Our Origin Story

Why We Do What We Do

At Operation HOST, we support current service members and veterans living with the effects of trauma and PTS. We know that the weight of those experiences can follow us long after the uniform comes off. It can change how we see ourselves, how we connect with our families, and how we move through everyday life. Many of us know that weight firsthand. We also know what it means to find someone who understands—and how that connection can bring hope when it has been hard to find.

 

Healing is deeply personal. Each veteran brings different experiences, needs, and challenges. There is no single path forward, and no expectation that someone must have it all figured out before reaching out. We respect where each person is in their journey and believe they deserve support as they find their way.

 

Operation HOST grew from the belief that veterans can help one another rebuild connection, confidence, and purpose. We want our brothers and sisters in arms to have a place where they can feel understood, find encouragement, and begin to see possibilities beyond what they have endured. 

 

Your support helps us extend that hope to more of those who have served.

Our vision

Our vision is to reach as many veterans and current service members as possible and welcome them into a community where they can find camaraderie, support, and the resources they need. We want those navigating trauma and PTS to know they have people to turn to and pathways toward healing, wherever they call home.

 

Our Mission

Operation H.O.S.T.—Healing Our Service Trauma—supports veterans and service members affected by service-related trauma and PTS through peer connection, education, resources, and pathways to healing.

 

CEO & FOUNDER

Jaimie Ames

Jaimie Ames is a Pennsylvania native and Army veteran whose commitment to service began at fifteen as a rope rescue master with the Wilderness Emergency Strike Team (W.E.S.T.). At sixteen, she became Pennsylvania’s youngest certified female EMT in 1995. She served with her rescue crew and the Manheim Township Ambulance Association before joining the Army Reserves as a Military Police officer in 1997.


Activated under Operation Noble Eagle in October 2001, Jaimie served at Fort Monroe’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), providing personal security for four-star General John N. Abrams.


Today, Jaimie leads Operation HOST—Healing Our Service Trauma—a 501(c)(3) organization supporting veterans and current service members navigating trauma and PTS. A Certified Peer Specialist and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, she brings lived experience, education, and a commitment to veteran-to-veteran connection to her work. She is continuing her education toward a Master of Social Work (MSW).


Jaimie authored The Healing Journey: A Guide to Healing PTSD Workbook and Journal, which has been successfully implemented in veteran trauma-support programs, including programs serving incarcerated veterans. The workbook brings together practical reflection, education, and tools participants can use throughout their healing journey.


A mother of two sons, including one serving on active duty, Jaimie remains closely connected to the military community. Her work continues a lifelong commitment to serving others and helping veterans find support, purpose, and pathways toward healing.