One Veteran’s commitment to his comrades and their connection and healing in the outdoors made him a lifetime supporter of Outward Bound’s veterans programs.
By Joe Beckham, NCOBS Instructor 1969, 1970, 1972-1974, 1978
When Woody Woodward joined NCOBS staff training in the spring of 1969, it was clear that two tours in Vietnam had done nothing to suppress his enthusiasm for the outdoors. He understood how challenging experiences build a bond between those who take part and he immediately grasped how those group experiences contributed to program goals. With a “carry on” attitude coupled with a “just do it” approach, he could find humor in adversity and motivation in the close connections forged with peers.
That first summer bred a passionate commitment in Woody, one that he nurtured for the rest of his life. He never wavered in his support for North Carolina Outward Bound and the larger field of experiential outdoor programs, and he adapted the approaches he learned to serve a range of clients from youthful offenders to hardened military veterans. Project Bold was his first effort to lead an adaptive Outward Bound program. He relied on many of the instructors he had worked with at NCOBS in designing and implementing the program at Bad Tolz and later at Berchtesgaden, Germany. Of course, he was dealing with one of the largest bureaucracies in the free world, the United States Army, but his years of military experience paid off in cutting red tape and using his connections to the utmost advantage.
After the success of Project Bold, Woody and his wife, Jeanette, returned to the US and settled in Charlotte, NC. He continued to work with a range of experiential education programs, many of which had ties to Outward Bound. Leadership roles with higher education institutions and governmental agencies followed, including a role at UNC Charlotte’s Venture Program, Executive Director of the Charlotte Outdoor Adventure Center, Program Director for the Charlotte/YMCA Thunderbird Outdoor Center, and recreational coordinator for both the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Parks.
Believing and demonstrating that Outward Bound could adapt for diverse clients, Woody’s singular achievement was the inspiration to serve his fellow veterans through an Outward Bound adaptive program. He worked as an advisor with NCOBS to design and promote that program. Woody was convinced that a well-designed program could positively impact the human spirit and reduce the national veteran suicide rate. He never missed an opportunity to get the word out about Outward Bound’s Veterans Programs and was always fully stocked with materials to hand out. Woody’s commitment and service to NCOBS will be missed.
Starting in 2022, the first veterans course out of Table Rock each year will be known as “The Woody Woodward Veterans Course.”
