KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The expression “at ease” is universally known by military veterans as a command to relax.
“Look out and I see folks that are just calm, for some of them the first time. For some of these folks it's like, 'Wow, we really we look at each other, go, this is this is incredible,'” said Simon Bradbury, a Navy veteran.
The veteran yoga instructor helped launch the international program Warriors at Ease in Tellico Village in December 2023.
“Every Friday at the Yacht Club. In the morning, we do an hour class, and afterward, we have time for coffee and chatting and just connecting,” said Bradbury.
“Yoga is a great mental exercise in addition to physical exercise,” said Kevin Kuklok.
He has practiced yoga for years but said he enjoys the familiar connections in the class. It has at least 25 students and is full of military veterans and first responders.
“It slows things down and they teach you to be okay with what comes to mind when things slow down,” said Nicole Powers, an Air Force veteran.
The United States Air Force veteran and her husband together have served more than 40 years in the military. Together, they have also made yoga class a regular priority in their weekly routine.
“When you leave the military, I don’t care who you are — you always have that void. And with this, you still have that camaraderie,” said Daniel Powers, her husband.
If you are in the Tellico Village area and want to learn more about the program, you can reach out directly to Bradbury: sbradbury@tvpoa.org.