Two Checkpoints to Home.

The power and impact of sisterhood is real and necessary to post-service success. Indeed, the bonds that are formed through military service can also be formed post-service with each other so that that we can reawaken all we once knew—teamwork, purpose, mission, a calling. 

Over a three-year period, the Athena Foundation, together with its incredible partners Patrol Base Abbate and Cairn Leadership, will bring together a selected squad-sized team of female veterans and servicemembers and coach them through a journey of two checkpoints until they successfully reach home.  These three years together will ensure a lifetime of partnership, friendship, and sisterhood that will then be shared in communities, businesses, and families across the country for years to come. 

Athena isn’t just a name, it is a movement, and because of your donations, these deserving women can start their Athena journeys and significantly improve their post-service calling.

The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025- Group of people standing on a wooden porch, with a sign that reads 'Patrol Base Abbate' and a cabin in the background.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Group of people standing outdoors on rocky terrain among trees, with mountains in the distance, during sunset, in casual outdoor clothing.

Checkpoint 1. The Reawakening with Athena | Cairn | RTB at Patrol Base Abbate

2026 Date Coming Soon!
Montana

This is where your Athena journey begins. In partnership with Patrol Base Abbate and Cairn Leadership, together we will host a transformative Athena | Cairn| RTB weekend—a time for reflection, connection, and reawakening in the Montana mountains at Patrol Base Abbate.

Over the weekend, we will come together to honor those who have served and sacrificed, like Sergeant Matthew Abbate. We will share stories, challenge ourselves in the outdoors, and reawaken a sense of purpose and camaraderie that the service once provided.  Together, a sisterhood will be formed through group discussion, reigniting our individual leadership journeys, embracing quiet moments, and most certainly, sharing in tears and laughter.

To have the greatest impact on those that attend, we keep the teams to a squad-sized element, so space is limited.

Applications will be accepted soon.

Support Tribe26
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 at Patrol Base Abbate in Montana - Mountain landscape at sunset with layered blue mountains and a few pine trees in the foreground.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Two women on a mountain trail during sunset, one smiling and taking a photo with a phone, both wearing athletic jackets and backpacks, with a forested landscape in the background.

Checkpoint 2. The Transcendence with Athena | Cairn around the Grand Teton Mountains

2026 Date Coming Soon!

Once a team passes Checkpoint 1, the next year they will attend Checkpoint 2 around the Grand Teton Mountains. Over a five-day period, they will further test themselves and each other around the Snake River and through mountain trails.  This experience allows participants to celebrate their progress, strengthen their connection to each other, and continue the journey toward purpose and community.

Details coming soon!

Female empowerment - Silhouette of a woman with curly hair raising one arm in front of a warm, glowing sunset background.
The Athena Foundation Gala - A long dinner table set with white plates, glasses, napkins, and cutlery. Decorated with glass bottles, candles, and greenery, with a warm candlelit ambiance.

The Homecoming. The 2027 Athena Gala.

In 2027, we will celebrate our first Athena homecoming.  With the Military Women’s Memorial as our backdrop, this event will share the accomplishments, journey, and growth of our first Athena Tribe25.

The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - A person signing a white cloth banner with black text and a compass logo, surrounded by colorful handwritten messages, on a wooden table.

Past Events

The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - A group of people standing on a wooden porch of a cabin, with a sign reading 'Patrol Base Abbate' in front of it, and a logo with a canoe and the words 'Athena Camp' on the sign held by one person.
Tribe25 The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Group of twelve women outdoors on a mountain trail at sunset, holding a handmade sign that reads "Return to Base" and an American flag, smiling at the camera.

Tribe25. The First Awakening with Athena | Cairn | RTB at Patrol Base Abbate

September 25-29, 2025
Montana

This was the first weekend and first selected squad that started the movement. Please watch the documentary to feel the impact of this moment in time.