“There’s just not an equivalent to that on the civilian side,” Holmgren said. “We have connections through experiences most of the population can’t relate to.”
As BSV’s director of health and wellness, Holmgren hopes to use both military experience and her civilian career as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to support veterans who may be struggling with isolation, untreated mental health challenges and loss of identity after service.
“What I want them to feel is supported, and like there’s hope,” Holmgren said.
Holmgren explained her passion for mental health advocacy was shaped by her own experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. After graduating nursing school and deploying to Afghanistan, she returned home while simultaneously working in critical care during one of the most difficult periods in modern healthcare.
The stress, isolation and personal struggles eventually led to her own mental health crisis.
“Even as a high performer, people looked at me and thought, ‘She’s good. She’s got this,’” said Holmgren. “But I was struggling.”
Holmgren sought help through counseling and continued prioritizing her mental health, an experience she said ultimately changed both her career path and the way she leads others.
“When I was a young Airman, mental health was not spoken about a lot,” she said. “The military asks us to do hard things, but we’re still people. We have struggles. We need to take care of each other.”
That philosophy now influences the way Holmgren leads within the medical group, where she encourages Airmen to prioritize not only mission readiness, but also their mental and emotional wellbeing.
As Holmgren prepares to close this chapter of her life, she said continuing to serve others remains central to who she is.
“I need to have purpose in whatever I’m pouring my time into,” said Holmgren. “I just want to leave things better than when I found it.”
For Holmgren, helping veterans reconnect with hope and community has become part of finding that purpose after the uniform.
Veterans in crisis or those seeking support can call or text 988 and press 1 to connect directly with the Veterans Crisis Line.
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