FORT LIBERTY, N.C. – Seven years ago, a civilian sent a care package to an overseas Soldier unaware that the simple act of kindness would turn into a lifelong friendship and a career in the U.S. Army.

Pfc. Dakota Barnes, a behavioral health technician assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 18th Field Artillery Brigade, experienced a tragic loss years before joining the U.S. Army. A friend’s brother – an Army medic affectionately known as “Doc” –took his own life after suffering silently from post-traumatic stress disorder. Spurred to action after attending his funeral, Barnes sought a way to support Soldiers experiencing detrimental behavioral health conditions.

“I knew I had to do something to help the who-knows-how-many Soldiers that were struggling the same way he had been,” Barnes said. “At 21 years old, I didn’t feel I had many opportunities or abilities, but I knew I could send pieces of home to those missing it.”

Barnes started working with an organization called America’s Adopt a U.S. Soldier (AAUSS) and the Cpl. Charles O. Palmer II Memorial Troop Support Program. Both organizations worked to send care packages out to service members. She attended packing events and deployment ceremonies, getting involved as much as possible.

“I sent quite a few boxes and adopted platoons and Soldiers and that’s how I met Andrew,” Barnes said.

Now-Staff Sgt. Andrew Walsh is currently assigned to the 1-174 Air Defense Regiment, Ohio National Guard, as a 94T or a short-range air defense systems repairer. Walsh has been in the Army for almost 10 years. Thinking back to 2017, Walsh recalled how he and Barnes first connected.

“Our unit put out a thing where you sign up for correspondance and civilians reach out,” Walsh recalled. “Dakota was the most consistent and because of that we kept in touch via email at first and then through Facebook messenger.”

Walsh was deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan and spent nine months in country working with Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM). Walsh said having a pen pal helped pass the time during deployment and boosted morale throughout his unit.

“It was nice to talk to someone, who wasn’t family, who cared,” Walsh said. “We were getting ready for Christmas and Dakota sent us shotgun shell ornaments and other decorations. We got a lot of compliments on the mini-Christmas tree, and I’d tell them it was from my pen pal.”

In 2023, inspired by years of friendship and her newfound connection with service, Barnes decided to join the Army in the behavioral health field after much consideration and help from Walsh.

“I know active duty makes more sense for her, but I did try to get her to go National Guard,” Walsh joked. “When she finished basic training and advance individualized training, I was proud of her.”

Now, the tables have turned, and Barnes has built a rapport with Walsh as a mentor, looking to him for help and support. Walsh has stepped up as an example of professionalism and expertise, providing Barnes with essential knowledge for her success in the Army.

“He has been helping me with so many Army things – from the day I started considering joining all the way to settling into my first duty station and attempting to put my gear together,” Barnes said.

Walsh echoed the statement, saying he provides her with Army-related help whenever possible.

“She was getting ready for the field recently and didn’t have her body armor together, so I was helping her via video call to get everything together, being an NCO for her,” Walsh said.

Barnes and Walsh finally connected in person for the first time this year. Walsh is currently on rotation in Virginia and Barnes is stationed at Fort Liberty, N.C., so the pair met over a long weekend. Walsh said when they finally met, it was like seeing an old friend he hadn’t seen in a while.

“I’ve known her for seven years now, so I was just like ‘Sup bro,’ when we finally met,” Walsh said.

Both said relationships like this are important to maintain between civilians and service members. Walsh said that it’s necessary to foster relationships outside of the Army, allowing Soldiers the mental break from their day-to-day operations. Barnes agreed, saying while civilians and service members lead markedly different lives due to the nature of their professions, the mutual support and camaraderie they can lend each other is invaluable.

“I loved going above and beyond for the Soldiers I adopted,” Barnes said. “[Andrew] did the same for me. At the end of his deployment, he took the U.S. Flag flown at the base with a certificate and everything and sent it to me as a thank you. I still have it to this day.”