Air Force veteran leads peer support group for Manteno servicemembers

Adrienne MacQueen, a 45-year-old resident of Bradley, Illinois, spends her evenings helping other veterans process their military experiences. She serves as a team leader for Project Headspace and Timing, a nonprofit that meets at the Illinois Veterans Home in Manteno. The organization provides a space for servicemembers to discuss post-service challenges and mental health.

MacQueen received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force in 2003 after three years of service. She was stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and deployed to a base in Qatar from August to December 2002. She described the Qatar post as a rest and relaxation location where soldiers played bingo, watched movies, and used video conferencing to contact family members.

Before joining the Air Force at age 19 in 2000, MacQueen attended Kankakee Community College. She selected the Air Force because its six-week basic training period was shorter than the nine or 13 weeks required by the Army, Navy, and Marines. Following her discharge, she worked in human resources at the Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee for 14 years before taking a similar role at the veterans' home in 2023.

MacQueen joined Project Headspace about a year ago but hesitated to participate initially. She did not seek counseling or peer support for 15 years after leaving the military because she believed she did not deserve it. She reasoned that since she had not engaged in combat, she did not need help processing her service.

During her first meetings, she remained silent and listened to other veterans share their stories. She found their experiences familiar and eventually began to speak. She has also volunteered with Veiled Valor, a support group for women veterans that meets every other month. The Manteno location also hosts concealed carry classes for Guardian Concepts on Monday evenings and sewing sessions on Wednesday evenings.

MacQueen, a mother of two, stated that veterans often feel isolated after leaving the military. She said, "It's just what you have to do. Suck it up. But there is so much intense loneliness." She noted that listening to others helps both the veteran and herself.

The group continues to meet at the Manteno facility. MacQueen said, "No veteran should ever feel they are alone. This place is so rewarding."