Our Story

Making a Difference, One Story at a Time

Journey to Normal, Inc. began with a simple idea and has grown into a vision. Director JulieHera DeStefano traveled to Afghanistan in 2011 in order to learn about the experience of women serving in the combat zone. That journey led to filming women Veterans from around the country over a 2-3 year period during their reintegration. She talked with them about all aspects of life, and met with their families, too. From that work evolved an organization that has produced a feature-length documentary, hosts community conversation events, and provides professional trainings.

From Afghanistan to Alaska… to the Silver Screen

The most visible aspect of our work is the feature-length documentary, Journey to Normal: Women of War Come Home.

Women comprise 15% of our military force, and roughly 300,000 women are combat Veterans from our most recent conflicts. In order to learn their experience beyond the “happy homecoming,” we followed the stories of eight women, through marriages and divorces, through the birth of children and the search for new jobs. Our initial focus was on the experience of the female Veteran, but what we learned is that their stories had broader implications – for women and men, for Veterans and civilians.

What has become clear is that Journey to Normal: Women of War Come Home is a discussion-provoking film. Viewers want to talk about it, and we seek to cultivate those conversations. We want to open the door for other Veterans to use the film and our other work in order to tap into, share, and process their own stories.

A Learning Organization and a Teaching Organization

Journey to Normal, Inc. is more than just a film. We are a learning organization, always looking for the next opportunity to increase our understanding. And we share that learning with others. We present at educational institutions and professional conferences, and we have designed our own training curriculum, in order to empower those who work with Veterans to engage them in a more holistic, informed, and effective way.

Our goals are to help others better connect with and serve the Veteran population – professionally and personally, and help all of us to become part of a supportive community for Veterans and their families.

JTN, Inc. Principles

Three driving principles motivate Journey to Normal, Inc.: to share the stories of Veterans; to provide learning about Veterans and their families; and to empower everyone to make a difference in their work, their local institutions, and in their communities. Through it all, we aspire to bridge the military-civilian gap, and would love to partner with you in that mission.