The 2026 Adaptive Team took a meaningful step forward, gathering for a seminar centered on Purpose—the “why” behind their work, their training, and the commitment they’ve made to themselves and one another.

The session invited team members to look beyond goals and outcomes, challenging them to define what gives their journey true meaning. Drawing inspiration from Viktor Frankl’s "Man’s Search for Meaning" and personal stories shared by guests Bill Clark and John Compton, the seminar explored how clarity of purpose can serve as an anchor, especially in moments of uncertainty or challenge.

For Noelle, an Army Veteran and former intelligence analyst, the seminar sparked a deeply personal reflection. During a moment of shared contemplation, she realized she had never fully considered the role of spiritualism in her purpose statement. “I hadn’t really thought about spiritualism in my purpose statement until that moment,” she shared.

The realization took her back to a pivotal time in her life—when she had been newly diagnosed with cancer and searching for meaning amid uncertainty. “I had prayed looking for an opportunity to serve… and to help others in my position,” Noelle reflected. What emerged during the seminar wasn’t something new, but something remembered—a calling to serve, to help, and to honor the work she feels she is still meant to do.

“Noelle explained that this calling deserves a place in her purpose statement,” the team noted. “I feel like I have work to do,” she shared, reflecting on the inspiration she draws from being part of the Adaptive Team. She described the experience as a reawakening “of faith, commitment, and devotion.”

As the team continues through Phase I of their journey, stories like Noelle’s remind us that purpose often reveals itself quietly. It lives in our experiences, our perseverance, and the moments when reflection meets community.

The Adaptive Team leaves us with a question to ponder: What moments in your life have shaped your sense of purpose—and what would it look like to honor them moving forward?